Nicole Kidman opens up about career and her big public pledge during candid chat in Cannes

The Aussie actress spoke about a public vow she made 8 years ago and dropped a big clue about her career during a candid chat in Cannes.

IN CANNES

Nicole Kidman has opened up about fulfilling a vow she made eight years ago and revealed the roles she’s keen to take on next during a wide-ranging and candid chat in Cannes.

The Australian actress appeared as a guest speaker for Kering’s Women in Motion series, which was run in tandem with the annual film festival.

Back in 2017, Kidman publicly pledged to work with a female director every 18 months in a bid to help uplift women in the industry. At the time, women had directed only 4% of the top-grossing films of the year.

In 2024, that number was a little over 13%, but that “still seems incredibly low”, Kidman - dressed in a leather Balenciaga jacket and black jeans - admitted.

The Nine Perfect Strangers star has personally worked with 27 women in the eight years since her vow.

“I was going to make it possible,” Kidman said.

Nicole Kidman is determined to boost the number of high-profile female directors in the industry. Picture: Klára/ Getty Images)

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“I was at a point where we had a discussion where there was such a disparity in terms of the choice. You’d go, ‘Could a woman direct this?’

“And there wasn’t a number of names where you could even consider people. They’d say it was someone’s first time and you didn’t want to risk it.

“I had to start to say this is how I am doing it. This is what I am doing.

“We will take the risk and we are going to mentor and support and help and then really protect. Because part of it is protecting and surrounding the women with almost like a force field of protection and support so they can do their best work. At the same time, it’s giving them the opportunity where they feel like this isn’t the only chance. A lot of it is like, ‘OK, you get one shot.’”

Despite her fierce support of female directors, Kidman firmly ruled out walking the well-worn path of actors trying their hand behind the camera.

“I find it incredibly fulfilling supporting filmmakers in a producer capacity. It’s beautiful being an actor and saying, ‘I’m in your hands and shape me and do with me what you will.’ I enjoy the intimacy of the work. The intimacy is what keeps me coming back. It’s salvation for me.”

From Practical Magic to Big Little Lies to The Undoing, Kidman has well and truly shown off her range over the years.

So what’s next?

“I’m looking to experiment,” she said.

“I don’t want to be contained. I don’t want to be safe.”

She is continuing to challenge herself. Picture: Ian LANGSDON / AFP

Kidman then addressed ageism in the industry, especially in regard to female actors.

“You get to a certain age and maybe you had made a great film in your 20s that got lauded and then suddenly you’re in your 40s and you haven’t followed it up or made choices that didn’t succeed,” Kidman said.

“But you’re like, ‘I’m not over! Please still keep believing in me and investing in me.’ That is important too, resisting ageism. There’s the emerging talents and then the ones that are still going who have a wealth of knowledge and experience and have somehow been cast out or are not the cool person.

“It’s about going, ‘No, you actually can have a second or third chapter.’”

Kidman was later honoured with an award at the Women in Motion gala held in Cannes on Sunday night.

Originally published as Nicole Kidman opens up about career and her big public pledge during candid chat in Cannes