Aquaman is a big deal, and it has been since its inception in 1941.
In 2018, Warner Bros. announced that they had cast Jason Momoa in the lead role of Aquaman, and in 2019, we learned that Nicole Kidman was going to play Queen Atlanna in the sequel to Justice League.
This announcement came out just before Comic-Con, which means there wasn’t much fanfare surrounding this news at all. But now that she had officially signed onto play the queen, fans were wondering what her involvement with Aquaman might mean for the future of his solo franchise.
You know that Kidman isn’t exactly wearing anything remotely resembling a mermaid outfit during her scenes if you’ve seen the movie. Instead, she’s dressed in a simple white gown that looks very reminiscent of Atlanna’s costume from the comics.
According to reports, Kidman wore a custom-made suit designed specifically for her to portray Atlanna. The suite features an intricate design on the front and back and some sort of fish motifs throughout. It even includes a tail fin! This would explain why she didn’t appear to be wearing a swimsuit underneath her dress when filming began.
How Did Nicole Kidman Get Convinced to Star in Aquaman?
Kidman noted that she had wanted to work with James Wan, a friend and fellow Australian, for a while, so when he pitched Atlanna to her, she didn’t want to miss the chance.
Speaking to Variety, the actress said: “I knew (director) James Wan was going to do something really interesting and really fun, and I’ve wanted to work with him since he started out in Australia in low-budget horror, and I’ve followed his career.
“I do this with directors. I follow certain directors. So I’ve been following James. And then he showed me some of the drawings (he was) doing, and he said, ‘See, this is why you have to be in the movie because I’ve drawn her to look like you.'”
Why Did James Wan Want Nicole Kidman for Aquaman?
Wan always wanted to work with Kidman and saw Aquaman as the perfect opportunity.
Nicole Kidman has been acting since she was just 16 years old. She started out on stage and then moved into television, where her first big break came when she landed the lead role of Rachel Marron in the TV series “The Stepford Wives.” The show ran from 1975-1979, and it earned her an Emmy nomination as well as two Golden Globe nominations.
In 1981, she starred opposite Tom Cruise in “Days Of Thunder,” which became one of the highest-grossing movies made at that time.
It also won her another Oscar nod.
Her next big film would be “Dead Calm” with Sam Neill in 1989. The next year, she married actor Tom Cruise. They have two adopted children together: Isabella Rose and Connor Patrick. Their marriage ended in 2001.
In 1999, she appeared in Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut” alongside Tom Cruise. This led to more roles, including “Cold Mountain,” “Moulin Rouge!” and “Birthday Girl.” She received critical acclaim for all these films. However, none of them were box office hits.
So, after making some flops like “Bewitched,” “I Am Sam,” and “Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind,” she decided to take a step back from Hollywood.
How Nicole Kidman Prepared for Her Aquaman Fight Scene
It’s a fight scene that had been years in the making and ended up being one of the most physically demanding scenes ever filmed on film or digital.
When Nicole Kidman was asked about her role as Atlanna in “Aquaman,” she revealed how much preparation went into it. “I had to do some training with my stunt double,” said Kidman. “We did like three weeks of rehearsals before we started shooting.”
She added, “It’s really intense because you’re fighting underwater, so there are no holds barred. You can’t hold your breath long enough to get through this sequence without getting hyperventilated. So I’m going to have to learn all these new skills.”
The actress also shared what kind of stunts she’ll need to pull off during filming. “There’s an ass-kicking scene where he kicks me in the face and then punches me in the stomach,” explained Kidman. “So I’ve got to kick him back first and then punch myself up after he hits me. And then when he tries to grab me again, I have to dive out of his way. There’s lots of swimming involved too. We were doing water ballet at times. But I think they’re pretty safe shots now. They don’t want us falling down anymore!”
In addition to being able to swim well, Kidman says she needed to work on her acting chops since she wouldn’t be playing a human character. “They wanted someone who could play a mermaid convincingly but not look like a fish,” she told Entertainment Tonight. “And I didn’t know if I’d be good at that either!
It took time to figure out how to make it believable.” While Kidman may not be familiar with the world of comic books, she does seem excited by the prospect of working alongside Jason Momoa and Amber Heard. “Jason is such a great actor,” she gushed. “He’s very funny and charming. He’s just amazing. And Amber is incredible. She’s beautiful and talented and sweet. She’s perfect for this part.”
As far as whether she would consider taking on another superhero role, Kidman admitted that she hadn’t ruled anything out yet. “You never say never,” she noted. “But right now I’m focused on ‘Aquaman.'”
Here Are Ten Reasons Why Nicole Kidman Is as Popular as Ever:
1. She can act
Kidman has proven herself throughout her career. From playing a wife who becomes obsessed with killing her husband to being a mother whose son dies tragically, Kidman has shown us what kind of range she possesses. And while most actors need training before getting cast, Kidman had already proved herself by the age of 20.
2. She loves animals
Kidman has always loved animals. When she was younger, she used to visit animal shelters every week. Nowadays, she spends much of her free time volunteering at various animal welfare organizations. She even wrote a book called ‘Animal Behaviour’ about her experiences working with dogs.
3. She supports women’s empowerment
She believes that there shouldn’t be any barriers between men and women. As such, she often speaks against gender inequality. For example, she once said, “Women are not second-class citizens. We’re equal partners. I think we’ve done enough work to prove that.”
4. She doesn’t believe in fame culture
She says, “It’s so hard to get away from people wanting something from you because you’re famous. You don’t want to give anything away anymore. If someone asks me for my autograph or photo, I say no. Because if I do, I’m giving away part of myself.”
5. She’s very passionate about acting
Upon being asked how she became interested in acting, Kidman replied, “My parents took me to see ‘Peter Pan’ when I was five. My dad told me, ‘You know, someday you’ll play Peter Pan.’ He knew I wanted to be an artist. Then, when I was eight, I saw ‘Oliver!’ and I thought, ‘Wow, I’d love to be able to tell stories through movement.'”
6. She’s a great mom
As mentioned earlier, Kidman is a devoted parent. She credits her parenting skills as helping her develop into a better actress. She says, “The best thing I did for my kids was raise them well. I didn’t let them go out too late. I kept them safe. I taught them manners. I gave them good values. I tried to teach them right from wrong. I really worked on it.”
7. She’s a feminist
While many celebrities have been accused of feminism-phobia, Kidman isn’t one of those. She actually thinks that Feminism is important. She says,” Feminism is just another word for equality. It means treating everyone equally. That includes men and women. There’s nothing bad about it. Nothing negative. Just fairness. Fairness for everybody.”
8. She’s a vegetarian
In addition to supporting animal rights, Kidman also follows a strict vegan diet. She explains, “I try to eat organic food whenever possible. I avoid all meat products. No dairy either. I only drink water and tea. Sometimes I add lemon juice. Or apple cider vinegar.”
9. She’s a philanthropist
Besides spending lots of time volunteering at different charities, Kidman also gives money to help others. One of these causes is The David Lynch Foundation which helps children who have cancer. Another cause is the charity WaterAid which provides clean drinking water to developing countries.
10. She’s a fitness enthusiast
Nicole Kidman is known for being fit and healthy. She admits that she tries to stay active most days. However, she does admit that sometimes she gets lazy. So, she makes sure to keep up with her workouts. She says, ‘I like working out every day. But there are times where I can’t make it happen. And then I feel guilty. I should exercise more.’
Will Nicole Kidman Be In Aquaman 2?
According to “we got this covered“, Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, and Nicole Kidman will reprise their roles. We don’t know much more for now, but it makes a lot of sense, as Aquaman left the door open for more in the future.
