Nicole Kidman was "pummelled" by water in her first 'Aquaman' scene - but wanted more.

Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman

The Oscar-winning actress portrays Queen Atlanna in the upcoming action adventure and has been hailed a "trooper" by director James Wan for the way she dealt with her punishing first moments on camera.

Speaking at Comic Con, Nicole said: "My opening shot in the film is being washed up on a rock, and I got to lie there with these massive waves crashing over me. I'm thinking, 'The bigger, the better! Come on, James. Give it to me. That's why I'm doing this movie.' "

James added: "Nicole was a trooper, because really, we were pummeling her with this massive water tank that shoots rainstorms, just coming down on her. When you get hit with those, it's like being pelted with rocks."

But while Nicole, 51, relished being hit by the water, her co-star Amber Heard, who portrays Mera, wasn't such a fan of feeling constantly cold and soggy.

She said: "I didn't have to swim for this [film], because we were attached to harnesses for most of it, but I had to be wet.

"And so I'd come into work first thing in the morning, already cold, get on a freezing cold sound stage, and I'd stand there, as a grown ass woman at work, getting hosed down."

Meanwhile, Nicole revealed the director was determined to land her for her role as the powerful mermaid because from the start of his working on the film, he'd envisioned her for the part.

She told 'Entertainment Tonight': "It's so funny because James said to me, 'I so want you to do this.'

"And he said, 'I'll prove to you that I've always wanted you to do this. In all of my renderings, I drew you. So what're you going to say?' "

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