My interview from early August with Nicole Kidman is up at http://hamptonsheet.com/september2014/celebprofile.htm
There are some enlightening moments from our talk, which we had between matinee and evening performances of “The Maids” at City Center starring Cate Blanchett. Just our meeting was a funny story. Nicole’s assistant had emailed me asking if we could do a phoner. I replied, it would have to be after 6pm as I was going to see “The Maids.” The assistant responded that they were going see “The Maids” too, so we could just work it out when we got there.
After the amazing performance, we were all shown backstage. Nicole, who really looked like a movie star, said to me, “Why don’t we do the interview right here? We could sit on the steps.”
The stairs didn’t look too promising for an Erdem original. I spotted an open door and thought that might be a suitable space beyond. Nicole spied it and said, “I think that’s Isabelle Huppert’s dressing room. She might not like that.” She laughed.
We settled on asking the theater manager if we could sit in the theater while the stage hands cleaned up for the evening show. Broadway producer Jean Doumanian and “Inside Llewyn Davis” star Oscar Isaac were sort of with us at that point, as fellow back stagers. They kind of followed us out. I asked them if they wanted to be in the interview. But four was a crowd.
When I last spoke to Nicole it was in Cannes, at the opening night ceremony. She told me then she was planning to get on the tour bus with husband Keith Urban and hit some cities. So when we sat down I asked her if she’d done that. “Yes, we went all over,” she told me. So why, right after I’d seen her in Cannes, were there rumors that she and Urban were breaking up?
She has no idea. And the truth is, we — dear readers– should realize stories like these are mostly made up, then take on a life of their own. Nicole and Keith are happy as clams. When I asked if she’d like another Oscar- — she has one for “The Hours”– Nicole said: “I’d like it so I could thank Keith.” She really means it, too. She wants to make that speech just so she can say, in front of millions of people, thanks to Keith Urban for their wonderful life. Isn’t that nice?
So read the piece at Joan Jedell’s Hamptons Sheet. Or maybe you’ll see the magazine all over the Hamptons. Nicole Kidman is a mensch. I can’t wait to see her new movie “Before I Go to Sleep.” The real charm of Nicole as an actress is that she will try unusual movies. She comes from a fairly intellectual family with an independent spirit. And she’s loyal to a fault. She’s also, let’s face it, gorgeous.
And PS on that last one. Everyone says to me, Tell me about the plastic surgery. Well, I was sitting a half inch away from her in that City Center seat. Her face looked “normal” to me. She does have an incredible complexion. But up close, away from make up and lights, she just seemed like Nicole, as real as ever.
