Nine Perfect Strangers: Nicole Kidman says she stayed in character for five months and would not respond to own name

Actor went method for role as Russian wellness resort director

Nicole Kidman has admitted that she stayed in character as a Russian wellness resort director for five months while shooting the new Hulu drama Nine Perfect Strangers.

During a Television Critics Association panel, she joked that she was “bats*** crazy” while playing the role of Masha in the adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s book.

“I’d only respond as Masha,” she said. “I wanted a very calm healing energy to emanate all the time so I remember going over to people and sort of putting my hand on their heart, holding their hand, they would talk to me or use my name Nicole when I would completely ignore them.”

The actor added: “The only way I could actually relate to people was that way because I felt like otherwise I would be doing a performance and I didn’t want to feel that way.”

Nine Perfect Strangers is set in a health and wellness centre called Tranquillum House, run by the mysterious Masha Dmitrichenko (Kidman). It follows nine stressed out clients who attend the retreat looking for healing and transformation. While Masha is on a mission to reinvigorate their tired minds and bodies, “these nine strangers have no idea what is about to hit them”, according to the logline.

It also stars Melissa McCarthy, Luke Evans, Regina Hall, Samara Weaving, Michael Shannon, Asher Keddie, Grace Van Patten, Bobby Cannavale, Melvin Gregg, Tiffany Boone and Manny Jacinto.

Nine Perfect Strangers arrives on Amazon Prime UK on Friday 20 August.