Nicole Kidman hinted at her desire to see Martin Scorsese cast more women in lead roles, subtly critiquing his track record of male-dominated narratives. The Oscar-winning actress, 57, who highlighted her extensive list of collaborators during her AFI Life Achievement Award acceptance, recently told Vanity Fair she’d love to work with the 81-year-old filmmaker “if he does a film with women.” Kidman added Scorsese to her wish list of directors, which also includes Kathryn Bigelow, Spike Jonze, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Michael Haneke.
While Kidman didn’t elaborate further, Scorsese has faced similar criticism in the past. His iconic films like Goodfellas, The Irishman, and The Wolf of Wall Street are primarily male-focused, with limited female roles. Back in 2011, Meryl Streep expressed a similar sentiment, remarking that she’d like Scorsese to develop a female protagonist, though she doubted she’d see it happen in her lifetime. Despite her words, Streep, now 75, has yet to collaborate with Scorsese but has shared the screen with Kidman.
Scorsese has previously defended his choices, explaining that his films reflect the realities of the environments they portray, often centering around masculine themes. “The women in Goodfellas and Raging Bull are very strong, but they’re not in the ring,” he told Entertainment Weekly, emphasizing his commitment to authentic storytelling.
Over his storied career, Scorsese has occasionally focused on female protagonists, such as in the 1974 film Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, which starred Ellen Burstyn and earned her an Oscar nomination. His latest work, Killers of the Flower Moon, features Lily Gladstone in a powerful role opposite Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, marking another rare female lead in his filmography.
