Enduring tangible marks upon her skin, Nicole Kidman delved into a portrayal of the downtrodden housewife immersed in harrowing scenes of domestic violence, etching her presence on HBO's captivating saga, Big Little Lies.
The actress of Australian origins, now in her 49th year, bared her soul to the Hollywood Reporter, shedding light on a torrential current of pent-up emotions that trailed her footsteps even after the final claps of the camera. As she recounted, "I journeyed back to my abode, a seething tempest roaring within, propelling a rock to shatter a crystal door. My heart held captive the tempestuous maelstrom, a product of what had transpired before the lens."
Nicole inhabited the role of Celeste Wright, a retired legal luminary ensnared within the suffocating shackles of a tormenting spousal liaison alongside her on-screen counterpart, Perry (brought to life by the talented Alexander Skarsgard).
Past admissions from Nicole included the necessity for medicinal alleviation to tend to the contusions garnered during the challenging takes. Yet, it transcends the physical toll to a realm of emotional burden. Reese Witherspoon, Kidman's co-star, recollects an incident where a phone call echoed with turmoil and the gravity of Nicole's actions. Witherspoon mused, "Within the precincts of a sojourn, her voice pierced the line, narrating a tale of utter defiance, a rock yielding to her command, shattering a pane. Astonishment brimming, she uttered, 'This facet of rebellion does not align with my demeanor.'"
In retrospect, Nicole recounted a specific vignette that fanned the flames of ire and debasement, the emotion seeping into her core. "Recollections cascade as I lay supine upon the set's expanse in the concluding episode. Garbed only in scant fabric, subjected to the tempestuous choreography, I remained ensnared by the ground's embrace. Recollection slips toward me - Jean-Marc, the conductor of our symphony, approached, draping a shroud of solace over my form, bridging the takes. I withered beneath humiliation's weight, emotions tumultuous and uncontainable."
On the other side of the screen, Alexander Skarsgard, embodying the enigmatic character, reflected upon the strategies woven to exorcise the lingering intensity of the set's ambiance. "Resonating deeply, the ritual of reconnection carried primordial importance following the cessation of those intense sequences," he reflected, voices a cascading blend of wisdom. "Ourselves, the leading figures, adopted the protocol of interlocking in embrace, a resolute gesture embracing shared solace."
Vividly recollecting, Nicole revisited the impact upon her partner, the celebrated musician Keith Urban. A poignant revelation emerged, unraveling the tapestry of emotions. "Marked by vivid hues, the flesh upon Keith's form, an artist's canvas, marred by sprawling ecchymosis upon my return from the production realm. Gaze adorning devastation, he uttered words of solace, a paradoxical embrace of an artist's odyssey," narrated Kidman.
Venturing into matrimonial vows with Keith in 2006, two sprightly sprigs, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, stand as testament to the duo's enduring bond, intertwined amidst the symphony of their lives.
