Nicole Kidman and the Impact of The Golden Compass

by Jordan Riefe and Reg Seeton

There's no denying that Nicole Kidman is one of the hottest A-list actresses on the planet. After scores of high profile roles that have made the worldwide male population wish they were her leading man, Kidman returns to the big screen to play the sinisterly delectable scholar Mrs. Coulter alongside Daniel Craig in The Golden Compass, adapted from the popular His Dark Materials novel series by Philip Pullman.

A couple of weeks prior to the film's release on December 7, we had the good fortunate to find space at the film's crowded press conference in London to hear the lovely Nicole Kidman talk about how she approached the role of Mrs. Coulter, her opinion of fantasty, and whether she believes The Golden Compass might be able to influence the next genration of children.

Nicole Kidman on her opinion of fantasy and whether she shares any favorites with her kids:

"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 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's people in these films. I'm glad to be in a film where there's people and it's not just animated [laughs].

Kidman on the controversy surrounding the anti-Christian tone and whether she had concerns about the message:

"I think, 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, so..."

On whether she loves being bad and the elements that drive her to work so hard:

"I think when you get employed to do a job, even though, to me, this is more fun than a job, you have to give everything and do the best you can do. So in terms of working hard, I'm still in the middle of doing a film in Australia which I've been doing for nine months now and that's too hard. It's a long time and I'm looking forward to next year and just having a break. But at the same time, I'm so privileged, particularly... 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 also, and it gives away the film if I talk about it too much, 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 [Weitz] 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 [Pullman] 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. So yeah, I hope we get to make the trilogy because that would be really exciting as an actor."

Kidman on the rumor that she initially turned down the role and stayed away from a villain:

"I think that must be in the press kit that I did not read properly, I'm sorry to say, but I'm glad you all did. 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 not that... feeling a little lazy and wanting to hang out. And then Chris 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."

Nicole Kidman on her inspiration for Mrs. Coulter:

"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."

Kidman on the rumor of having to be mean to Dakota Blue Richards and working with children in recents movies:

"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 [that] 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's such a... it really helps the performance in such a beautiful way."

On whether she hopes a movie like The Golden Compass can influence the next generation of children:

"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 promoting reading and all of the things that used to be far more prevalent, that now are not because of the Internet."

Kidman on working with so much green screen:

"I’ve actually never done it to this degree. I’ve said that at drama school the mime class was the class that I thought, ‘Well, I’m not going to be showing up for that.’ And I would wag that class a lot. I would also wag accent class. And they’re the two things that I’ve used most in my career, is accents and now mime work, because I did a film, Dogville, where there was nothing and we had to pretend. And then with this, where you learn how to create an animal and you sit there for five hours stroking a fur ball, actually, that was very beneficial. So I say to all actors out there: go to your mime classes because it’s the future."

How she feels about a young girl at the center of The Golden Compass and whether it will appeal to young boys:

"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 Lira 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."

Kidman on what she'd want her own daemon be and why:

"Well, it changes. Yesterday, it was a kitten, because 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].

The significance of the scene when Coulter slaps her daemon:

"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 fighting myself, really. It was great... Those sort of things (coincide with) 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."

Nicole Kidman on the elements of the character she'd like to explore in The Subtle Knife and beyond:

"I can’t, though, because so much of the story is about - so I’d prefer not to answer it. But there is so much there. I think by the third one - It’s the extraordinary arc of the woman, that if I only get to play it in this it will be very disappointing. Put it that way."

http://www.thedeadbolt.com/news/102798/nic...n_interview.php

Thanks

Thanks NiCe

Sweet. Thanks NiCe.

thanks

Thanks for the interview.
Ciao

thanks for the interview, loved that her daemon was a kitten lol

Thanx Nice

~Viviana~