Venice 2024: Nicole Kidman on erotic and sex-positive drama ‘Babygirl’

‘Babygirl’ has already become one of the most talked about movies on the Lido this year. Many are already tipping it for awards glory, especially when it comes to the performers, led by Nicole Kidman, who hopes it will be a “liberating story”.

Nicole Kidman is back on the Lido with today’s world premiere of Babygirl, a bold erotic drama about Romy, a high-powered CEO who risks her career and family life by having an affair with a younger intern.
Directed by Halina Reijn (Bodies, Bodies, Bodies), who puts her own powerful, modern and sex-positive spin on erotic thrillers from the 80s, the film also stars Antonio Banderas as Romy’s husband Jacob and Triangle of Sadness’ Harris Dickinson as Samuel, the intern who triggers confusion around power and gender dynamics.
It’s rather fitting that Babygirl should premiere in Venice, as Kidman was on the Lido 25 years ago with another risqué project: Stanley Kubrick’s final film, Eyes Wide Shut.
Speaking at the press conference, Kidman said she hoped that Babygirl is a “liberating story” and spoke about the film’s racy nature.
“It’s obviously about sex, but it’s also about desire. It’s about your inner thoughts, it’s about secrets, it’s about marriage, it’s about truth, power, consent.”
That sums things up quite nicely, as the film deals with a torrid affair, but also about the importance of honest and open communication regarding intimacy, desires and kinks.
“This is one woman’s story and this is, I hope, a very liberating story,” she continued. “It’s told through a woman’s gaze, and that’s to me what made it so unique… It was freeing.”
Indeed, Reijn shared that she wanted Babygirl to focus on the “female gaze”, while adding that this “does not mean that the film is not also about masculinity, masculine power, control, sexuality, all those things.”
Reijin added that she would urge men to take note of “huge” orgasm gap that exists between men and women, and said about some of the behaviours (which shall remain unspoiled) her film: “For women, we have not gotten a lot of space yet to explore this behaviour, not only how strong we are, but also how weak we sometimes are. I was raised by my parents in a way that I don’t believe in good and evil, I think we are all both. And we need to keep shining a light on that, because the moment we suppress it, that’s when it becomes dangerous.”
Reijn previously shared in the press notes for Babygirl that “all of us carry a little black box filled with taboo fantasies that we might never share with anyone,” and that she was “fascinated by the duality of human nature, and this film is an attempt to shine a light, without judgement, on the opposing forces that make up our personalities.”
“To me, feminism is the freedom to study a woman’s vulnerability, love, shame, rage and inner beast.”
Harris Dickinson shared that an intimacy coordinator was present on the set and made things “pragmatic”, while Kidman stated that working with Reijn was instrumental to her feeling comfortable.
“I knew she wasn’t going to exploit me,” said Kidman. “However anyone interprets it, I didn’t feel exploited. There was enormous caretaking by all of us, we were all very gentle with each other and helped each other. It felt very authentic, protected and, at the same time, real.”
She added, about debuting the film before an audience: “Right now we’re all a bit nervous, so I hope my hands aren’t shaking. But at the same time, I’m really proud to be at a festival like this, and to be forging ahead with films that are still being made – and particularly with women at the helm.”
Babygirl premieres at the Venice Film Festival in Competition and will be released on 25 December by A24. Stay tuned to Euronews Culture for our full review.