Nicole Kidman Believes Gender Parity in Hollywood Only Comes from ‘Actually Being in the Films of Women’

With DEI initiatives across America being stripped without a moment’s notice over the last month, it’s important to acknowledge those who continue to fight for equity, and in Hollywood, there’s no better champion of the cause than Nicole Kidman.

In 2017, amid the fervor of Trump’s first term in office and the rise of the #MeToo-era, the Aussie actress made a commitment to work with a female director every 18 months. Since that time, she has far exceeded that quota, working as a producer and actress with 19 women directors across multiple TV and film projects in the last eight years. Even so, according to UCLA’s 2024 Hollywood Diversity Report, only 14.7% of the films released theatrically in 2023 were made by women.

“It can be changed,” Kidman said in a recent interview with Time, “but it can only be changed by actually being in the films of women.”

As proactive as Kidman has been in working to shift female representation and gender parity in entertainment, it’s still a heavy burden to carry on one’s shoulders. Often, she’s found herself considering quitting as a result.

“When there was nothing exciting or relevant coming my way,” said Kidman, “when there was massive criticism or bullying, when your self-esteem is shattered, when you’ve been hit with some massive loss or grief and go, ‘I don’t want to get out of bed. It’s too frightening.’” 

Kidman added that a deciding factor in taking on any new role is the trust built between her and the filmmaker tapping into her raw vulnerability.

“It’s how I approach all of my relationships,” she said. “I’ve been hurt because of that, but I’m still not jaded. I’m delicate, but I’m very giving. The emotions I offer are very, very real, so I need to know that if I’m giving that to you, you value it.”

The actress’ most recent outing in the erotic thriller “Babygirl” required her giving more than she ever had before. As discussed in an interview with GQ UK last year, even the film’s writer/director Halina Reijn felt taken aback by what Kidman brought to the piece.

“Seeing her act for me is like an exorcism,” Reijn said. “She goes beyond ego, beyond sanity and beyond fear… It’s not that she’s not afraid, you know, she’s super afraid, but she still goes there.”