Nicole Kidman opens up about controversial Vanity Fair cover: ‘I’m just going to do what I want to do’

Nicole Kidman has said she “begged” to wear a viral Miu Miu set on the cover of Vanity Fair that sparked controversy in February.

The Australian actor’s spoke out about her decision to wear the designer’s matching bra top and a micro-mini skirt, complete with calf-high socks and pointed leather loafers.

In an interview with Australian director Baz Luhrmann, who worked with Kidman on the 2001 film Moulin Rouge, the 54-year-old revealed that her stylist on the shoot, Katie Grand, had prepared a different outfit for the cover.

“I showed up and they had another outfit for me and I was like, ‘No, no, I like this one! Am I allowed to wear that?’,” she said, referring to the Miu Miu outfit.

“And Katie Grand, who’s just fantastic, was on Zoom, and Katie was like, ‘You’re willing to wear that?!’ And I said, ‘Wear it?! I’m begging you to wear it!’”

Luhrmann, who sat down with Kidman over the phone for Australian Vogue, said that wearing the outfit on the magazine cover was a “personal achievement” of Kidman’s.

He explained that Kidman had “broken the myth for everyone, but particularly for women in our industry, that in any way you have to back away from wearing that Miu Miu piece”.

Kidman responded: “I mean, I did walk away when I shot Vanity Fair thinking, ‘What was I thinking?! That was ridiculous! What were you doing, Nicole?!’ And then I went, ‘Eh, oh well!’”

Kidman’s magazine cover became the centre of debates around ageism and beauty standards when it was released in February.

Some fans of the actor criticised Vanity Fair for allegedly using too much photoshop on Kidman’s photo.

Others said that editing the image created unrealistic expectations of what women should look like.

The Northman star added that she is “just going to do what I want to do, ultimately” and “really commit when I show up”.

“But there’s got to be some fun. And sometimes it’s going to work, and sometimes it isn’t. But I love the idea of being bold and not fitting into a box,” she said.