Nicole Kidman has made one thing abundantly clear to anyone she might share a scene with in the future: do not eat falafel before a kissing scene. The Oscar-winning actress appeared as a guest on the popular comedy podcast ‘Las Culturistas,’ hosted by comedians Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, where she opened up about some of the more unusual challenges that come with filming intimate scenes. She was refreshingly candid about her personal sensitivities, particularly when it comes to smell, making the conversation one of the more entertaining celebrity interviews in recent memory. It turns out that for Kidman, bad breath on set is an absolute dealbreaker.
The actress did not shy away from naming names when she recalled a particularly memorable on-set incident during the production of the hit HBO drama ‘Big Little Lies.’ Her co-star Alexander Skarsgård, who played her abusive husband Perry Wright on the show, apparently made the mistake of eating a falafel sandwich right before they were scheduled to film an intimate scene together. Kidman wasted no time in setting some firm boundaries and addressing the situation directly. She recalled telling him on set, “I’m meant to be into you and kissing you — put away the falafel now,” making it clear she was not going to let the moment slide.
She seemed confident the message hit home, adding with a laugh that “I’m sure he did not eat a falafel ever again.” The anecdote painted a funny but relatable picture of the less glamorous side of Hollywood productions, where actors are expected to perform romantic scenes under some pretty unglamorous conditions. Kidman clearly has no problem advocating for herself on set, even when it means having a slightly awkward conversation with a colleague. Her willingness to tell the story publicly also showed just how comfortable she has become speaking her mind over the course of her lengthy career.
During the same conversation, Kidman touched on a surprisingly silver-lining moment she experienced when she temporarily lost her sense of smell after contracting COVID. She joked that she felt “free” during that brief window, which got a big laugh from her hosts. She did confirm, however, that her sensitivity to smell has since returned in full force and that she remains very particular about the people she likes to be around. When Rogers and Yang pressed her on who she thinks smells the best, she had an immediate answer, stating, “Rihanna. We don’t need to unwind it or decipher it, just know that it’s all true.”
Beyond the laughs, Kidman is deep in one of the busiest professional stretches of her career. She recently premiered her new crime thriller series ‘Scarpetta’ on Prime Video, where she plays forensic pathologist Kay Scarpetta opposite Jamie Lee Curtis and Bobby Cannavale. The show is based on the beloved book series by crime novelist Patricia Cornwell and follows the character across two different timelines. It has already generated significant buzz ahead of its debut, given the caliber of talent attached to it.
On a personal level, Kidman has also been navigating a significant life change after her divorce from musician Keith Urban was finalized earlier this year. She has spoken about finding resilience and focusing on what is best for her and her family as she moves forward. Despite the personal upheaval, she has shown no signs of slowing down professionally, with several major projects lined up throughout the rest of the year. Fans can look forward to seeing her reunite with Sandra Bullock in the long-awaited fantasy sequel ‘Practical Magic 2,’ as well as starring opposite Elle Fanning in the Apple TV+ series ‘Margo’s Got Money Troubles.’ She is also set to produce and star in the upcoming Paramount+ legal thriller ‘Discretion,’ cementing her status as one of the most in-demand actresses working today.
For those less familiar with Nicole Kidman’s background, she was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, but raised in Australia, and she first gained widespread international attention in the early 1990s. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf in the 2002 film ‘The Hours.’ Over the decades she has built an extraordinary resume that spans film, television, and theater, earning her a reputation as one of the most versatile performers in the industry. ‘Big Little Lies,’ the HBO series at the center of her falafel story, was a massive critical hit when it premiered in 2017 and earned Kidman a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series. Alexander Skarsgård, who was on the receiving end of her on-set food complaint, is a Swedish actor best known for his roles in ‘True Blood’ and ‘Succession,’ and he also won an Emmy for his performance in ‘Big Little Lies.’ The ‘Las Culturistas’ podcast, where Kidman shared this story, is a long-running pop culture comedy show known for getting candid and hilarious conversations out of its celebrity guests.
If Kidman’s falafel rule or her upcoming projects sparked any thoughts, feel free to share them in the comments.
