Call it dedication. As with many method actors, Nicole Kidman took the route of portraying the Russian wellness guru Masha Dmitrichenko on the Hulu series Nine Perfect Strangers.
The series revolves around nine people, who are invited to a wellness retreat to alleviate their stress, anxiety, and problems. Unbeknownst to them, they were chosen as part of an experiment for different reasons towards their wellness goals. During this 10-day retreat, Masha is on a mission to reinvigorate their minds and bodies through unconventional means. These “nine” perfect strangers will have no clue on what is bestowed upon them.
During the Television Critics Association presentation earlier this month, Nicole Kidman addresses her character Masha as one unusual and unique character. LRM Online was in attendance during the presentation.
Admittingly, she adopted method acting as the best course of action to approach her character.
“Strangely enough, the first time I met everyone except for Manny and Tiffany, it was the first—I walked in as Masha, and I never related to anybody in any other way. I only related to them as Masha and stayed in character,” she explained.
She continued her method acting from the beginning to the end of production.
“The first scene we shot was the scene where I come in the room and say, ‘I am Masha. Welcome to Tranquillum.’ And then, I was able to stay in that place where it was very calm healing energy to emanate all the time,” she added. “I remember going over to people and sort of putting my hand on their heart or holding their hand. They would talk to me or use my name, Nicole, and I would completely ignore it. I’d only respond to Masha. At the end of the shoot, I think it was Melvin and Samara that came to me and said, ‘We’ve never heard your real voice or your Australian accent.’ But it was the only way I could actually relate to people.”
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Laughingly, she dismissed her method acting skills.
“I am bat shit crazy,” she concluded.
Nine Perfect Strangers is now streaming the first three episodes on Hulu. New episodes to appear weekly on Wednesdays.
https://youtu.be/QvqujH6boEI
Source: Hulu, TCA 2021