Nicole Kidman reveals hardships of filming Nine Perfect Strangers in Byron Bay

It hasn’t even hit our screen yet but it looks like Nicole Kidman has another hit on her hands with Nine Perfect Strangers. But it almost didn’t happen.

It was the high-stakes production that brought Nicole Kidman and her family home and drew some of Hollywood’s heaviest hitters to Byron Bay.

But it nearly didn’t happen.

As the United States was overrun by the pandemic, production for the upcoming new collaboration between Kidman and blockbuster Aussie author Liane Moriarty could have been cancelled.

That was until Kidman, who stars in and executive-produced Nine Perfect Strangers, got the whole show moved to Australia.

“It was a hustle,” Kidman told The Sunday Telegraph.

“We were fully supported by all of the actors and the government and we were able to still get the show made instead of having to shut it down, which was the other possibility. We just went: ‘Please no, we don’t want to do that’.”

Nicole Kidman on the set of Nine Perfect Strangers at Byron Bay. Picture: Supplied

The result, which premieres in Amazon Prime Video on Friday, has drawn rave reviews from film critics as well as high praise from the man whose opinion means the most to Kidman: with her husband, singer Keith Urban, already calling for a second season.

“Strangely enough that is what Keith said when he saw it. He was like: ‘I love these people, I can’t bear that it is over’. He was like: ‘I want more’,” she said.

“I was like: ‘We staggered to the finish line, what are you talking about? This is it’. (But) That is a really beautiful response, he just didn’t want to leave the people. He had absolutely built relationships with each and every person in the show, so that is a fantastic thing.”

Nicole Kidman enjoyed filming Nine Perfect Strangers in NSW. Picture: Mark Rogers

Kidman stars as Masha Dmitrichenko in the ensemble miniseries based on Moriarty’s book of the same name, which is set at fictional Tranquillum House, a health and wellness retreat that promises transformation to its guests under the guidance of Kidman’s enigmatic character.

Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Bobby Cannavale, Luke Evans, Melvin Gregg, Samara Weaving, Regina Hall and Asher Keddie make up the nine strangers who come together at the retreat.

“For me it was the ability to get the show made, we were originally going to shoot in the US,” Kidman said.

“We hadn’t really finalised the location so we were still kind of trying to find the right spot and we couldn’t find it. And then suddenly the possibility of shooting in Byron Bay in Soma (Meditation Retreat) became available and we just hustled.”

Masha (Nicole Kidman) and Napoleon (Michael Shannon), in a scene from Nine Perfect Strangers. Picture: Vince Valitutti/Hulu

Getting the green light was no easy feat.

Strict Covid safety measures were put in place to ensure cameras could roll, including cast and crew being regularly tested for the virus.

Kidman had previously worked with author Moriarty on hit Foxtel series Big Little Lies.

“Liane Moriarty said to me for Big Little Lies 2: ‘Get me Meryl Streep’, and for Nine Perfect Strangers she said: ‘get me Melissa McCarthy’,” Kidman said.

“What Liane wants, Liane gets.”

Nicole Kidman as Masha Dmitrichenko at the wellness retreat. Picture: Vince Valitutti/Hulu

Heather (Asher Keddie) and Frances (Melissa McCarthy), star in the new miniseries. Picture: Vince Valitutti/Hulu

To this, McCarthy, who also has an executive producer credit, joked: “And now I live with Liane and I kind of just run errands and do whatever she wants me to do.”

David E Kelley, of Ally McBeal, Boston Legal, Doogie Howser and Big Sky fame, adapted the script for the small screen.

The series comprises eight episodes with early reviews indicating Kidman has another major hit on her hands.

Variety critic Daniel D’Addario wrote: “Nine Perfect Strangers is straightforward in setting forth its story and its stakes, and its best moments probe the lengths people go to become well. Its lack of subtlety seems, in these scenes, to be an asset.”

Brian Tallericco, of The Playlist, wrote: “There are secrets, revelations, and even death threats, but Nine Perfect Strangers is about damaged people trying to heal in a place run by a mysterious woman who may need the most healing of all.”