Nicole Kidman plays tough matriarch in murder mystery The Perfect Couple

LONDON — Nicole Kidman brings murder mystery The Perfect Couple to the small screen in a new Netflix mini-series in which she plays a matriarch of a wealthy American family with plenty of secrets.

The six-part show, adapted from the 2018 novel by Elin Hilderbrand, stars Eve Hewson as zookeeper Amelia Sacks who is marrying into one of the richest families on Nantucket.

Kidman plays her disapproving future mother-in-law, murder mystery novelist Greer Garrison Winbury, who has organised a lavish wedding at the family home over the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

When a body washes up ashore on the day of the nuptials, however, secrets unravel and an investigation begins.

"I grew up on (murder mysteries) and... I haven't seen one like this for a while, so it was really exciting to be a part of it and to be able to produce it as well," Kidman told Reuters at the series' UK premiere in London on Monday.

The Oscar winner said the role was "so different" to the one she plays in Babygirl, an erotic drama she premiered at the Venice Film Festival last week.

"(Greer is) strong and, and powerful and that was exciting to play... I'm always on this quest to find things that I haven't done or have different experiences," she said.

Liev Schreiber plays family patriarch Tag, a role the actor said he needed "some convincing" taking on.

"But once I talked to (director) Susanne Bier for about two weeks and Nicole (Kidman), I just realised how deliciously dark and wonderful this was going to be so it worked out," he said.

Meanwhile Hewson's character is the outsider.

"I was a little bit jealous of the Winburys (family characters) just because they have amazing one liners," she said. "I was the grounded one... the serious one."

The series cast also includes Dakota Fanning, Meghann Fahy, Jack Reynor, Billy Howle, Sam Nivola and Ishaan Khatter.

The Perfect Couple premieres on Netflix on Thursday (Sept 5).

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