Nicole Kidman has insisted it was her own call to wear the outfit that attracted backlash when she was featured on the cover of Vanity Fair’s Hollywood Issue last year.
“It was fun. That was my choice. And yeah, I own it. I’m accountable. Whatever. I take responsibility. Nobody else chose it,” the Being the Ricardos star said in an interview with Stellar magazine for its latest issue, according to People.
“I make the most random, crazy choices. I call them ‘teenage choices’ because I just don’t ever think of consequences,” the Oscar winner explained.
“Part of my brain just doesn’t think like that. I just go, ‘Oh, I’m going to wear that; it reminds me of my school uniform.’ Or, ‘Oh my God, yeah, I’d love to do that,’” she continued. “I try to [stay] in that place because I think otherwise you get scared or worried.”
Vanity Fair released its 28th annual Hollywood issue in February 2022, featuring Nicole wearing a black micro miniskirt and bra top designed by Miu Miu.
Online critics accused the magazine of excessively altering the photo and infantilising Nicole in the skimpy get-up.
“She’s an accomplished actress who’s nominated for an Oscar. Why is she dressed like a school girl? Not cool,” one commenter wrote on Vanity Fair’s Instagram post of the cover at the time, per Page Six.
“Why in this day and age are will still seeing mature women portrayed as sexy teenagers? Can we not embrace ageing yet? Nicole is such a beautiful woman and such a talented actress but these images are so disappointing,” another wrote.
The revealing Miu Miu look has since been seen on other stars including Hailey Bieber, Emma Corrin and Zendaya, according to People.
Nicole told Stellar she steers clear of listening to online commentary, because “it will stop me doing what I want to do.”
“There are times when you hear things and you go, ‘Oh my gosh, that’s really hurtful,’” she revealed.
Nicole previously addressed the styling controversy in an interview published in Vogue Australia.
“I showed up and they had another outfit for me and I was like, ‘No, no, I like this one! Am I allowed to wear that?’” she said of the Vanity Fair shoot.
“And [the stylist] Katie Grand, who’s just fantastic, was on Zoom, and Katie was like ‘You’re willing to wear that?!’ And I said, ‘Wear it?! I’m begging you to wear it!’”