Nicole Kidman shut down Kyle Sandilands during a radio interview. Photo / AP
Nicole Kidman shut down Kyle Sandilands during a radio interview. Photo / AP
Nicole Kidman hit the phones this morning, appearing on several Australian breakfast radio shows to promote today's much-anticipated Big Little Lies finale.
But a very personal line of questioning during her interview with Kyle and Jackie O left the Aussie actress audibly embarrassed, ordering the hosts to "shut up."
Kidmanhad been discussing the season two finale of the acclaimed drama series, which is available to stream on Foxtel, when talk turned to her country singer husband Keith Urban.
"I was looking through some things that Keith had said …" Kyle Sandilands began.
Nicole Kidman with her husband Keith Urban. Photo / AP
Sandilands brought up the Urban song Gemini — an ode to a Gemini woman (Kidman's star sign) who is a "maniac in the bed but a brainiac in her head."
Since the song's release last year Urban had confirmed what most had suspected: that it was about his wife of 13 years.
"Keith said that's about you in the bedroom, that you're a maniac in bed — do you say to him, 'Watch what you say about me, darling?'" asked Sandilands.
"You're so bad! I don't censor his art. If I can be a muse for it…" said Kidman.
Nicole Kidman (left) with Meryl Streep in Big Little Lies. Photo / HBO
After all, said co-host Jackie O, it could be worse: "It's not like he says you're a dud in the bedroom."
"That'd be worse. It is embarrassing, but at the same time it's better than saying 'God, I'm so bored. Make an effort, Nicole," Kidman chuckled.
Sandilands pushed the topic further, referencing another of the song's racy lyrics: "A little bit left, a little bit right / She's waking to make love in the middle of the night."
"He also says you wake up in the middle of the night to get your freak on," he told Kidman — which appeared to be a step too far for the star, who quickly shut down the line of questioning.
"No. What? Shut up, you're making that up. SHUT UP, Kyle. I'm not answering that. That's outrageous."
Still, the interview persisted for another six minutes — a better result than Kidman's chat with Jackie O back in March, which appeared to end in an abrupt hang-up from the star.
During that chat, Jackie O asked a question Kidman had famously reacted badly to in the past.
The pair had been chatting over the phone about Kidman's new film Destroyer, which sees her undergo an intense physical transformation to play a world-weary police officer.
"I watched Destroyer; I loved it. You're not afraid to … what's the best way to describe it… get yourself 'uglied up' for a role," said Jackie O. "You don't care what you look like for a role."
Kidman didn't seem particularly enthused about the focus on her physical appearance.
"Umm … I suppose it's not … I mean, I see it as necessary for the character to be authentic," she said.
Further questions about her physical appearance followed, after which Kidman quickly wrapped up the call.
"Anyway, I've gotta go, because they're waiting at the other radio station, which I'd better not say on your show," she said, bidding the host farewell before hanging up.
Back in March, Kyle and Jackie O touted the encounter as "the question that made Nicole Kidman hang up on Jackie" — and didn't reference the awkward run-in during today's interview.
