The first trailer for Babygirl has been released, teasing an intense and provocative erotic thriller led by Oscar winner Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson. Take a look above. 

Having already made an impact at the Venice Film Festival, where Kidman won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress, Babygirl could be shaping up to be among the year’s most talked-about when it hits cinemas in December.

The Plot

Babygirl has Kidman playing Romy, a high-powered CEO who embarks on a dangerous and forbidden affair with a much younger intern, Samuel (played Dickinson). The film explores the complexities of power, desire, and control within both professional and personal relationships. Romy’s affair with Samuel is not just a battle of attraction but also of power, as she juggles her position of authority with her growing vulnerability in the relationship. Meanwhile, this secretive relationship also puts at risk her marriage to Jacob, played Antonio Banderas.

The Emotional Toll on Nicole Kidman 

Reijn, who previously directed Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) and Instinct (2019), looks to be delving into themes of sexuality, power, and human connection – and not without a sense of mischievous fun. She has expressed that Babygirl was born out of her passion for the erotic drama genre, influenced by iconic filmmakers like Paul Verhoeven (Basic Instinct) and Adrian Lyne (Indecent Proposal).

As you can imagine, this type of film doesn’t exactly make for an easy day on set for the stars. In an August interview with Vanity Fair, Kidman spoke about the emotional and physical intensity of her role, explaining that the film took a deep toll on her.

“It left me ragged. At some point I was like, I don’t want to be touched. I don’t want to do this anymore, but at the same time I was compelled to do it,” she revealed. The emotional demands of the role were immense, and Kidman credited her collaboration with Reijn for getting her through the film’s most challenging moments. “Halina would hold me and I would hold her, because it was just very confronting to me.”

Kidman also touched on how vulnerable the role made her feel, even long after filming had wrapped. “It’s like, Golly, I’m doing this, and it’s actually now going to be seen by the world. That’s a very weird feeling. This is something you do and hide in your home videos. It is not a thing that normally is going to be seen by the world. […] I felt very exposed as an actor, as a woman, as a human being.”

Release Date

Babygirl, also starring Sophie Wilde and Esther McGregor, will be released in US cinemas by A24 on Christmas Day.