Nicole Kidman enjoys AMC viral meme stardom
Kidman's iconic AMC ad starting airing in 2021
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The AMC Theatres ad featuring Nicole Kidman has been part of the movie-going experience at the cinema operator for more than two years. The award-winning actress has reportedly enjoyed having it go viral and become an internet meme during that time.
That was apparently what she told Elle in a wide-ranging interview the magazine released Tuesday for its April Impact edition.
Kidman reportedly said it "was just the desire to keep cinemas alive" that prompted her to work with AMC on the now-famous "We Make Movies Better" campaign.
Nicole Kidman spoke with Elle about a range of topics for the April issue of the magazine. (Mario Sorrenti for Elle)
AMC started airing her 60-second ad in September 2021. It and other movie theater chains were at the time working to recover from the period in the COVID-19 pandemic when they had to keep their doors shut.
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"I’ve had the best experiences in cinema," Kidman told Elle. "I’d pretend I was going to school; I’d forge a note, and I’d go and sit in a movie theater. That’s a safe haven for me, so the idea of those not existing – that’s just not part of the equation in my lifetime."
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMC | AMC ENTERTAINMENT | 4.57 | +0.09 | +1.91% |
The ad quickly gained traction and, as AMC Entertainment CEO Adam Aron noted in the company’s February earnings call, ultimately "took on a, like, cult-like nature" among the public.
"If that’s what it takes, I’ll do whatever it takes," Kidman reportedly said, referring to the ad getting comedic and meme treatments.
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban attend the 2023 CMA Awards at Bridgestone Arena on Nov. 8, 2023 in Nashville, Tennessee.
Nicole Kidman attends a special screening of "Expats" at Palace Verona on Dec. 20, 2023 in Sydney.
The actress helped bring cinematographer Jeff Cronenweth and screenwriter Billy Ray on board for the task of bringing the ad to life, according to Elle. She was reportedly in the midst of shooting "Being the Ricardos" at the time.
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Kidman also told Elle she wants to "be onstage doing [the ad] with a drag queen" during a drag rendition of it, something that has reportedly gained popularity.
Elle interviewed Nicole Kidman about a range of topics for the April issue of the magazine. (Mario Sorrenti for Elle)
AMC moviegoers were treated to a different, shorter iteration of Kidman’s ad starting this month as the theater operator introduced a new "pre-show" to play before trailers and movies. It was one of three versions, according to Aron.
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"Three different 30-second Nicole spots will rotate month to month, replacing the one spot that had run in our theatres for the past 2 ½ years," he wrote March 9 on X. "But don’t worry Nicole fans, all three are wonderful, and one of the three still includes the now famous line that ‘Somehow heartbreak feels good in a place like this.’"
Movie goers at the screening of "Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings" at an AMC theater on Saturday, Sept. 4, 2021 in Monterey Park, California. (Irfan Khan / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images / Getty Images)
Kidman has racked up awards during her career, such as the Oscar she received for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2003 for "The Hours." She also has two Golden Globe and two Primetime Emmy Awards to her name, among others.