Nicole Kidman has her sights set on collaborating with legendary filmmaker Martin Scorsese, but there’s a catch. She wants the story to spotlight women. In her recent interview, Kidman opened up about her dream collaborators and named Scorsese, but only “if he does a film with women." Known for her versatility and a long list of acclaimed films, Kidman has worked with many iconic directors, yet she still has a few names on her wishlist. “I’d love to work with Kathryn Bigelow, Spike Jonze, PTA (Paul Thomas Anderson) and Michael Haneke," she said, emphasising her openness to emerging talent as well.
“There’s so many, and I’m always open to the discovery of new people," she said in a conversation with Vanity Fair.
Nicole Kidman’s comment about Scorsese reflects a broader conversation about the lack of female-driven stories in his filmography, which the director has been criticised for, in the past too.
Scorsese has directed many male-centric classics like Goodfellas, The Taxi Driver and The Departed, though he’s also crafted unforgettable female characters. His recent film, Killers of the Flower Moon, features Lily Gladstone in a powerful role opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, earning her acclaim and nominations. Decades earlier, he directed Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, with Ellen Burstyn in a leading role that garnered an Oscar nomination.
Scorsese himself has addressed the male-heavy nature of his films. In a 1991 Entertainment Weekly interview, he explained, “The films I’m dealing with have often been about men’s worlds, where the women seem to be adjuncts. I think the women in Goodfellas and Raging Bull are very strong. But they’re not in the ring. In general, I have to be true to the society in which a story operates."
During her interview, Kidman also spoke about the thrill of working with directors who are reaching their peak. She reflected on collaborating with Karyn Kusama in Destroyer, noting that Kusama has since moved on to the successful series Yellowjackets and other major projects. For Kidman, it’s all about supporting talent—whether male or female—and being ready to back emerging filmmakers. “I feel intimacy with most directors that I work with. I’m here, and I’m at your disposal and I’m ready," she said.
