EW's The Awardist podcast: Big Little Lies star Nicole Kidman wants to play Celeste 'for the rest of my life'
There were a lot of talked-about scenes in Big Little Lies season 2, but perhaps none caused more of a fan frenzy than the moment Celeste (Nicole Kidman) walloped her meddling mother-in-law, Mary Louise (Meryl Streep), during a pumpkin-carving party. This week on EW's The Awardist podcast, Kidman recalls how terrified she was to (fake) slap her revered costar ("the delicacy of Meryl's face!") — and how her own mother helped her prepare. ("She loved it!")
Kidman, who took home an Emmy for her performance in Big Little Lies season 1, also talks about filming those incredibly intense season two courtroom scene, as Celeste desperately fought to keep her children out of Mary Louise's custody. "We did it almost like theater, where we would do huge long takes," she says. "That was fantastic as an actor because it really just becomes real."
To hear more from Kidman — including why she'd love to play Celeste "for the rest of my life" — listen to the full interview below. (The conversation starts at 12:13.)
Also in this episode, we break down the crowded race for Outstanding Drama Series — now that Game of Thrones is out of the running, do Succession and Big Little Lies have a shot? Or will it finally be Better Call Saul's year? And speaking of Saul, this week we also talk to star Bob Odenkirk, who says shooting his character's desert ordeal was "the hardest thing physically I’ve ever done as a performer."
Related content:
