The “dangerous” 2010 role that made Nicole Kidman confront her fears: “It disturbed me”

Nicole Kidman has said that playing a bereaved mother in the 2010 film *Rabbit Hole* confronted her with one of her deepest fears. The role disturbed her more than she expected because its story of a family losing a young child felt frighteningly real, and the experience was emotionally gruelling for her as a mother.

Kidman played Becca opposite Aaron Eckhart and also co-produced the film, which was based on David Lindsay-Abaire’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play. The film portrays grief through Becca’s anger, resentment and strain on her relationships, as well as her sorrow; Kidman’s performance earned an Oscar nomination. She said the story’s message that grief remains but becomes easier to carry helped her build resilience.