Nicole Kidman has opened up about working with her ex-husband, Tom Cruise, on the 1999 film “Eyes Wide Shut.” In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Stanley Kubrick film, she shared insights into their collaboration.
Kidman noted that Kubrick might have drawn inspiration from their marriage, saying, “I suppose he was mining it.” She emphasized that Kubrick had a clear vision, often discussing his ideas and handling the dynamics carefully. “He’d ask a lot of questions. But he had a strong sense of the story he was telling.”
She mentioned that Kubrick once said, “Triangles are hard. You have to tread carefully when it’s a triangle,” highlighting his awareness of potential conflicts.
Despite the challenges, Kidman felt she and Cruise had unique relationships with Kubrick. “There’s something about being a woman in that equation, too. And Stanley liked women. He had a different relationship with Tom. They worked more closely together on his character.”
Budget constraints led them to share a trailer during filming. “We had a home 10 minutes away, but we lived in that trailer,” Kidman revealed. Cruise would often play video games like “Minesweeper” in their trailer.
Kidman also recalled the lengthy process of shooting a scene that was eventually cut. “It was the scene with Tom and I where I start by smoking the spliff in bed and where I laugh and deliver the long monologue. That took many weeks.”
The film’s production involved extensive rehearsals and improvisation. “When Tom and I first started with Stanley, it was at his home, and we didn’t even go over to the sets at Pinewood [Studios]. Six, eight weeks passed, and we’re wondering, ‘Are we ever going to start?’ We were getting comfortable with each other, comfortable enough to throw out ideas.”
