BTN News: Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were once Hollywood’s most admired couple. They were married for eleven years and adopted two children, Isabella and Connor, during their marriage. Kidman usually does not talk about her past with Cruise, but she recently opened up about their marriage and working on the movie “Eyes Wide Shut.” This was the last film they made together, in 1999, while they were still married and raising their children.
Kidman Shares Insights on Working with Kubrick on ‘Eyes Wide Shut’
In a recent interview with the Los Angeles Times, Kidman talked about working with the famous director Stanley Kubrick on “Eyes Wide Shut.” She said Kubrick wanted to use the real-life closeness between her and Cruise for the film. Kidman recalled, “When Tom and I started working with Stanley, it was at his home. We didn’t go to the Pinewood Studios sets for the first six to eight weeks. We were just getting comfortable with each other and sharing ideas.”
Kubrick Had a Clear Vision for the Story and Explored Complex Relationships
Kidman said Kubrick had a clear idea of the story he wanted to tell and liked to explore complex relationships. “Kubrick had a lot of questions and ideas, but he was very clear about the story he wanted to tell,” she said. “He often mentioned that ‘triangles are tricky’ and advised us to be careful because anyone could feel left out. But he managed us well and understood our dynamics.”
Filming of ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ Spanned Two Years with Family Balancing Professional and Personal Lives
The filming of “Eyes Wide Shut” took from 1996 to 1998, and Kidman and Cruise had to balance their work and family life. In an interview with The New York Post, Kidman talked about this long period. “We filmed for two years. We had two kids and lived mostly in a trailer, cooking spaghetti because Stanley liked eating with us sometimes. We were working with the best filmmaker and learning about our lives while enjoying the process on set.” She added that even though they had a house just ten minutes away, they stayed in a trailer because Kubrick insisted on it to save money.
Kidman and Cruise Had Different Working Relationships with Kubrick
Kidman also talked about the different ways Kubrick worked with her and Cruise. “Being the woman in that situation was special because Stanley liked women. He had a different relationship with Tom. They worked closely on his character, while I had my own space.”
Stanley Kubrick Passed Away Shortly After Showing the Final Cut of the Film
The great director, Stanley Kubrick, died from a heart attack just six days after showing the final cut of “Eyes Wide Shut.” This sad event added more meaning to the film’s history and Kidman’s thoughts about that time in her life.
Cruise Remains Silent About Kidman and Their Time Together
While Kidman talks about her experiences, Cruise chooses not to speak about them. During his tribute at the Cannes Film Festival, where he got the Palme d’Or for his career, there was no mention of Kidman. The video included clips from their three important movies together: “Days of Thunder,” “Far and Away,” and “Eyes Wide Shut.” But there was no prominent image of Kidman, unlike other ex-partners like Penélope Cruz, who appeared in the tribute.
Australian media said Cruise did not help make the video shown at Cannes. But since their split, Cruise has not talked about Kidman in public. Even though they shared many years and built a family, Cruise’s silence is very different from Kidman’s willingness to share her memories.
