February 22, 2025: Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman has gone above and beyond her goal of working with a female director every 18 months, collaborating with 19 female filmmakers on a variety of projects since 2017. In a recent interview, Kidman highlighted the importance of supporting female directors, especially those making their directorial debut.
“It can be changed, but it can only be changed by actually being in the films of women,” Kidman said, emphasizing her dedication to promoting gender equality in the industry. She also pointed out that first-time female directors often face unfair pressure to “be perfect” in their debut films.
Kidman set her initial goal at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017, pledging to work with a woman director every 18 months. However, she later revised her goal to collaborate with a female director every six months to a year. “Realizing it is just you’ve got to roll up your sleeves and do it,” she said. “And that requires not being precious and just going, ‘OK, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go.’ And being consistent and determined to do it.”
Her most recent work includes collaborating with Halina Reijn on the erotic thriller Babygirl, where Kidman stars as a successful CEO who starts an affair with a younger intern, played by Harris Dickinson. The film, which also stars Sophie Wilde and Antonio Banderas, will be released in 2024.
Kidman has also worked with female directors like Vicky Jensen and Jorge Blanco on the animated film Spellbound, and Karyn Kusama on the thriller Destroyer. Her upcoming project, Holland, directed by Mimi Cave, is set to premiere at SXSW next month.
Kidman’s commitment to working with female directors not only highlights her determination to create change in the film industry but also sets a strong example of advocacy for women in entertainment.