During a recent appearance on the Las Culturistas podcast with hosts Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, the Oscar-winning actress shared a humorous behind-the-scenes story involving her Alexander Skarsgård while filming the HBO drama Big Little Lies in 2017.
Kidman recalled that one particular detail made their romantic scenes difficult to film: Skarsgård had eaten a falafel sandwich shortly before they had to shoot a kissing scene. According to the actress, the smell instantly put her off and she quickly asked him to put the food away before they continued filming.
She joked that she had to remind her co-star that the scene required her character to appear attracted to him, which was difficult when he had just finished eating. Kidman added that after the incident she insisted on a new rule: no falafel before romantic scenes.
The actress admitted that unpleasant breath is something she simply cannot tolerate. Even if someone is extremely attractive, she said, bad breath would immediately ruin the moment for her. In her words, it’s a complete deal-breaker — even in a professional setting like filming intimate scenes.
Kidman also joked that there was one unexpected benefit when she temporarily lost her sense of smell after contracting COVID-19. For a short time, she said, she didn’t have to worry about unpleasant odors at all, which she described as oddly freeing.
While discussing scents, the actress also revealed the celebrity she believes smells the best. Without hesitation, she named pop superstar Rihanna, describing her fragrance as so captivating that it makes people want to follow her around.
The interview comes shortly after Kidman opened up about her personal life following her separation from country singer Keith Urban. The couple were married from 2006 until their reported split last year. Speaking to Variety, the actress said she prefers to keep details of the situation private out of respect for their family.
Kidman and Urban share two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret. The actress said her priority now is maintaining a strong family bond and focusing on the future. Despite the changes in her personal life, she emphasized that they will always remain a family.
Reflecting on how she has been coping since the separation, Kidman said she tries to focus on positivity and moving forward. She admitted that during the period when the divorce was being finalized, she kept a low profile and largely withdrew from the public eye while dealing with personal matters.
Since then, she has spent time traveling with family and friends, including a memorable trip to Antarctica where they saw penguins and sea lions. She also revealed plans to visit the Galápagos Islands and hike the famous trails of Machu Picchu in Peru.
Professionally, Kidman remains as busy as ever. She is currently starring in the new series Scarpetta on Amazon Prime Video, based on the crime novels by Patricia Cornwell.
Later this year, she will reunite with longtime friend Sandra Bullock in the highly anticipated sequel Practical Magic 2. At the same time, she is filming the third season of the action drama Special Ops: Lioness, created by Taylor Sheridan, where she stars alongside Zoe Saldaña and Morgan Freeman.
Looking ahead, Kidman says she feels ready to embrace the future. With several major projects on the horizon, the actress summed up her outlook simply: she’s entering 2026 determined to focus on what’s good and keep moving forward.
