Harris Dickinson Was ‘Nervous’ to Meet Nicole Kidman — and It ‘Helped’ Their Babygirl Boss-Intern Dynamic

Harris Dickinson was slightly intimidated to meet Nicole Kidman, his costar in the new erotic thriller Babygirl. Those nerves, though, helped with their onscreen dynamic.

“I was nervous,” the London-born actor, 28, tells PEOPLE. “I think there was a certain amount of trepidation that almost worked for our dynamic as well, because the natural dynamic in the film was boss-intern.”

In the film, written and directed by Halina Reijn (Bodies Bodies Bodies), Dickinson plays Samuel, an intern at a tech company who ignites a risky affair with the married CEO Romy Mathis, played by Kidman.

“We didn’t get to know each other too well beforehand, which I think helped,” he explains. “We didn’t really try and understand each other too much because I think it was sort of better for the film if we just went into it and trusted each other and worked with kindness with each other.”

Dickinson adds of the Oscar winner, 57, “She’s formidable, but she’s very kind as well. You feel very at ease in her company.”

While making the film, the actor took notes on Kidman’s bold approach to acting. “She’s really brave with what she does,” he says. “Acting is very vulnerable, but to be brave with what you try in terms of performance…. She’s really a brave artist that wants to push the boundaries of cinema. That’s something to always look up to. It was continuously educational for me.”

After his breakout performance in the 2017 indie Beach Rats, Dickinson went on to star in Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019), The King’s Man (2021), Triangle of Sadness (2022), The Iron Claw (2023) and more. He’s also the rumored pick to play John Lennon in a multi-movie Beatles project.

Prior to his Hollywood fame, though, Dickinson worked “so many weird, rubbish jobs,” ranging from paperboy to costumed pirate for children’s parties. He also held gigs cafes, bars, hotels and even spent time folding clothes in the basement of a Hollister.

Dickinson says he still “enjoyed” those pre-fame jobs, and they “probably” helped build his work ethic in movie-making. (He’s currently finalizing his feature directorial debut.)

“Nothing can prepare you for this world. It’s pretty bonkers,” he says of the industry. “But there’s a certain discipline you have to retain in this world. Maybe working from a young age gave me that. But this is a very unique world.”

Dickinson adds, “You’ve just got to remember why you do it. What was the reason you got into this and what drives you? For me, it’s the fact that I get to be a part of this community and make films with people that I admire and push boundaries on stuff. I think that’s the reason.”

“If you stay true to that, then all of the other stuff is kind of secondary,” he says. “Getting to be creative is why I do it, and I’m just fortunate that I get to do that as a job.”