Babygirl is anything but timid – within the first few minutes we see the leading lady, played by the enchanting Nicole Kidman, fake an orgasm with her husband, Antonio Banderas. Immediately after, she rushes into the next room and brings herself to climax while indulging in some porn. It's as outrageous and erotic as it is simple and measured.
Given the sensitivity of many scenes in the film, it’s no surprise that Antonio and Nicole built such a trusting relationship both on and off-screen. In an exclusive interview with HELLO!, the Desperado star shared his deep respect for his co-star and explained how they worked together to foster a "safe" space for each other throughout the filming process.
Antonio revealed that he is "more than friends" with the Australian actress after the pair met back in 2003. The Puss in Boots star was headlining Broadway in David Leveaux's revival of Nine. "We talked for hours after the performance, and then here and there, in some parties in Los Angeles and stuff like that," he shared.
"But I never had the opportunity to work with her."
However, the Spanish actor's admiration for his co-star grew once they signed onto the project. "Now I admire her more. She's a very intelligent woman. The number one thing that jumps out is her eyes. They reveal that side of her personality, and she's incredibly courageous," he added.
Babygirl required immense bravery from Nicole, who had to truly bare herself, both physically and emotionally, for the role. "She's capable to abandon herself and to literally get naked in front of the camera and to show herself as she is now, without fear. And for me, it was extraordinary. But sometimes I think very seriously about that and I come to tears," shared Antonio.
Although the pair developed a strong relationship, Halina Reijn's sultry thriller was not without its challenges. "It's very difficult now, when you're doing a movie in which in the narrative there is sex, and so you have to trust who you are working with," he said.
For Antonio, this came down to being "considerate" of his castmates. "Everything is raw when you do something like that because it's not natural to be naked in front of a lot of people, and it's an environment that is a little bit tense.
"So it depends on us actors also, just to make us much more comfortable. Make the other person work without fear. And she was beautiful with that, and because sometimes you can just cross her frontier.
"So we perfectly knew that the frontiers were very wide that she gave me permission, and then I gave it to her. So when you are in an environment like that, you feel safe. And it was about that, about feeling safe, about knowing that what we're doing is for one specific purpose. It's to tell a story that we thought was worth being told."