Nicole Kidman reveals she was haunted by the ghosts of Thailand's Death Railway on the set of film charting the horrors faced by Allied soldiers during World War Two

Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth stood by the cutting at Kanchanaburi in Thailand — site of the infamous Death Railway — lost in a moment of reverence.

A lifetime ago, during World War Two, Allied soldiers — mainly British and Australian — cut through the malaria-infested jungle and rocks in order to construct a bridge across this ravine. Many died as a result of the fierce heat, harsh conditions and cruelty of their Japanese captors.

One of the those who survived was Eric Lomax, a Scottish-born second lieutenant. For years, he was haunted by what happened but wouldn’t speak of it — until he married Patti, who helped him fight the demons that gave him sleepless nights.

(Colin Firth, Nicole Kidman and Stellan Skarsgard stars of The Railway Man, which will premiere in cinemas on New Year's Day)

Nicole and Colin were in Thailand to portray the Lomaxes in later life (Jeremy Irvine plays the young soldier) in a film called The Railway Man, which opens here on New Year’s Day.

‘This place is devastating,’ Nicole told me, as we spoke between scenes, her words echoing off the sheer rock walls. ‘Patti Lomax told me about this. She said: “When you go there, you’ll feel the ghosts.” And you really do.’ More than a year later, when I mention that scene to Nicole, she is still affected by the experience. ‘It’s not an easy place to go to,’ she said.

‘What Eric and those other men went through was unimaginable. But they weren’t able to talk about it, and this code of silence was harmful to them, and it ruined relationships.

‘But Patti wasn’t put off by the obstacles. She wanted to get at the truth of what happened to her husband, and she wouldn’t be put off.

(Nicole Kidman, pictured on the set of the film, revealed she is still affected by the story of Eric Lomax haunted by what happened to him on the infamous Death Railway in Thailand during World War Two)

Patti’s one of those people who hang in there, which is why I wanted to tackle it, because I believe in hanging in there,’ she said pointedly.

‘You know, love can be very healing. That can really help heal trauma. You can’t do it for them. You offer it. You be there for them, and be their constant.’

You’ve been through that, I suggest, thinking of how the actress helped her husband Keith Urban break free from his addictions. ‘Yes, I’ve probably been through that — but do not make it about me!’ she chides. ‘But it’s what drew me to the role,’ she conceded.

I recall how, in Thailand, we walked closer to the cutting. Nicole was holding an umbrella to ward off the sun’s rays.

‘Can’t you feel it?’ she asked me, as we neared the ravine. ‘It’s such sacred ground. You don’t have to conjure up emotion for the scene, because it’s all around you.

‘Patti said the same thing. She stood there weeping for all the boys when she came with Eric.’

The Railway Man’s producer, Andy Paterson, told me he was drawn to making the film, directed by Jonathan Teplitzky, by what Eric went through — and because of Patti.

‘I was interested in the woman who had the strength to find out what was wrong with this man, to fall in love with him and to do something about it.

‘Patti was initially reluctant to accept that what she’d been through with Eric could even vaguely be compared to the suffering of the guys who built the railway,’ Paterson told me.

Inside Nicole Kidman's swanky $3.47m mansion with husband Keith Urban

Be prepared to be amazed when it comes to the property portfolio of Oscar nominee Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban as the couple own many residences between them, including an idyllic farmhouse in Nicole's native Australia, a penthouse in Sydney, a condo in New York and a mansion in Los Angeles. However, they spend the majority of their time at their main family home in Nashville, Tennessee, which they bought in 2008 for $3.47million.

Boasting seven bedrooms, eight bathrooms, a tennis court, a swimming pool, a theatre and a home recording studio, the 10,925-square-foot home has plenty of space for Nicole, Keith and their daughters, Faith and Sunday. Take a look around their hotel-worthy mansion…

Nicole Kidman's living room

Nicole previously revealed sh learnt Italian during the coronavirus lockdown, and a photo posted on Instagram showed the actress sat studying on a pale blue and cream striped armchair positioned next to a set of double doors with glass panels looking out to a balcony. The Australian actress loves curling up with a good book when she has the chance, and she has the perfect spot to do so, with this buttoned chaise longue next to the window.

The 52-year-old previously showed how she had decorated for Christmas, with a tree trimmed with both white and coloured fairy lights, white and red baubles, and a singing Santa model sat underneath. It looks like her pet cat is a fan!

Nicole Kidman's home recording studio

Meanwhile, Nicole's husband Keith Urban is still able to write and record new music from home as the couple have their very own recording studio equipped with all of the speakers, mixing desks and recording equipment you'd expect to see in a professional studio.

The couple enjoy singing together from time-to-time and have their own white piano in another area of their home, where Keith also keeps a selection of his guitars.

Nicole Kidman's hallway

Nicole's cats feature in several of her Instagram posts, including this one, which showed one named Snow curled up on a plush cream window seat looking out to the hedges and garden outside.

Snow appears to love nothing more than looking out the windows at home, and this photo shows the cat standing up on a wooden bench with cream cushions within Nicole's spacious hallway, which has wooden flooring and an antique rug on the floor.

Ref: Nicole Kidman reveals she was haunted by the ghosts of Thailand's Death Railway on the set of film charting the horrors faced by Allied soldiers during World War Two (dailymail,hellomagazine)