Kristen Stewart and Nicole Kidman interviewed together as part of Variety’s Actors on Actors interview series: but it wasn’t the first time the pair met.
While Stewart is now an established force, when she first met Nicole Kidman, who at that time was already experiencing critical acclaim following starring roles in musical movies like Moulin Rouge, she was only ten years old. The year was 2001, and the pair were in early rehearsals for a movie named, Panic Room which was directed by David Fincher.
Although Jodie Foster eventually came on board to play Stewart’s mother in the critically-acclaimed film, Kidman was originally lined up to play the role — and the two already started to develop a mother and daughter-like bond. “We were meant to work together how many years ago [on Panic Room]?” Kidman asked Stewart. “I remember David Fincher saying, ‘Oh, my God, we have discovered the most incredible actress.’ And then I got injured and ended up not playing your mama.”
“I was 10 years old,” Stewart responded. “We spent a couple weeks rehearsing. I have a vivid memory of it because the way you treat kids is so telling. I felt like I was buds with you. It was two or three weeks, but I was always like, ‘She’s one of my friends.’ You gave me walkie-talkies for Christmas.”
While the pair no longer possess the walkie-talkies, it is clear from the Variety interview that their bond is as strong as ever.
“Here we are decades later, hanging in there,” Kidman said. “And you’re amazing; Fincher was right, as he always is.”
According to Variety, Panic Room grossed nearly $200 million worldwide when it came to theatres in March 2002. The thriller centres around Meg Altman (Jodie Foster) and her young daughter Sarah (Stewart), who are confined to their “panic room” after three intruders break into their house.