Babygirl director defends age-gap romance

 

Halina Reijn, the writer-director of the controversial new drama Babygirl, has shared her thoughts on portraying an age-gap romance in Nicole Kidman and Harris Dickinson’s new erotic thriller. In an interview with W Magazine, Reijn reflected on the increasing presence of films exploring such relationships, including May-December and The Idea of You.

“If a male actor is the same age as a female actor in a romance, we often find it unusual, which is absurd,” Reijn said. “We need to normalise age gaps in both directions and embrace the idea that women can have diverse relationships. Women are no longer confined to outdated boxes. However, we’ve internalised the male gaze and patriarchal norms, and freeing ourselves from that is a challenge.”

In Babygirl, Kidman stars as Romy, a high-powered CEO who jeopardises her career and family by engaging in a passionate affair with her younger intern, Samuel, played by Dickinson. Reijn emphasised that she wanted the film’s intimate scenes to feel authentic yet steamy. “Sexuality is stop-and-go,” she noted. “It’s not the polished, glamorous scenes we saw in ’90s Hollywood movies. Real intimacy is more nuanced.”

Kidman revealed why the role resonated with her in an interview with The Hllywood Reporter. “Women are often discarded as sexual beings at a certain stage in their careers,” she explained. “It was empowering to be seen this way. From the moment I read the script, I knew this was a unique and unexplored voice. Romy is powerful yet uncertain about her identity, desires, and what she truly wants, even though she appears to have it all. That’s incredibly relatable.”

• Babygirl is released in the UK on 10 January.

Wicked could be banned, says director

Director and producer Adam McKay has said he wouldn’t be surprised” if Wicked was banned in 3-5 years due to its “radical” storyline.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter) the man behind Anchorman and Don’t Look Up said he doesn’t think Jon M. Chu’s record-breaking musical adaptation will be received as well down the line because of the political climate in the US.

“On a pure storytelling level Wicked Part 1 is right up there as one of the most radical big studio Hollywood movies ever made,” he wrote in his first post, adding, “I know Part 2 swings back to the centre a bit but Part 1 is nakedly about radicalisation in the face of careerism, fascism, propaganda.”

He noted a few other movies that come to mind when he thinks of “radical” projects: Bridge on the River Kwai, The Sound of Music, the Searchers, It’s a Wonderful Life, The Hunger Games and Citizen Kane. He also mentioned The Best Years of Our Lives, Network, Dr. Strangelove and Serpico, despite not considering them “big studio movies.”

“What’s really striking about Wicked Part 1 is that it’s coming out NOW when America has never been more right-wing and propagandised. And yes, I know the theatrical production and the book are much older so part of the timing is a coincidence but still …

“I think you’ll be shocked. If America keeps going on the track it is I wouldn’t be surprised to see the movie banned in 3-5 years.”

Downton big screen tribute to Maggie Smith

The forthcoming Downton Abbey movie will feature a heartfelt tribute to the late Dame Maggie Smith. Executive producer Gareth Neame has revealed that the untitled sequel, set for release in September, will include a poignant homage to Smith’s character, Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, who passed away in the previous film.

“The loss of the Dowager Countess already carried emotional weight,” Neame told to the US website TVLine.“But with Dame Maggie’s own passing, it feels even more significant to see the characters mourning the family matriarch. It brings a deeper poignancy to the story we had planned.”

Smith, celebrated for her roles in Downton Abbey, The prime of Miss Jean Brodie and Harry Potter, passed away peacefully in hospital on September 27, surrounded by family. She leaves behind two sons and five grandchildren.

“She was an actress of unparalleled talent, able to seamlessly navigate high comedy and profound tragedy,” he wrote. “It is deeply personal for me, as my late grandfather directed her Oscar-winning performance in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Both Jean Brodie and Violet Crawley exemplify the extraordinary range of her decades-long career, which captivated audiences worldwide. There will never be another Maggie Smith, and she will be sorely missed.”