Tom Cruise Reflects on Working with Nicole Kidman in Eyes Wide Shut and Praises Her Acting Talent
Tom Cruise is reminiscing about his time on Eyes Wide Shut, the 1999 film he starred in alongside his then-wife, Nicole Kidman. In a rare interview for Sight and Sound magazine’s June cover story, the 62-year-old actor opened up about his experience working with Kidman, 57, and director Stanley Kubrick.
Cruise recalled flying to Kubrick’s house, where they spent the day discussing the film. He also shared how he suggested Kidman for the role of Alice, saying, “Obviously, she’s a great actress.” He was eager to make the movie work, telling Kubrick, “Whatever it’s going to take, we’re going to do this.”
In *Eyes Wide Shut*, Cruise played Dr. Bill Harford, a man who delves into the mysterious Manhattan underworld after his wife reveals her dissatisfaction with their marriage. At the time, Cruise and Kidman were married in real life, though their marriage ended in 2001, two years after the film’s release.
Cruise expressed his excitement about the film, explaining, “I wanted to have that experience. When I go to make a movie, I do a lot of detailed investigation and a lot of time with the people before I commit so that I understand what they need and want and they understand me.”
Despite the troubled marriage portrayed on screen, Kidman has previously clarified that their real-life relationship was not affected by their roles in the film. In a 2020 interview, she shared, “We were happily married,” even revealing that the two would go go-kart racing after filming late-night scenes together.
Since their divorce, both Cruise and Kidman have mostly kept their personal history private. In a 2021 interview, Kidman reflected on how she now approaches discussing her past with Cruise, saying, “I’m wary at times, and I’ve been hurt, but at the same time, I much prefer a warm approach rather than a prickly shutdown approach.”
Kidman has been married to country singer Keith Urban since 2006, and they have two teenage daughters. Meanwhile, Cruise married Katie Holmes in 2006, but they separated in 2012.
