Nicole Kidman Tribute: To Die For (1995)

by Christopher James

The year 1995 is a pivotal moment in the definition of Nicole Kidman. Both of her films released this year paint different paths her career could go. As Dr. Chase Meridian in Batman Forever, Nicole Kidman pursues mainstream success, hoping to align her name with a big franchise full of stars. Though she eventually returns to the superhero genre (hello, Aquaman), we get the first real glimpse at the prestige actress we know and love today with her seismic turn in Gus Van Sant’s To Die For. At that point, Kidman was best known as Mrs. Tom Cruise, having already starred in Days of Thunder and Far & Away with her husband. In redefining her image as a real actress, Kidman first had to lean into the stereotypes that people saw in her.

Her Suzanne Stone Maretto is a ditzy social climber whose quest for fame greatly exceeds her talent at wielding it. Kidman mined every negative aspect of Suzanne for comedy and, in doing so, created a horribly relatable character we couldn’t get enough of...

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Almost There: Ian McKellen in "Richard III"

by Cláudio Alves

With its streaming release on Apple TV+, it seems like everyone is watching The Tragedy of Macbeth. As people discuss Joel Coen's adaptation of Shakespeare's Scottish play, talks of Oscar are nearly unavoidable - Denzel Washington is poised to earn his ninth acting nomination for the titular role. However, while his awards triumph feels obvious, one shouldn't think that playing the Bard's most famous roles is an easy ticket to the Oscars. Many major adaptations have been snubbed over the years, and even when the Academy embraces a Shakespearean flick, it rarely extends such love to its cast.

Look no further than Sir Ian McKellen's first major bid at big-screen stardom. In 1995, after starring in a famed stage production directed by Richard Eyre, the actor decided to take that Richard III to the movies…

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Almost There: Nicole Kidman in "To Die For"

by Cláudio Alves

This October, the Criterion Channel is celebrating all things death and murder, be it fantastical or otherwise. Indeed, amid its new collections, one can find a curated program of movies that reflect the idea of True Crime in some way or another. Gus Van Sant's pitch-black comedy To Die For is one of those films. The story of an ambitious weather girl with aspirations of TV fame who manipulates teenagers into killing her husband was a breakthrough for Nicole Kidman back in the mid-90s. After years of being systematically undervalued by audiences and critics alike, the actress got immense critical acclaim and came close to an Oscar nomination…

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"To Die For" on its 25th Anniversary

To Die For was released nationwide in theaters on this day in 1995. Here's Christopher James...

Is Nicole Kidman funny? Critics of the Oscar winning actress have often called her “cold,” rendering her incapable of cracking a smile, much less a laugh. Given that perception it’s funny that Nicole Kidman was first taken seriously for her comedic chops. Best known in 1995 as Mrs. Tom Cruise and Dr. Chase Meridian in Batman Forever, Kidman was in search of a vehicle that would showcase more of her considerable talents. Along came To Die For, based on the Joyce Maynard book of the same name which borrowed details from the Pamela Smart case that took the media by storm. Originally offered to Meg Ryan, Kidman eventually won the part and received a fair share of accolades, including a Golden Globe win and a BAFTA nomination.

Talking about the virtues of Nicole Kidman on The Film Experience is the very definition of “preaching to the choir.” Yet, preach away I will...

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