Nicole Kidman has said she is uncomfortable with the term “toxic masculinity”.
The Big Little Lies actress, who has been a vocal advocate for the Time’s Up movement for gender equality, said she does not want to put labels on young men.
She told British GQ magazine: “I shy away from it. Because we are trying to build a society together right now, and labelling the new generation of men that, well, I’m very reluctant to do that.”
The Hollywood star has been married to country singer Keith Urban since 2006 and was previously married to Tom Cruise.
Discussing her relationship with Urban, she said: “He’ll watch episodes [of Big Little Lies] and build my esteem. I take none of that for granted. It’s an incredible balm to have.
“I’m a very sensitive woman, so I bring all that to the equation too. I’ve definitely run the gamut in terms of emotions. But I’m devoted and loving and I have the capacity to love deeply, so I don’t want to get hurt.
“That was my opening line on one of our early dates: ‘Just be careful with me. Because when I love, I love from the deepest place.’ As a man, that either makes you run a mile or say, ‘Okay, I’m going to step up.’”
Kidman, who was recently named actress of the year at the GQ awards, added that she does not discuss the roles she is going to take with her husband, saying: “It’s just the nature of who we are. The idea of stepping in and guiding… the only thing that we really discuss is what it is going to cost our family.
“If it’s going to be too taxing on our children or him, I won’t do it.”
She added she also focuses on what she can bring to a part, saying: “I try to bring that well of experience I have in terms of things that have happened to me… So I really try to be unbelievably raw and available and shed all these layers until I’m almost skinless.
“But then I go and take care of myself afterwards.”
The full interview is in the October issue of British GQ, available via digital download and in shops now.
