I thought that the two of us up a mountain together would be fun 
One of the most powerful actresses in Hollywood, 36-year-old Nicole Kidman has been keeping busy recently with a string of new films - from The Hours to Dogville and The Human Stain - proving her to be a versatile performer. In Cold Mountain she plays opposite Jude Law in a love story set during the American Civil War.
How was shooting in Romania?
The thing that was amazing was how different it is. Even in terms of just taking a walk. The first morning I was there I decided to go out for a walk at about 6am to try and get over my jetlag. They wanted someone to go with me, but I said "No, no, I don't need anybody with me, I'm just going to go." But there was this huge pack of wild dogs so I suddenly came running back to the hotel!
Can you imagine living in those times and that environment?
I remember sitting out on the porch of this big house and there was something so simple about it that you see the way people existed then. One of the reasons I really, really wanted to do this film was because I wanted to work with Ren茅e [Zellweger] and I thought that the two of us up a mountain together would be fun. She's just great to be around. I hope you see that friendship in the movie. It's something that I'm really proud of.
You've taken some very arduous roles recently...
This was my "balance" role. Dogville and The Human Stain and even The Hours were part of the way in which I seem to pick things in threes - not consciously, but that seems to be what happens. This, for me, was something I needed to do because it's about belief in someone rather than losing belief in someone. Something like Dogville is a lot different and it certainly stays with you, which is why I think that each role takes a little from you and then circles around you for the rest of your life. I don't think you ever abandon any of them.
Have you got any stories about working with Donald Sutherland?
He has a lot of stories because he's appeared in some of the greatest films. I would just sit there in a chair and say "Tell me about Klute; tell me about Jane Fonda; tell me about Don't Look Now; how did you shoot that love scene in Don't Look Now; what was Julie Christie like?" He's very open and he's a wonderful actor and he has so much knowledge in terms of books, and he's very willing to share.
