Based on the book of the same name by Liane Moriarty, the television series Big Little Lies premiered in 2017, wowing viewers. The show follows five women living in the affluent city of Monterey, California, where secrets lurk around every corner and deception is a daily occurrence. Big Little Lies has received critical acclaim for its writing, directing, acting, cinematography, and soundtrack. So far, two seasons have been released, and since then, the series has garnered 16 Primetime Emmy Award nominations and eight wins.
Nicole Kidman and Alexander Skarsgard star as Perry and Celeste
Wright; a beautiful and apparently happy couple with twins and a beautiful
house. However, there is a dark secret bubbling under the surface. Perry is
mentally and physically abusive towards Celeste, and their relationship is
shown in Season 1 to be toxic and secretive. That made the scenes difficult
for Kidman to shoot. In fact, she was completely humiliated after one scene in
particular.
Most of Celeste's scenes affected Nicole Kidman
One scene in particular in the season 1 finale episode of Big Little Lies turned out to be especially humiliating for Kidman. Speaking to the Daily Mail in 2017, she recalled "being in her underwear and getting really thrown. I just lay there on the floor… I remember [director Jean-Marc Vallee] reaching over and putting a towel on me between takes because I was like… I felt completely humiliated and devastated. And angry inside." She revealed in the same interview that she had a lot of pent up anger due to the difficult scenes. One day, when she couldn't get into her hotel room, she threw a stone through a glass window so she could get in. "I don't do stuff like that," she admitted.
Kidman was left with actual bruises on her body after several scenes of violent abuse on the show. In an interview with Vogue, she mentioned that her real-life husband, country star Keith Urban, was devastated by the bruises she came home with, but she understood that she has an "artist wife."
Speaking to Vanity Fair, Alexander Skarsgård discussed the coping mechanisms he employed to de-escalate on set. "It was very important to reconnect after shooting these scenes," the actor said. "We make sure to communicate with each other, giving each other a hug."
