“You have to start watching this at the beginning, looking for the clues”: Nicole Kidman, Gael García Bernal and Mimi Cave on Holland
Set in the picturesque yet deceptively serene town of Holland, Michigan, Nicole Kidman delivers a gripping performance as Nancy Vandergroot, a woman whose seemingly perfect life unravels after the discovery of a shocking secret. Ahead of its UK premiere, the film’s press conference, featuring Kidman, Gael García Bernal and director Mimi Cave, offered an all-encompassing look into the film’s genre-blending narrative, production and the unique charm of its setting.
Kidman, who stars as Nancy Vandergrift and also serves as a producer, opened up about her character’s motivations. “She’s someone that has the idea of what it means to live a very idyllic, white-picket-fence type of life, but there is a restlessness and desire underneath,” she explained. As Nancy’s carefully curated world begins to unravel, her unexpected connection with Dave (Gael García Bernal) adds another layer of uncertainty to her journey.
“There’s something mysterious and mesmerising and at the same time, sort of immediate trust and complicity,” says García Bernal about the chemistry between the two characters that becomes the driving force of the unfolding tension. “Nancy seems to be the only person that looks at him and into him.”
The decision to place the story in a suburban setting on Lake Michigan’s eastern shores was also a deliberate move to subvert expectations. “When you say windmills and tulips, you don’t necessarily think of Holland, Michigan, which was part of the appeal,” Kidman noted. Cave, fresh from a screening in the place that inspired the movie’s title, shared how the atmosphere perfectly complements the story’s mystery-thriller tone. “It does have something special to it that’s kind of remained – they have all of these wonderful traditions like Tulip Time parades and the windmill – it’s just a really cinematic backdrop that helps tell the story visually,” she said.
When asked about the feature’s genre-defying nature, Cave acknowledged its complexity. “I think the beauty of what we’re able to do now is we get to cross genres, and we get to hit on a lot of different emotional points for people – hopefully you’re laughing, and then you’re scared, and then you’re on the edge of your seat.” The tonal shifts, she explained, are essential in creating an engaging experience for audiences, further enhanced by the star-studded cast, including Matthew Macfadyen, who plays Nancy’s husband, Fred, “What’s really exciting about this cast is we know all of their faces, and we’re so familiar with their work, but we haven’t seen them together.”
Fashion also played a role in shaping the characters, with Kidman praising costume designer Susan Lyle’s work. “Mimi had a very strong idea of the colours and the way in which the costumes were going to have a slight restrictive feel at times,” she said, alluding to Nancy’s transformation throughout the film, subtly hinting at how her attire plays a crucial role in the story’s unexpected twists and turns, stating, “You have to start watching this at the beginning, looking for the clues.”
Discussing her dual role as actor and producer, Kidman explained her approach: “I try to delegate to the people around me so that I’m very much the actor in the situation.” She also expressed that she became a producer to support new projects, sharing, “It’s so difficult to get films made now, so to be able to just say to Mimi, ‘We can finance and get your film made’ – that’s a really big support and offering, and that’s what I love to be able to do.”
On what audiences can expect to take away from the psychological thriller, Kidman and Cave were in sync: “I hope people tune in, press play and go, ‘I’m going to sit down on the couch, watch this and be taken on a ride that I didn’t expect.” Kidman explained, with Cave echoing her sentiment and highlighting the film’s nostalgic undertones, “Hopefully it feels a little bit like a movie from the past.”
Watch some clips from the press conference here:
Christina Yang
Holland is released on Prime Video on 24th March 2025.
Watch the trailer for Holland here:
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