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 Women are no longer confined to outdated boxes.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.
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