'Everything's Hard Now... Except Maybe Not Deadpool': Nicole Kidman Calls Out The State Of Hollywood Amidst Major Disruptions

Nicole Kidman looking at a young employee in Babygirl
(Image credit: A24)

Nicole Kidman has had a wildly successful career as an actress and producer, working in both TV and film. Many of the best Nicole Kidman movies have been huge hits at the box office, but the industry has been suffering a bit in that regard. She recently called out the state of Hollywood amidst major disruptions, being quoted saying "everything's hard now... except maybe not Deadpool." Let's break it all down.

Deadpool & Wolverine broke records at the box office, proving that the MCU could still hit after a box office disappointments like The Marvels. But plenty of projects outside of the superhero genre have also been struggling, with Nicole Kidman getting honest with Vanity Fair about the state of the industry as a whole. As she put it:

Everything’s hard now. Actually everything. I mean, maybe not Deadpool, but there’s nothing that’s, 'Oh my gosh. Yep. This is it. Greenlight, let’s go.' Or maybe it’s just the things that I do. [Laughs] I just think that’s the nature of what we’re dealing with now. Things are shrinking in terms of shows being done and films being made. I definitely feel it. I’m sure most people in the industry feel it. I know the crews feel it. I know writers feel it.

There you have it. From her vantage point, it seems like movies are getting much more difficult to be made, with the exception being major franchise work. While Kidman famously played Atlanna in the DCEU (which is streaming with a Max subscription), she's busy as an actress and producer on other project. So she would know what the temperature of the business is like.

Later in the same interview, Nicole Kidman spoke about how she's trying to adjust her attitude and expectations in order to keep working. And that includes the unique state of the entertainment industry as a whole. In her words:

You’re just along for the ride, and it is very much ups and downs and roller coasters, and you just go, Hold on tight. It’s what I try to teach my kids because I don’t know what their futures are: Hold on and go for it and take the opportunities when they arise and jump in and try something. The worst you can do is fail. That may be humiliating, but at least you don’t go, Gosh, I wish I’d tried that, and I regret that I didn’t.

The rollercoaster that Kidman is describing is likely due to a number of different factors. The rise in streaming has resulted in less folks going to theaters or movies, except for projects with a ton of hype. Add in the recent SAG and WGA Strikes and the pandemic delays, and there's been a ton of ups and downs in the past few years.

For her part, Nicole Kidman has been keeping busy with projects arriving both in streaming services and theaters. That includes her A24 thriller Babygirl, which will hit theaters on December 25th. For now, check out the 2025 movie release dates.

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.