Between Luca Guadagnino’s tennis-centric love triangle “Challengers” and playing Chani opposite Timothée Chalamet’s Paul in Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune: Part Two,” Zendaya owned 2024. Just ask Nicole Kidman, who makes a point of telling the 28-year-old actor that she paid money to see both films in theaters. “One I saw at midnight — I was really jet-lagged — and I was riveted,” Kidman says. “I’m a Dunie!” Zendaya’s current position in Hollywood isn’t unlike that of a young Kidman, who had already worked with Tony Scott, Gus Van Sant and Jane Campion when she was that age. But Kidman, now 57, has learned a lot since then, and as they talk, she delves into her role in the A24 psychosexual drama “Babygirl” while also taking Zendaya through her playbook for building an imaginative and risky — but emotionally regulated — career. First, though, Kidman is dying to hear how the “Dune” team managed to make the sci-fi world feel so lived in. “Denis did this beautiful, sweeping shot of the sunrise, looking out at the dunes,” Zendaya tells her about Chani’s first kiss with Paul. “And I tell you, nothing changed about that shot. That’s not special effects. It was so gorgeous and unreal. I was like, ‘This is our planet.’”
Alexi Lubomirski for Variety
NICOLE KIDMAN: As an actor, you get to see the world, and you’re not just visiting as a tourist. You’re working with crews, with people in those places, so you really become a part of it. If you’re working with the same crew over and over, it’s almost like telepathy starts to happen between everybody.
ZENDAYA: Do you feel like you found that when you were doing “Babygirl”? Because that’s such an intimate experience, and you have to feel so safe. You have to feel protected.
KIDMAN: Yeah. The cinematographer and camera operator is a huge part of that. We’re all in this; it’s not just the actors. Before you know it, you’re all in the room together, but you’re not aware of where everybody is. It was very loose. Our director, Halina Reijn, created a very warm environment, but it was also exploratory. You may be sitting in this chair, and then suddenly the scene is on the floor. You can come in with this plan, but the plan is not going to help you, really. Listening and responding, as we do in life, is the best way to get something special. And you can tell. You’re listening right now.
ZENDAYA: You can tell if someone’s thinking about what they’re going to say or what they’re going to do with their hand. I’ve caught myself doing that, when you dissociate mid-take. Or you start thinking, “Why did I just do that with my eye? That was a really weird choice.” I got asked a lot about the three-way kiss scene in [“Challengers”], and I was like, “Really, it’s a four-, five-, six-, seven-, eight-, nine-way kiss,” because there’s so many people. There’s a camera coming at us at a certain time. I know that when I go from Mike [Faist] to Josh [O’Connor], when the camera comes in, I gotta move back. There’s so many things at play. When you pick projects, are you focused on the story, or do you think about filmmakers you want to work with? Is it different every time?
KIDMAN: Yeah. You?
ZENDAYA: It’s different every time. I was sent the [“Challengers”] script by Amy Pascal. I actually did a mock table read at my agent’s house, because everybody knows I’m bad at reading scripts — I get sidetracked. It’s hard to keep my attention on one thing. I just loved it. It was heartbreaking, but also funny, but sexy, but around sports — but not really about sports. And she was a female character that felt very unapologetic. It wasn’t like the injury made her this way; she just is who she is. And then we sent it to [Guadagnino]. Our first Zoom call, I was so nervous. I was like, “Maybe he doesn’t want to work with me! What if he [doesn’t] even like me?” But he just had such a deep understanding of these characters. It’s case by case for me. Sometimes it’s the director; sometimes it’s the project.
KIDMAN: Sometimes it’s just the idea. Even if it’s not realized, I’m willing to jump off the cliff and try, knowing that it may splat. But you can’t be frightened of the splat. My journey through the life I want to live is experimental. I want to learn, discover, grow and change. I want to be changed. Change me. Take me to a place that’s different. As long as we go in sort of obsessed, then something’s going to come out of it. Because I love obsession.
ZENDAYA: With —?
KIDMAN: With other people. I like us all being completely obsessed. And seeking. And trying.
ZENDAYA: Every time you start a new project, it’s a risk.
KIDMAN: Except it wasn’t for “Babygirl.” As soon as I heard it was called “Babygirl,” I’m like, “Yeah. I want to be the babygirl.” And so much of it is the chemistry. [Reijn] was like, “What about Harris Dickinson?”
ZENDAYA: Sometimes the stars just align. All the right pieces start falling into place.
KIDMAN: And you like the people. We’re having such good conversations, just like we’d be having around a dinner table. The intimacy, and the ability to share your deepest, darkest secrets. I’m addicted to that.
ZENDAYA: Let’s skip all the small talk. Let’s go there.
KIDMAN: Who are you? What is this world? What’s happened to you? I would go and sit with Halina on the floor. How I start is always “Can we sit on the floor and talk?” And she would have some physicalities that she would suggest, and she’s very free with her body, which is great. Give me some things that are not my initial instincts, and then I can adapt. I’m like a sponge. That’s what I see acting as. You’re a porous creature.
ZENDAYA: Taking it in.
KIDMAN: And then it comes out of you in a different way.
Alexi Lubomirski for Variety
ZENDAYA: I am very self-critical, but being on sets is the only place that I feel spontaneous and free. I don’t have to worry about the consequences of these actions. It’s not my life. I can watch myself back because I don’t see it as me. It’s another person we’re creating.
KIDMAN: I don’t watch the monitor.
ZENDAYA: Freaks you out?
KIDMAN: I don’t like to break where I am. It’s almost a trance. If the director’s speaking off camera, I can hear it, but I wouldn’t come out of character — people are like, “She’s a little crazy.” I don’t like the monitor. But someone like Baz Luhrmann loves you to look. If you make me, I will, but my preference is not to.
ZENDAYA: I can kind of divorce myself from it, because to an extent, it’s not mine. It is the director’s as well. You have to have a level of trust. Luca [shoots] one, two takes. He doesn’t like to shoot a lot.
KIDMAN: That’s like Halina. Well, we didn’t have a lot of money either. We were like, “Quick! We gotta!” I love when you can go, “You feel confident? Let’s go. Take me there.”
ZENDAYA: You mentioned Baz Luhrmann. “Moulin Rouge!” is one of my favorite movies of all time. I could sing the whole soundtrack right now if you needed me to.
KIDMAN: Please! Come on!
ZENDAYA: When I did “Greatest Showman,” I kept referencing it so many times.
KIDMAN: Baz was so formative for me. I’d always done these weird films, but I was in my head going, “Gosh, I’m never going to get to do the great love story.” Suddenly, “Moulin Rouge!” came, and I’m like, “A musical love story? I can’t do this.” Because I don’t feel confident with the voice. Then he slowly built me up. Tell me about “Euphoria.” And Rue. Come on, spill the tea.
ZENDAYA: Well, I started in TV as a kid. I did sitcoms.
KIDMAN: Oh, I know. I have a 13-year-old and a 16-year-old, so we’ve grown up with you.
ZENDAYA: Oh, so sorry about that.
KIDMAN: We’re obsessed. This is the highlight for me. I get to go home and go, “Look, Sunday and Faith: Zendaya!”
ZENDAYA: Well, shoutout to your kids. Your mom’s cool. Do your homework.
KIDMAN: I’ve made it!
ZENDAYA: Anyway, you get so used to a character. It feels like a skin that you just slip on. Rue just falls into me. I’m not thinking about it so much. It’s just like, “Oh, she’s here now.”
KIDMAN: It’s so intense. Do you stagger out of that experience?
ZENDAYA: Yes and no. While it was emotionally and physically draining, it was so rewarding. I was so proud of it. It connected with people.
KIDMAN: Are you doing more? You’ve done two.
ZENDAYA: We’re supposed to do another season. I’ve only done two, but it feels like five. One season of “Euphoria” is like, “Phew!”
KIDMAN: It’s really taxing going through all of those emotions. Your [body] doesn’t …
ZENDAYA: … know that it’s fake.
Alexi Lubomirski for Variety
KIDMAN: No. So you’re putting yourself through the trauma. On “Babygirl,” there were parts that are now not in the film that we shot that gave me — it was exhausting, but it was also just emotion- ally disturbing. The same when I was doing “Big Little Lies.” That was disturbing to my body and my psyche, because I couldn’t tell what was real and what wasn’t. I would have real bruises all over my back and body.
ZENDAYA: I still have my Rue scars.
KIDMAN: My brain would say, “Hold on. You’re hurt.” So I’ve done things where they clean my chakras and pray and get out the sage. Honestly, I’ll take whatever so I can step into the next place free, and not scarred or damaged or wounded. Which sounds like I’m batshit crazy, but I’m not. Even just a massage, where suddenly you get a beautiful touch. That’s healing, and we have to heal. I’m still learning not to sacrifice my body for the sake of the art, because part of me wants to. Having to value who I am, it’s a journey. But you seem very stable.
ZENDAYA: Seem — no, I’m kidding.
KIDMAN: You’ve got a great system around you. Like having your dog here.
ZENDAYA: That’s my emotional support.
KIDMAN: I always say, if you need to keep your blankie till you’re 85, you keep your blankie. There’s no medal for giving that up.
ZENDAYA: I’m still learning, but I do know that I like to have fun on my job. I don’t want to be miserable just because the character’s miserable. On “Euphoria,” we’d have really, really tough days. I’m like, “OK, gotta go cry and knock down a door real quick,” and then I’ll come back like, “Hey, Cheesecake Factory? What are we getting for lunch?” I try my best to leave them at work and go home and live my life and be a person.
KIDMAN: I go home and I have a family, which is such a good balance, because you have to be present and not carrying it all. When people say, “Can you have a baby and still do the acting?” Yes, you can. It’s almost better, because you can’t indulge yourself. But at the same time, the work does penetrate my dreams or my sleep.
ZENDAYA: That does happen. The subconscious, I can’t control.
KIDMAN: Also, I just am a huge believer in working. Get in there. If you get offered a job, overthinking and going, “Well, is it good enough?” — so many actors don’t have a choice. Just jump in and do it. You never know where it’s going to lead. And every job does produce something else.
ZENDAYA: Keeping that part of yourself alive.
KIDMAN: Stay grateful. Stay open and excited about the opportunities.
ZENDAYA: Do you prefer TV or film?
KIDMAN: I like it all. I like stage as well.
ZENDAYA: I haven’t done that yet. I’m so nervous.
KIDMAN: Come on! It’s nerve-racking, yes, but I think you’d be wonderful.
ZENDAYA: We talked about trying not to take it home with you, and I feel like delivering every day to a live audience, that’s a lot of energy coming at you. Sometimes multiple times a day. It is such an emotionally demanding thing to do.
KIDMAN: But you’re in there together. And the energy of the people who have paid to come, who want to be taken on an experience, that is incredibly invigorating. Come on!
ZENDAYA: I know. I know. I’ve got to rip the Band-Aid off. Maybe one day I’ll do it. I’ll stop chickening out. One day, hopefully, we can work together. We can have fun and explore.
KIDMAN: And then go, “What are you having for lunch?”
ZENDAYA: Exactly.
KIDMAN: Thanks, baby.
Production: Emily Ullrich; Lighting Director: Max Bernetz; Set Direction: Gille Mills
