Nicole Kidman on How Awards-Season Conversations Lead to Collaborations

As for who the 'Boy Erased' actress would like to work with on this season's party circuit, “The director of 'Cold War' I just think is amazing and I would like to work with him one day,” Kidman said.

The 8th annual AACTA International Awards officially kicked off awards season 2019 with a ceremony at the Mondrian Hotel’s Skybar on Friday night, where Nicole Kidman, Rami Malek and Alfonso Cuaron scored some of the year’s first wins.

Before the show, guests sipped wine and enjoyed shrimp ceviche while trying to avoid slipping into the Skybar’s uncovered pool, which took up most of the floor space.

Australian comedian Hannah Gadsby was honored with the AACTA for best performance in a television comedy for her stand-up special Nanette, and she gave an emotional acceptance speech when speaking about what the award meant to her.

“This is a huge moment for me and someone like me to be seen and heard, and I can’t tell you how wonderful and disorienting this moment to my life is,” Gadsby said.

Kidman is almost an annual presence at the AACTAs and is a longtime veteran of the awards-season circuit. She took home the trophy for best supporting actress for her role in Boy Erased and she spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about what she still enjoyed about going to so many parties and shows after all these years.

“I like getting dressed up. I do, and I also like meeting people that I’ve never met before because it's actually astounding how you can meet directors and different people and how that can actually eventuate into sometimes you collaborating on something in the future,” Kidman said.

As for who she's most interested in collaborating with who is also on this season's awards circuit, Kidman pointed to Pawe? Pawlikowski: “The director of Cold War I just think is amazing and I would like to work with him one day,” she said.

Roma was the night’s big winner, with Alfonso Cuaron taking home awards for best director and best picture. His trophy haul made him the AACTA International Awards record holder, bringing his lifetime total to four, including the two he won in 2014 for Gravity.

Glenn Close was an AACTA nominee for her role in The Wife, and she told reporters why she found giving an acceptance speech to be the most challenging part of an awards show.

“That’s the thing that’s probably the most nerve-racking because I’ve gotten up and forgotten to thank the most important people and then you go off and you want to kind of throw up," Close said. "And then I don’t trust my brain to always speak well extemporaneously, so I think that one should just, if you don’t make a total fool of yourself, maybe have even notes or something.”

The night’s other winners included best actor Malek for his performance in Bohemian Rhapsody, best actress Olivia Colman for her role in The Favourite and best supporting actor Mahershala Ali for Green Book.