Harris Dickinson felt a wave of anxiety at the thought of interacting with Nicole Kidman. Although this might not seem surprising, especially considering he is her co-star in the upcoming erotic drama “Babygirl,” where he plays an intern who sparks an affair with her character, the reserved CEO, the nerves persisted. He and Kidman had already had a productive Zoom meeting with writer-director Halina Reijn, who appreciated their chemistry and was confident in Dickinson’s abilities. However, when they both attended the same event, he struggled to overcome his shyness. It was Margaret Qualley who took the initiative to introduce them, effectively breaking the ice for Dickinson.
On set for “Babygirl,” however, things took a different turn. While he doesn’t quite see himself as as “puckishly audacious” as his character Samuel, Dickinson, Kidman, and Reijn had to dive into an intimate yet complex exploration of sexual power dynamics. They ventured into awkward and exhilarating territory, which contributed to making the film, set for release on Christmas Day, one of the most anticipated of the year. “There was an unspoken rule we adhered to,” Dickinson mentioned. “We avoided getting into each other’s personal lives. When in character, we focused solely on the script. If I had attached too much to Nicole’s history, it might have turned chaotic.”
Dickinson’s performance reaffirms what many filmmakers have suspected since he made his debut seven years ago in Eliza Hittman’s “Beach Rats,” where he portrayed a Brooklyn teen grappling with his sexuality. Now 28 years old, he hails from Leytonstone, East London, a place closely associated with Alfred Hitchcock. Growing up, he was immersed in cinema, whether it was watching Christopher Nolan’s “Batman” films at the local theater or traveling to see social realist works by filmmakers like Mike Leigh and Ken Loach. “I gravitated toward working-class cinema,” he said. “It resonated with the world I grew up in.”
In his youth, Dickinson delved into filmmaking with a comedic web series he classifies today as “really bad spoofs” of contemporary films and television shows. However, his real passion ignited once he got involved in community theater. “It was a transformative experience,” he recalled. “For the first time, I felt a sense of acceptance that allowed me to express myself freely.” At around 17, someone suggested he pursue acting professionally, a concept that had not even crossed his mind until then. After auditioning, he landed a role in “Beach Rats” at the age of 20, which launched him on a steady path of varied opportunities in film. He has shown his versatility in both mainstream projects like “The King’s Man” and indie films such as “Triangle of Sadness” and Charlotte Regan’s “Scrapper.”
In “Babygirl,” he faces new challenges with his character, whose identity is elusive. “Samuel is an intriguing puzzle,” Dickinson explained. “He lacks clear definition, which made my job compelling.” He expressed that the character’s distinctive traits revealed a kind of fearlessness in his dialogue, hinting at a lack of awareness about how his words affected others. “I didn’t impose too many restrictions on him,” he added.
Part of what makes the film captivating is the constantly shifting power dynamics between Kidman and Dickinson’s characters, which evolve throughout scenes. Reijn described the film as a cautionary tale regarding the consequences of suppressing one’s desires. She praised Dickinson for his striking ability to play characters who appeared both youthful and ancient in demeanor, oscillating from the innocence of a child to the confidence of an adult man.
Since its debut at the Venice Film Festival earlier this year, “Babygirl” has sparked candid discussions among audiences of all ages. Dickinson noted that this was precisely what Reijn intended. “She aimed to unpack the unglamorous and clumsy aspects of relationships and sex,” he remarked. “To me, the more awkward, authentic portrayal is far more captivating than the idealized versions we often encounter.”
Recently, Dickinson also ventured into directing, completing his first feature film under his own production company, set against the backdrop of London’s homelessness crisis. Titled “Dream Space,” it follows a drifter seeking to understand his cyclical behaviors. The filmmaking experience enriched his appreciation for the collaborative nature of creating a film. He has come to realize that effective acting derives from being able to relax. “When you’re in a relaxed state, truthfulness flourishes,” he explained, attributing this to a healthy environment facilitated by good directors and co-stars like Kidman.
Eventually, Dickinson felt comfortable enough to ask Kidman about working with iconic directors like Stanley Kubrick and Lars Von Trier, yet he chose not to delve too deeply into Samuel’s character with Reijn. “In some ways, Samuel doesn’t even exist as an individual but serves as a device for her own narrative,” he said. “That ambiguity allows us to take the character into more surreal territory, almost transcending reality.” This intriguing perspective, however, was not something discussed in depth with Kidman.
