The Significance of the Christmas Pivot
Many scenes in "Babygirl" now feature elaborate Christmas trees and holiday music. Reijn explains that this change held special meaning for her. The character, Romy, is depicted as a perfect woman, mother, and leader. The American idea of Christmas, with its performative nature, became a perfect metaphor for Romy's story. It added a layer of joy and complexity to the film.Reijn said, "The whole sort of American idea of Christmas is so like [humming a Christmas carol “Sleigh Ride”] so I felt like that’s perfect. It’s all so performative in a way. It’s joyful but it’s also kind of performative, and I thought it was a great metaphor for Romy."
Kidman also noted the importance of adapting to the changing circumstances. She said, "You’ve got to get your movie made, and I’m always a believer in whatever comes your way you adapt and you flow. If you go into everything trying to control the situation and are very rigid it’s not going to work. So the ease in which you can adapt — and having a writer-director, she goes, ‘OK I’ll just rewrite it.’ Very, very helpful."
The Cast and Their Chemistry
Harris Dickinson, who plays the young intern, initially forgot about the Christmas connection until he saw the film. But he embraced the change with a lighthearted "Why not, Merry Christmas!" Kidman and Dickinson have a unique chemistry on screen. Reijn was drawn to Dickinson after watching his performance in "Triangle of Sadness."She explained, "I became obsessed with the idea of the two of them. They’re both tall and incredibly talented, and they’re both strong and also they can change into almost children within a split second. They have the vulnerability and the sort of dominance in them, and that’s what we need in this story about power play."
Kidman added that the pair had "an ease that comes and that’s really exciting. Antonio Banderas [who plays her character’s husband] as well, because it really is a triangle; I just was so lucky to have these men who were willing to come in and support the female protagonist primarily."
The Use of an Intimacy Coordinator
Reijn also spoke about the importance of using an intimacy coordinator on the film. She compared them to stunt coordinators, emphasizing that without them, the actors could potentially hurt each other.She continued, "It’s just a way of creating much more intense sexual scenes, and it just creates clarity for everybody and that gives everybody a calmness. Because we’re all calm and we’re very well prepared and we know the full choreography, we can actually let go in the moment and bring in the risk and a little bit of danger within a safe space."
Babygirl hits theaters on Christmas Day, Dec. 25.