Nicole Kidman stars as Becca in "Rabbit Hole," directed by John Mitchell. The film, which also stars Aaron Eckhart, is being released by Lionsgate on December 17.
The character of Becca
“I related to her stoicism,” Kidman says. “I always approached Becca as if she is in such enormous pain that if she even touches on it she’ll break, which I think could be true of any woman who loses their child. She has to wake up every morning with this debilitating and crippling loss, and the only way Becca can deal with things is to just keep moving forward. She’s desperately trying to choose life – so by taking paintings down and cleaning out the house she’s saying ‘I can’t just crumple up and die now, so how do I live? I’ve got to find a way.’”
She continues: “That touched me on a nerve in some deep, terrifying place. It is somewhere psychologically I never wanted to go, yet for some reason, here I am. I think that’s me with a lot of my work. It takes a lot to get me there, but when I’m there I’m completely absorbed. I have deep compassion for Becca and for the whole family.”
On her director
Says Kidman of Mitchell: “I don’t know if you can say we chose him as a director. I think he found the piece and we found him. That’s a far better way of phrasing it because ultimately if the motives are pure, everyone is there because they want to tell this story. So you find each other and you walk the road together.”
Drawn to the humor
As intense as the emotions of the piece were, Kidman was also drawn to its wit and splashes of comedy. “I think in life, even in times of extreme pain, people are funny and that’s what makes us riveting. I think that’s also what makes a story like this palpable, because if you can make people laugh, even when they are suffering, somehow that opens the heart,” she says. “The humor is always there, even if it’s a dark shade of humor.”
On her co-star Aaron Eckhart
“Aaron brought everything to this,” says Kidman. “He brought humor and intelligence, and he makes for a wonderful husband. He came into this film and lit it up. I think he’s so good in it and I loved watching his process, the way he explores all the avenues. He’s so open as an actor and he’s a dream to be around.”
