Tom Cruise Recalls Recommending Nicole Kidman For ‘Eyes Wide Shut' Role: 'A Great Actress'
Nearly 25 years after their divorce, Tom Cruise still appears to be a fan of Nicole Kidman.
The 4x Oscar nominee recalled making the 1999 Stanley Kubrick-helmed erotic thriller with his then-wife, explaining that he 'suggested Nicole play the role' of his character Dr. Bill Harford's wife Alice.
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'I flew out to [Kubrick's] house, and I landed in his backyard,' he told Sight and Sound. 'I read the script the day before and we spent the day talking about it. I knew all of his films. Then it was basically he and I getting to know each other. And when we were doing that, I suggested Nicole play the role [of Alice]. Because, obviously, she's a great actress.'
Cruise told the writer/director 'Whatever it's going to take [to make the movie], we're going to do this.'
Co-written by Kubrick and Frederic Raphael, Eyes Wide Shut stars Cruise as a wealthy doctor feeling restless in his marriage. When he discovers an elite underground sex club, Dr. Harford quickly realizes he's in over his head.
'I thought the film was very interesting, and I wanted to have that experience,' said Cruise. 'When I go to make a movie, I do a lot of detailed investigation and a lot of time with the people before I commit so that I understand what they need and want and they understand me and how we can work together and really create something very special.'
Kidman previously recalled the initial meeting with Kubrick, for which she was also in attendance, as well as their rehearsals for a scene where the couple has an intimate talk while sharing a joint.
'I suppose he was mining [our marriage],' she said of Kubrick. 'There were ideas he was interested in. He'd ask a lot of questions. But he had a strong sense of the story he was telling. I do remember him saying, 'Triangles are hard. You have to tread carefully when it's a triangle.' Because one person could feel ganged up on. But he was aware of that and knew how to manage us.'
Kidman added, 'But there's something about being a woman in that equation, too. And Stanley liked women. He had a different relationship with Tom. They worked more closely together on his character.'
Kubrick died of a heart attack at age 70 on March 7, 1999, just days after screening a final cut of Eyes Wide Shut for his family and the stars of the film.
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CNET
23 minutes ago
- CNET
Netflix Review: Our Top Pick in a Sea of Streaming Choices
CNET's expert staff reviews and rates dozens of new products and services each month, building on more than a quarter century of expertise. 9.0 / 10 SCORE Netflix $8 at Netflix Pros Strong recommendation engine Easy to use across different devices Extensive list of movies and shows Massive selection of original programs Cons Cost for premium plans is on the higher end Can't watch shows as they air on other networks Missing titles on ad-based plan Netflix 9.0/10 CNET Score $8 at Netflix Netflix is often people's go-to streaming service for watching TV shows and movies. Even with price increases and tough competition from services like Prime Video, Hulu and Disney Plus, Netflix still stands out as the ultimate option for streaming entertainment, because of its vast selection and user-friendly layout. It also has the largest 4K library around for video-on-demand platforms. Netflix includes a wide variety of familiar network shows as well as more original series, films, documentaries and specials than any of its myriad competitors. Despite its password crackdown, the phasing out of one of its subscription plans and the addition of an ad-supported tier, the world's first major streaming service remains our favorite choice, thanks to its huge library of constantly refreshed content and its easy accessibility across different devices. And if you want, you can now save money on your subscription by bundling Netflix with other streaming services like Max (via Verizon) or Peacock and Apple TV Plus. For the 75th annual Emmys, the streamer earned 107 nominations and won 24 awards, with series like Baby Reindeer and Blue Eye Samurai capturing top honors. If you're looking for something new to watch, Netflix should be your first pick. Depending on the plan you choose, Netflix costs between $8 and $25 per month, which is at the higher end for a streaming service, as you can see in the chart below. However, the pricier package lets you watch up to four screens at once and create different user profiles. Thanks to its sheer variety and number of new things to watch, Netflix also gives you the most bang for your buck. Streaming services compared undefined Netflix Hulu Prime Video Max Disney Plus Monthly price Starts at $8 Starts at $10 Starts at $9 (or included with Prime membership) Starts at $10 Starts at $10 Ads Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Top titles Wednesday, Stranger Things, Adolescence Shōgun, The Bear, Only Murders in the Building The Boys, Fallout, Rings of Power The Last of Us, House of the Dragon,The White Lotus Daredevil: Born Again, The Mandalorian, Bluey Mobile downloads Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes 4K HDR available Yes (on Premium plan) Yes Yes Yes Yes Number of streams 2 for Standard, 4 on Premium 2 2 2 (4 for Ultimate) 4 Netflix then vs. now Between 2012 and 2013, Netflix premiered its first original TV shows, including Lilyhammer, House of Cards and Orange Is the New Black. 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Black America Web
25 minutes ago
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HBO Releases Trailer for 'Surviving Ohio State' Documentary
Source: Getty Images A new HBO documentary is set to pull the curtain back on one of the darkest chapters in Ohio State University's history. Surviving Ohio State , produced by George Clooney and directed by Oscar and Emmy winner Eva Orner, premieres June 17th on HBO and will stream on Max. The project has been in development for years and features interviews with several former Buckeye athletes who say they were abused by Dr. Richard Strauss during his time as a university physician from 1978 to 1998. RELATED: Buckeyes Visit the White House, JD Vance Fumbles Trophy [PHOTOS] The trailer, which dropped June 5th, gives a preview of what's to come: firsthand accounts from survivors, including former All-American wrestler and UFC champ Mark Coleman. The film also features stories from Adam and Michael DiSabato, Will Knight, Al Novakowski, Rockey Ratliff, Dan Ritchie, and Mike Schyck; athletes whose names many in the OSU community will recognize. Strauss died by suicide in 2005. By then, he had already faced years of internal complaints that largely went ignored. Though the State Medical Board of Ohio opened an investigation in 1996, it stalled and was quietly closed in 2002 without any disciplinary action. A deeper, public acknowledgement of the abuse didn't begin until 2018, when new complaints surfaced and the university launched an independent investigation. That uncovered abuse allegations from more than 170 students. RELATED: LeBron James to Receive Honorary Doctorate from Ohio State While Ohio State was not involved in the production, the university remains at the center of the story. The documentary is based in part on a 2020 Sports Illustrated article by Jon Wertheim, who also serves as an executive producer. The film will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York on Monday. Watch the trailer here: SEE ALSO HBO Releases Trailer for 'Surviving Ohio State' Documentary was originally published on Black America Web Featured Video CLOSE
UPI
32 minutes ago
- UPI
Benicio Del Toro: Imagination runs amok in 'Phoenician Scheme'
1 of 5 | Benicio Del Toro attends the photo call for "The Phoenician Scheme" at the Cannes Film Festival on May 19. Photo by Rune Hellestad/UPI | License Photo NEW YORK, June 6 (UPI) -- Oscar-winning actor Benicio del Toro says writer-director Wes Anderson meticulously plans every scene in his movies, but still welcomes input from his cast. "The approach is the same approach that I do on any movie I do. Just, I think, Wes wants you to be in the moment. He wants you to tell the truth, whatever that means," Del Toro, 58, said in a recent virtual press conference to promote his second collaboration with Anderson, The Phoenician Scheme, in theaters nationwide on Friday. "You have all this dialogue," Del Toro said, "but you can still bring a piece of yourself into it. And there's room for the imagination, too, to run amok. And you've got to have fun. Even if you're drowning, you've got to have fun." Co-starring Scarlett Johannson, Michael Cera, Bryan Cranston, Bill Murray and Tom Hanks, the espionage comedy is set in 1950 and follows Zsa-zsa Korda (Del Toro), an industrialist and arms dealer who wants to bring his estranged daughter Liesl (Mia Threapleton) -- a Catholic nun -- into his dangerous, top-secret business. It's Wes Anderson's world, we're just scheming in it. Focus Features (@FocusFeatures) June 6, 2025 "It's layered. It's full of contradictions, which makes it really yummy for an actor to try to bring to life," Del Toro said. "There is an element of my character wanting a second chance at mending a broken relationship. And I think that in the process in order to achieve that, he has to change and he does change. And I like to think that people can change. Not everyone changes, but I think some people can, and for the better." After previously working with Anderson on the 2021 hit The French Dispatch, Del Toro is used to the filmmaker's dense, quirky language. But, this time around, he has a larger role and a lot more to say. "There were a couple of moments where I went up to Wes and I said: 'Well, maybe we can take this dialogue out.' And, then, I went back to it and it wasn't as good," Del Toro recalled. "I had to go up to him and go like, 'I think you need to put it back because we're passing information that I think you need.' But that's why I couldn't join these people [in the cast] every day for dinner. I had to go up into my room and talk to myself." "You had a lot to say," Anderson agreed. "You took the time to absorb everything." Del Toro said another contribution he made to the project concerned Michael Cera's character Professor Bjorn, the tutor of Zsa-zsa's nine sons, who has a habit of sticking around when sensitive information is being shared. "I remember telling Wes, 'Well, I'm giving a lot of private information to my daughter and there is this stranger sitting right there. I feel uncomfortable as the character, giving all this information in front of a stranger. I'm telling her about my bank accounts and my everything, deals, with secrecy,'" Del Toro said. "Wes said to me, 'Well, we'll polygraph him.' And I went, 'Well, OK.' And, very quickly, he came up with this idea of a lie detector, which is a portable pocket polygraph," he added. "In 1950, it was probably the size of this building, but he made it into the pocket version." Despite the heightened reality, Anderson said this is essentially a father-daughter tale. "His whole business plan is really a mechanism for him to get back together with her," Anderson said of Zsa-zsa and Liesl. "He's acting like he's making her his successor and, really, it's more about what's going to happen between the two of them right now," Anderson added. "The business plan almost becomes like a ritual for him to be reunited with his daughter. ... In that sense, his plan goes great." Anderson first approached Del Toro about starring in this film after they wrapped up The French Dispatch. "I had a sort of the idea of a Euro tycoon, somebody who would've been in a [Michelangelo] Antonioni movie or something, that visual," Anderson said. "I did have this idea that he was probably hurting, that he was going to be in physical distress. Somehow, that was the image of this guy who you sort of can't kill." Over the course of time, however, this fictional man with a plan in a suit started mixing with Anderson's father-in-law Fouad Malouf, who, the filmmaker described as "an engineer and a businessman and he had all these different projects and different places." "He was a kind, warm person, but very intimidating," Anderson said. "He had all his business in these shoe-boxes. He walked [Anderson's wife] through his work at a certain point, because he thought if he is not able to see everything through, she needs to know what he's got. "And her reaction was what you say in the movie," Anderson turned to Threapleton, who immediately chimed in, "This is just crazy." "So, yeah, it was a mixture of those two things," Anderson quipped. "Fouad and whatever the first thing I said was."
