17 February 2022

Nicole Kidman admits acting has made her ill because her body couldn’t differentiate fact from fiction.

Nicole Kidman for Vanity Fair magazine

The 54-year-old actress explained how she has often fooled her own immune system into thinking her character’s suffering is actually real, and she pointed to TV series ‘Big Little Lies’ – in which she played an abuse survivor – as an example of her body being tricked.

Speaking to Vanity Fair magazine’s annual Hollywood issue, Nicole said: “Parts of the body don’t know, a lot of the time, what the difference is [between a role and real life].

“I’ve started to understand a bit more to take care of yourself.”

Nicole has won an Academy Award as well as multiple Golden Globe and Emmy gongs during her career, but she is unsure whether or not she can be defined as “movie star”.

The ‘Being the Ricardos’ actress explained: “I’m in a state of just being willing to go with the flow. I’m just still in that place of going, ‘I’m not quite sure what defines a movie star.’

“My job is to stay feeling-centric, and emotional, and committed, and interested, and a seeker.”

Kristen is set to star in Apple TV+ series ‘Roar’ and has noticed a difference in audience reactions since starring in a number of projects that have been released on streaming service during the pandemic.

She said: “Before COVID, people would say, ‘Can I give you a hug? I want to tell you my story.’ It was a very different immediate relationship that I hadn’t really had.

“With ‘Portrait of a Lady’ and ‘Eyes Wide Shut’, those things didn’t have that response. They were more like pedestal work. This is more grassroots, which has been extraordinary.”

Read the full interview with Nicole in Vanity Fair’s Hollywood issue and on VanityFair.com.