If it seems as though Nicole Kidman has dominated the silver screen of late, there's a compelling reason behind it. Beyond her iconic AMC Theaters commercial, the Oscar-winning actress has been actively collaborating with female filmmakers, racking up an impressive tally of at least 19 projects since 2017. This far surpasses her ambitious goal to partner with a woman director every 18 months, a pledge she made amidst the #MeToo movement's peak.
Sharing her insights with Time, Kidman highlighted the unfair expectation placed on first-time female directors to "be perfect" in their directorial debuts. She emphasized, "This mindset can be altered, but only through genuine participation in women-directed films."
Reflecting on her 2017 pledge, Kidman recounted to Deadline, "It was during a press conference at Cannes when I declared, 'Henceforth, every 18 months, I commit to working with a female director.' However, internally, I thought, '18 months? That's way too long.' Thus, although I publicly announced 18 months, I mentally set my goal for every six months to a year."
She further elaborated, "Realizing it's about rolling up your sleeves and taking action. This necessitates putting aside egos and saying, 'Alright, let's move forward, let's make it happen.' Consistency and determination are key. Additionally, making such a statement publicly holds you accountable, pushing you to fulfill your commitment."
Kidman's most recent collaboration was with writer-director Halina Reijn on the 2023 erotic thriller Babygirl. Prior to that, she starred in Spellbound (2024) directed by Vicky Jensen and Jorge Blanco, Destroyer (2018) helmed by Karyn Kusama, and will soon appear in Mimi Cave's upcoming thriller Holland, premiering next month at SXSW.
Back at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, where Kidman first made her pledge, she told Deadline, "At this stage in my life, I'm in a position to repeatedly support female directors. It's a deliberate choice. I refuse to go two or three years without working with a woman director. I'll actively seek them out and continue to do so, because I genuinely believe it's crucial right now."
