Nicole Kidman, 58, Reveals What She Had To Learn Before Filming Her Latest Role

Nicole Kidman is known for putting a lot of effort into her roles. Over the years, she has built a reputation for fully stepping into her characters. Whether it was the emotional strain of films like Babygirl or the intense mindset she adopted for the 2018 crime drama Destroyer, the actress is known for taking preparation very seriously.

Her newest project pushed that commitment even further. While appearing on The Tonight Show on March 2, Kidman revealed to host Jimmy Fallon that she learned a very unusual skill while preparing for her latest role.

The actress explained that she trained in forensic science for the new Prime Video series Scarpetta. In the show, she plays Dr. Kay Scarpetta, a well-known medical examiner from the novels written by Patricia Cornwell. During the interview, Kidman shared just how far she went to prepare.

“I can do an autopsy,” she told Fallon. To make the role feel real, Kidman said she spent time with a professional medical examiner. She learned the real steps involved in examining a body and studying human anatomy.

“I can remove all the organs. I can name them all,” she said during the conversation. She even described the details of what she had practiced while preparing for the series. “I can remove the lungs and the liver and the gallbladder and the intestines,” she added, joking that she could demonstrate the process on a prosthetic body.

This type of deep preparation has been part of her career for years. Kidman has often described herself as more of a character actor than a traditional movie star. When she worked on the film Destroyer, she stayed in the mindset of her character for months, which even affected her life at home.

She talked about that experience in a 2018 interview. “My husband was like, ‘I cannot wait for this thing to end,’” she said. “I stayed in character the whole time.” Her new series Scarpetta, premiered on Prime Video on March 11. The show is based on Cornwell’s popular crime novels and includes a strong cast.

Jamie Lee Curtis plays Scarpetta’s sister Dorothy, while Bobby Cannavale appears as Detective Pete Marino. Ariana DeBose is also part of the series as Lucy, a technology expert.

Outside of the show, Kidman has a busy year ahead. She will serve as a co-chair at the Met Gala this May alongside Beyoncé and tennis star Venus Williams. She is also working on a sequel to the film Practical Magic with Sandra Bullock and preparing to appear in another series called Margo’s Got Money Troubles.

Even after decades in the industry, Kidman continues to take on challenging roles and demanding projects. With several films and shows on the way, including the upcoming thriller Discretion, audiences will likely be seeing much more of her in the near future.

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