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Nicole Kidman delivered in ‘Babygirl' but it was the steamy 'Father Figure' scene that stole the show

The crew cleared out entirely for the dance, with only the director of photography and the intimacy coordinator staying on set, hidden behind a wall.

Nicole Kidman's 'Babygirl' is arguably her boldest film to date. The movie is a sensual story of forbidden pleasure. One of the most provocative scenes in the work is Kidman's 'milk scene', which has gone viral. However, another sequence— a dance to one of George Michael's iconic songs— has even greater shock value.

In the said scene, Kidman, wearing a luxurious hotel robe, watches as Samuel Dickinson (her young intern) dances shirtless to Michael's 90's song 'Father Figure'. The scene features the characters seeking solace amidst the turmoil of their forbidden affair. After being trapped in a 19-year marriage with a husband who has never satisfied her, Kidman's character Romy develops a strong bond with Samuel (played by Harris Dickinson), as reported by Irish Star. The legendary track explores the theme of a man stepping into the role of a paternal figure, offering emotional guidance and support within the dynamics of a romantic relationship. Writer-director Halina Reijn reflected on the same during an interview. 

She said, "I had the idea for the powerful woman running a robotics company and an intern dominating her sexually. That was it. I didn't have anything on paper. But one thing I knew I wanted was 'Father Figure.' This song came before the full scripts, before the first page, before the first treatment, anything." She added, "I wanted to use that song because I knew I wanted to make a comedy of manners about power and consent and sex and control. That song embodies, for me, the whole thing that I'm trying to do, which is put everything on its head and turn it inside out."

Reijn was so passionate about including the song that she relentlessly contacted A24's production executive, Noah Sacco, throughout the filming process, urging him to secure the rights, as reported by Entertainment Weekly. She said, "After I wrote the script, they were still like, 'Well, shoot the movie first.' So, I shot the whole movie, and then it was like. 'No, edit it first,' and then I edited the whole thing. Then, of course, when they saw the scene, they were like, 'Okay, okay, yeah, we get it.'" The director went as far as choreographing the scene to the beat of the song, despite not knowing if they would actually be able to secure the rights.

While directing the scene, Reijn focused on creating an atmosphere that would allow Harris to feel completely at ease. The crew cleared out entirely, with only the director of photography and the intimacy coordinator staying on set, hidden behind a wall. The film, which was released in the US on Christmas Day, has garnered widespread acclaim, as reported by The Daily Beast.