Released in 2004, Jonathan Glazer’s second feature Birth refused to spoon-feed answers to the audience, which might’ve unfortunately added to its box-office failure at the time. However, decades later, the highly polarizing film, which saw Nicole Kidman delivering her best performance since Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, continues to resonate with fans.
While the visionary director was initially conflicted about starring Kidman, following her celebrity stature, it didn’t take long for the filmmaker to be convinced she was ready for the role. Reflecting on her character, Glazer revealed that they initially talked about de-s-xualizing Kidman’s image, but at the end of the day, he couldn’t differentiate her from herself.
Jonathan Glazer Wanted to Push Nicole Kidman Far Away From Her Usual Self in Birth
Co-written by Jean-Claude Carriere, Birth follows the story of Anna, who is approached by a 10-year-old boy claiming to be her dead husband. But the movie never clarifies if the boy is actually a reincarnation of her deceased partner or a fraud, and the ambiguity left fans and critics divided at the time. But apart from its polarizing plot, the film excels following its brilliant cinematography and more notably, Nicole Kidman’s performance as Anna, considered one of her finest works.
However, Glazer, who enjoys pushing top actors far away from their usual experiences, wanted to de-s-xualize Kidman in the film in order to deviate from her public perception. But while the Expats Star would successfully camouflage into the role, there were times when the actress would be back to being Nicole Kidman once she took off her wig at the end of the day. Glazer Said (via IndieWire):
“With Nicole, we talked about de-s-xualizing her image and making it very much like she had just shut down. She had tried to make herself.. she had sort of closed her wings. But at the end of the day sometimes I would see her come out of the dressing room, she would take her wig off and she would be back to Nicole Kidman. And I remember occasionally thinking, “Oh fuck, there’s Nicole Kidman.”
But Glazer didn’t mind seeing Kidman becoming her usual self by the end of the day, as seeing her being a different person at the job meant that “what she’s doing is working.”
“The Film Isn’t Meant to Be Exploitative”, Stressed Jonathan Glazer
While everyone agreed on the fact that Nicole Kidman was the highlight of the movie, many were left divided by some controversial elements, which they deemed exploitative. For instance, the film saw Kidman exchanging a brief kiss with the 10-year-old boy, who claims to be her dead husband, and in another, the two share a bath. Reflecting on the controversy, Jonathan Glazer clarified that none of the scenes were erotic nor exploitative, stressing those who’ve seen the film would agree.
He explained (via The Telegraph):
“The stakes are raised for the woman when she brings the boy home and I can imagine that, before people see it, they might think it was salacious. But I knew it was never going to be that.”
Although the consensus surrounding Birth was less than stellar upon its release, which translated to its box-office numbers, time has been kind to the film, as people continue to resonate with its theme.
Birth is available to rent on Apple TV.
