Stanley Kubrick’s final film Eyes Wide Shut featured Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman in the leading roles. The 1999 movie was released posthumously and garnered moderate reception amongst critics. The process behind seeing the endeavor come to fruition was an arduous one, with the then-married Cruise and Kidman having to face numerous challenges.
Eyes Wide Shut (1999)
Kubrick’s need for perfection and micromanagement often resulted in such scenarios. Despite the grueling rules that were imposed on the cast, the 56-year-old actress still holds the esteemed director in high regard, hailing him as the “greatest filmmaker.” In an interview, the Moulin Rouge alum detailed her experiences of having worked in what happens to be Kubrick’s swan song. Here, she revealed an intriguing fact about the nude scenes that she was required to film and how she voiced initial hesitations on the matter.

Nicole Kidman Was Unsure About Filming Nude Scenes

Nicole Kidman expressed her initial hesitations
Eyes Wide Shut, an erotic psychodrama, is centered around a narrative that nosedives straight into themes of infidelity, jealousy, temptation, and the convoluted nature of human desires. Rhapsody: A Dream Novel, also known as Dream Story, a 1926 novella by Arthur Schnitzler, served as the foundation for the movie. Fun fact, this Kubrick-directed masterpiece holds the Guinness World Record for the longest constant film shoot, mounting up to 400 consecutive days of production.

As mentioned before, this initiative was a painstaking one. Both Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise had to undertake difficult challenges to encapsulate the essence of Kubrick’s vision. Shooting nude sequences for the 1999 project was one such strenuous task Kidman had to accomplish.

Talking to The New York Times Magazine, the actress recalled the renowned auteur’s unusual request. Here’s what she said:
“When I went to work with Stanley Kubrick, he was like, ‘I’m going to want full-frontal nudity,’ and I was like, ‘Ahh, I don’t know…”
The Oscar-winning talent did not feel certain about the director’s decision to have her partake in all-out, unrestrained nudity. She seemed hesitant about the risqué nature of the scenes she was required to film alongside then-husband Tom Cruise, not feeling too safe about it. This reluctance was, however, soon resolved and Kidman felt “completely safe” about the nature of those scenes—all thanks to a contractual agreement.

A Contractual Agreement Eased Nicole Kidman’s Worries

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman in Eyes Wide Shut
To feel more comfortable and sure about the initiative, Kidman and Kubrick prepared a contractual agreement that would bestow upon the Batman Forever star the power to say no to any nude scene before they incorporated it into the 1999 film. A balance was, hence, established, with the famed director willing to show the actress the scenes that featured nudity before they made their way into the final cut.

Kidman’s statement sums it up:
“We came up with a great agreement, which was contractual. He would show me the scenes with the nudity before they made it into the film. Then I could feel completely safe. I didn’t say no to any of it. I’d wanted to make sure that it wasn’t going to be me standing there nude and everyone laughing at me…”
The decision to have this agreement in place made the actress finally feel safe and protected. It allowed her to better explore the intricate themes of the narrative ideated by Stanley Kubrick. The Hollywood star also asserted that she holds no specific objections to performing nude scenes in films. However, before undertaking such sequences, she needs to know that they won’t take an exploitative stance.
Nicole Kidman
This acknowledgment is what allows her to embark on a harmonious and cooperative journey with any filmmaker. The actress concluded her thoughts on the topic by stating, “I love the relationship between a director and an actor. When it’s pure, it’s exquisite.”

While the seemingly salacious premise of the narrative did raise doubts in the mind of the Bombshell alum, having Kubrick’s “paternal” support throughout the endeavor made things easier and more comfortable for the actress.

Eyes Wide Shut, starring Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, is available for streaming on Paramount+.

Source: The New York Times Magazine