The eccentricity and intensity of the film “Moulin Rouge” tired and stressed its leading actress. Playing Satine, Nicole Kidman struggled during the filming against her stress and repeated injuries, due to the number of choreographies danced and sung!
Nicole Kidman scared of singing
The sublime lively and crazy musical comedy, Red Mill! stands out from productions of the genre thanks to the style of Baz Luhrmann, so eccentric. Christian, a poet, falls in love with Satine, a cabaret dancer. While this one is promised to the Duke, a new show is mounted in which a young woman loves a sitar player.
The two characters come closer, while the Duke sees from afar what is going on. A sung romantic comedy, mixing covers and original songs in its score.
The film brings together Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor in the heart of a fantasized Paris, with alluring sets and costumes. Sets were designed by Catherine Martin, the Australian director’s official decorator. In this production full of energy and magic, the shooting of Red Mill ! was much more complicated than it looks. Especially for Nicole Kidman.
Shy at the idea of giving his voice to interpret the titles of red Mill, the actress admits that performing in front of all those people around her was a scary experience. She talks about it during Graham Norton Show on BBC in 2014 :
red Mill was very difficult for me, because it was not something that came instinctively. It’s scary having to sing in front of people.
In a discussion with Ewan McGregor for variety, she remembers that her partner on the screen, at the time, had a lot more facilities than her :
I just remember you had that exquisite voice, and I was like, “I will never be able to reach these notes”. So I repeated myself “Come into the room and practice”.
The actor assures him that they were in the same boat. What is certain is that Nicole Kidman did admirably well.
Shooting and injuries
The feature film does not vibrate only on the notes of Your Song, Lady Marmalade, Where Elephant Love Medley. Red Mill ! also boasts considerable dancing numbers. And the actress did not come out unscathed. Indeed, Nicole Kidman has chained the physical glitches. There is a first knee injury, according to Baz Luhrmann who spoke about it during an interview granted to The Guardian. It led to the interruption of filming for a period of two weeks.
She actually broke her knee. When she says in the film “A real actress”, she is in a wheelchair with her leg raised.
This event thus prevents it from turning into Panic Room by David Fincher. It is therefore Jodie Foster who takes her place in the thriller behind closed doors. But the case does not stop there, because Nicole Kidman is injured again on the set of red Mill. She broke a rib twice. A first time during dance rehearsals. Then by wearing corsets that were too tight, wanting to slim down her waist as much as possible and, in this way, look like Vivien Leigh from Gone with the wind.
