‘Babygirl’ Director Defends the Age Gap Between Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson

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As a seasoned movie connoisseur with decades of cinematic experiences under my belt, I must say that A24’s latest erotic thriller, Babygirl, has left me both intrigued and thoughtful. The age gap between Nicole Kidman (57) and Harris Dickinson (28) might have raised some eyebrows, but in this case, I found it to be a refreshing departure from the norm.

The latest erotic thriller from A24 titled “Babygirl” has been generating quite a buzz during the holiday season, but not for the typical reasons. Some have described it as “sexy, mysterious, and unexpected,” while others are raising eyebrows over the significant age difference between stars Nicole Kidman (57) and Harris Dickinson (28). However, the film’s director Halina Reijn has stepped forward to defend her creation, which made its debut on Christmas day with a box office earnings of $1.5 million.

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In the movie “Babygirl”, Nicole Kidman plays Romy Mathis, a tech CEO in New York City who embarks on a passionate relationship with her younger intern, Samuel (Dickinson). The film has received positive reviews with a 77% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but its audience approval is relatively lower at 54% according to Popcornmeter. In an interview with W Magazine, director Reijn acknowledges that this isn’t the first of her films to depict an age difference, and she sees it as a common occurrence that should be more frequently portrayed in movies.

It’s unusual when a film features two actors of the same age for a romantic or significant role. This is quite illogical as it should be commonplace for the age gap to switch and for women’s relationships to diversify. We have broken free from traditional constraints, yet we continue to absorb the male perspective and patriarchal norms. It’s crucial that we break free from these influences. Doing so is challenging.

In a different film this year, Nicole Kidman isn’t the only one to showcase an substantial age difference between her romantic co-stars. This was seen in “A Family Affair,” where she played Brooke Harwood, a widowed writer who embarks on a romance with Chris Cole, portrayed by Zac Efron. Interestingly, his character works for her daughter (Joey King). Unfortunately, this movie didn’t receive the same positive response as “Babygirl” did; it currently has a 36% rating from critics and 30% from viewers on Rotten Tomatoes.

Nicole Kidman “Wanted to Surrender” to the Role of Romy Mathis

In the span of her acting career, Babygirl isn’t the only erotic thriller that Nicole Kidman has starred in. Another notable one is Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut”, which was released 25 years ago when she was 32 and married to co-star Tom Cruise. Now with a wealth of experience behind her, it was actually Kidman who sought out director Reijn for the role of Romy in the A24 film. According to Reijn, Kidman expressed a desire to fully immerse herself in this character.

Nicole expressed interest in collaborating with me following the viewing of my initial film, Instinct. Upon reading an early version of Babygirl, she declared her desire to embody that character. She also mentioned her intent to fully immerse herself and make no alterations, which was significant to me because I had written something provocative and, personally, steeped in shame. I needed someone as brave as the script strives to be, and this willingness of hers was reassuring.

Currently showing in cinemas is the movie titled “Babygirl”, and you’ll soon see Nicole Kidman in the Amazon MGM thriller named “Holland, Michigan”. For television viewers, she will appear in another adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s work, titled “The Last Anniversary”, as well as the Prime Video series based on Patricia Cornwell’s Kay Scarpetta novels, simply called “Scarpetta”.

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2024-12-27 23:35