Actress Nicole Kidman was momentarily lost for words when a British interviewer asked her about Scientology.
The star, who was a member of Scientology when married to Tom Cruise, was being interviewed by BBC journalist Andrew Marr to promote her new movie Nine when the awkward moment arose.
The frosty exchange was cut from Sunday’s edition of The Andrew Marr Show but has now become a popular download after the BBC released the footage on the program’s website.
Marr tells the Australian actress he wants to: “Raise one of the things you haven’t talked about before.”
“There are many things I haven’t talked about,” replies the Oscar winner.
“Here’s one,” persists Marr. “Scientology – a lot of people would say it is a bullying cult.”
And Kidman is temporarily lost for words as she struggles to reply: “I just don’t … This is just so not …”
After recovering her composure she asserts: “I’m here to publicise Nine. If I was here to do an exposé on myself then I’d be like, ‘Let’s go’, but I have no interest in discussing any of that.”
“You don’t want to talk about Scientology?”, presses Marr.
“No, I’ll talk about Nine,” says Kidman firmly.
However, Marr did not conclude the interview with a question about the new movie Nine, which also stars Penelope Cruz and Daniel Day Lewis.
Instead, he asked about her award-winning performance as Virginia Woolf in The Hours, which Kidman seemed happier to discuss.
It is not the first occasion Marr has pushed the boundaries with interviewees on the topical program.
He was also criticised earlier this year for asking British Prime Minister Gordon Brown if he was taking medication, although many believed the question was legitimate.
For the BBC interview, see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/8410506.stm
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