[IMG:L]Nicole Kidman has a word of advice for all the up and coming actors out there: “Go to your mime classes, ‘cause it is the future!”
The Aussie actress knows first hand how valuable miming can be after taking the role of Mrs. Coulter in the new movie The Golden Compass. While the film relied heavily on special effects, Kidman was left to “sit there for hours stroking a fur ball” that would later be replaced by a computer generated monkey.
Kidman, who plays a scientist and world traveler suspected of luring children to the arctic for experimental procedures, opened up to Hollywood.com about the new fantasy flick, her inspiration for the character and more.
Hollywood.com: Each character in the film has an animal spirit companion called a daemon. What would your daemon be?
Nicole Kidman: Well, it changes. Yesterday, it was a kitten, ‘cause I love milk and I like to be petted and taken care of and sleep a lot. But today, it’s changed today, and today it’s a tiger. I don’t know how to answer that. [Laughs]
HW: Where did you find your inspiration for this highly complex woman?
NK: The books! Actually I scoured the books. It’s beautiful when you can find all the intricacies of her. I actually used a highlighter pen and I wrote it all out and I managed to paste together her history. It’s wonderful having that. It’s something you usually as an actor have to do by yourself.
[IMG:R]HW: We see the depth of Mrs. Coulter in the scene where she slaps her black-faced monkey daemon. How did you feel about that scene and the fact that author Philip Pullman added it during filming?
NK: I think it’s sort of a complicated response because it depends how you view the daemons. What do you think? I think she loves herself and hates herself at the same time and has a very complicated relationship with her own emotions at this stage and where it is in the film. I was so glad he did it. Those sort of things [go to] what I was talking about in terms of revealing the layers of her so that it’s not just a one-dimensional thrust to her.
HW: I heard you were hesitant to take this role was it because you didn’t want to play a villain?
NK: I actually just didn’t want to work, when I originally was offered the part because I was at a place in my life where I was in Tennessee and I was just … feeling a little lazy and wanting to hang out. And then [director] Chris [Weitz] actually sent me a letter and Philip Pullman sent me a letter and with those two letters I was seduced, and I’m really glad that I was actually. It wasn’t so much about the villain or the warm-fuzzy, it was more my own laziness.
HW: Do you relish being bad?
NK: I’m 40 years old and I’m playing some of the greatest roles I’ve had the opportunity to play in the last couple of years. With Mrs. Coulter, I hope we get to make all three films because I love playing her and obviously it’s just a tiny little bit of her right now, but if you know the rest of the trilogy, the way in which it explodes, opens up and the layers of her are peeled away, are exciting to me. I see her as very complicated so obviously she’s morally questionable at times…but there is a pulse in her heart beating her, that’s driving her to do things. That’s probably what I was insistent upon with Chris is that you could feel that pulsing through her at all times. Chris was so great with that because he was always trying to give me the opportunity to show the complexity of the woman. And Philip really spelled out a lot of her psychological makeup for me, which is just wonderful when you have the author available to you like that.
[IMG:R]HW: What’s your take on fantasy?
NK: I’m not a huge fan of fantasy. I’ve always been drawn to more–in terms of filmmaking–I’ve been drawn to more psychological dramas but I think what drew me to this was it had the intricacies of the characters to allow strong performances and that’s what I found compelling about it. In terms of fairy tales, I grew up with a lot of literature because my mother always would read to me so I think that a lot of Roald Dahl, obviously the Narnia Chronicles and I really think that when you have a film like this that people feel so passionately about, it’s wonderful. That there are people in these films, I’m glad to be in a film where there’s people and it’s not just animated. [Laughs]
HW: Some people may be pre-judging this film before it comes out because the anti-Christian themes. Can you talk about your perception of the film’s message and did you have concerns initially about the religious references?
NK: For me, I don’t believe that when you see the film that it will be the same. I think there’s almost an alarmist approach to it right now and when you see the film that will be dissipated. That’s simply put. I don’t want to make a film that’s anti-religious or anti-Catholic. I come from a Catholic family so that’s not something that my grandmother would be very happy about and I don’t really think that’s what I’m involved in.
[IMG:R]HW: You worked closely with Dakota Blue Richards in this film. How did you keep your onscreen relationship separate from your off screen dynamic?
NK: There were points where I had to grab her wrist and say, “Are you all right? Are you all right?” I feel very strongly about it because I work with children in practically every film I’ve done recently. I think you need to define what you’re doing because it can be confusing. Though it’s her first film, Dakota has so much poise…and intelligence. And it’s almost like working with an adult. There are other children you work with that you have to be so protective and careful with…The other thing is Dakota has beautiful skin. It blushes. And as an actor that’s glorious. If you can capture that, and they do capture that with her at times on film, and I think if your emotions can show through your skin as Dakota‘s can. It really helps the performance in such a beautiful way.
HW: Do you feel a burden to be example for children and a role model?
NK: Obviously, I have two children. I also have four nieces and nephews. And I think there is a lot of weight now on that next generation of children and we need to help educate them and keep, I suppose, not numbing the minds of our children. That’s something I’m very committed to, trying to constantly promote reading and all of the things that used to be far more prevalent, that now are not because of the Internet.
[IMG:R]HW: It is nice to see a young girl at the center of Golden Compass. Do you think it will appeal to boys?
NK: I hope so. I hope it appeals to both. My son is really interested in seeing the film, too. But it’s lovely that the protagonist is a young girl. There are not many films where it is. And I also think just the way that Lyra is depicted, she’s got a wonderful sense of her will and she’s a free spirit and she’s serious. I think that’s a lovely combination to have on screen for young girls to see.
The Golden Compass opens wide Dec. 7, 2007
