Nicole Kidman’s Bold Casino Audition: Going Unrecognised in Hollywood
Nicole Kidman once went undercover for a major film audition, testing her commitment and the public’s reaction, but the role slipped through her fingers. Her dedication to acting, though, never wavered.
Nicole Kidman’s career is a testament to hard yakka and relentless drive. From her early days in Australia to starring in international hits like Eyes Wide Shut and Paddington, she’s never shied away from a challenge. By the early ‘90s, after making waves in Days of Thunder alongside Tom Cruise, Kidman was well on her way to becoming a household name. She kept chasing roles in big American productions, even teaming up with Cruise again for Far and Away. Her profile kept rising, especially after Batman Forever and the darkly comic To Die For in 1995. But that same year, there was another film she was dead keen to be part of.
Determined to land a spot in Martin Scorsese’s Casino, Kidman went the extra mile for her audition. She didn’t just read lines—she transformed herself, dressing up as the character and heading out into the world to see how people would react. It was a full-on commitment, but in the end, it didn’t pay off. Still, she gave it a red-hot go.
Going Undercover for Scorsese
Reflecting on the experience, Kidman shared,
“I remember dressing up to audition for Casino with Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro. I dressed up completely, so you couldn’t recognise me, and I walked down the street and men were whistling and stuff like that.”
She went all out, donning a low-cut top and a skirt that barely covered anything, just to get into the mindset of Ginger McKenna.
“I didn’t get it—I was way too young—but I went in there and Martin didn’t know who I was. De Niro didn’t know who I was. I just pretended I was that woman. I was so far from that woman, but I had this low-cut shirt, the shortest [skirt]. And to do the research to build up for it, I would go into stores dressed like that. I couldn’t believe the way people reacted. I mean, I’ve done so many wild things, it’s insane.”
Despite her efforts, the role went to Sharon Stone, who ended up nabbing an Oscar nomination for her performance. Kidman, though, didn’t let the knockback slow her down. She’s always been the type to throw herself into a part, no matter how out-there the process might seem.
Dedication Without Boundaries
Kidman’s approach to acting has always been about total commitment. She admitted,
“I have that terrible thing that once I’m in it, I pretty much will try and do anything. It’s my commitment to the art, and I don’t have strong boundaries because I didn’t learn them at 14. I just learned full and utter commitment.”
That attitude has seen her land heaps of roles over the years, even if it sometimes means missing out on the ones she’s most keen for.
She’s never actually worked with Scorsese, and she’s been open about the lack of female-led stories in his films.
“I’ve always said I want to work with Scorsese, if he does a film with women,”
she once remarked. For now, though, she seems more interested in collaborating with female directors, holding out hope that one day the right project will come along.