Nicole Kidman Says She Did Viral AMC Ad For Free During Pandemic

reddit/@entertainment

Nicole Kidman stated that she received no payment for her famous AMC Theatres commercial. The actress said she and the crew made the spot during the COVID-19 pandemic as a favor to support the struggling theater industry.

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Kidman shared the story on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. She explained the ad was filmed while she was working on Being the Ricardos. Kidman said she did not expect the project to succeed. She called in favors from her cinematographer, Jeff Cronenweth, who agreed to direct it. “We did it for nothing,” she said. “And then it went off.”

The ad, which debuted in 2021, features Kidman in an empty AMC theater. She delivers a monologue about the magic of cinema. “Heartbreak feels good in a place like this,” she famously says. The song became a musical and cultural landmark which people performed before every main movie at AMC theaters.

The revelation that she wasn’t paid sparked immediate reaction online. One user pointed out the apparent irony, writing, “AMC paid $1m for that ad and she did it for nothing? Woof.” Others defended her motives. “I like the idea that she has enough money and was genuinely trying to give back,” one comment read.

The pre-show ritual has developed into a strong bond for many viewers. “I was actually sad when my AMC started showing the abridged version,” one fan wrote. “It had just become part of the experience like the soda and the popcorn.” Another agreed, stating they’d “much rather have the full Nicole ad than the 3 other AMC ads they put before it.”

The advertisement reached new heights of success which led to the creation of famous parodies that included a well-known Saturday Night Live sketch. Not every person enjoys the show despite its widespread presence. Some find it repetitive or condescending. “Why do I need to watch something to tell me to go to AMC when I’m already seated at AMC?” one critic asked.

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Kidman’s gesture represents industry support during a challenging period, even though people hold different views about her actions. Major theater chains faced existential threats as audiences stayed home. In other celebrity news, Sabrina Carpenter recently celebrated her sold-out Nashville shows.