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Nicole Kidman superfan from Fraserburgh shines on Mastermind

James Davidson will be on Mastermind, with his specialist subject the films of Nicole Kidman
James Davidson showing off his signed Nicole Kidman theatre programme. He was grilled on the actress for an episode of Mastermind. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

A visit to a Fraserburgh video shop in the early noughties sparked a life-long fascination in James Davidson.

The 29-year-old, who now lives in Aberdeen, grew up a fan of scary movies and opted to take out spooky chiller The Others to watch with his dad.

It was his first glimpse of Nicole Kidman, and he soon became so enamoured with the Australian star that he’d seek out her entire filmography.

Early Aussie obscurities, superhero blockbusters and everything in between… He watched the lot.

James Davidson looks directly into the camera, holding a programme for London play Photograph 51 which featured his Mastermind subject Nicole Kidman.
James Davidson recreated his Mastermind appearance in our offices. Image: Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

But film isn’t his only passion.

James, a self-confessed quiz fanatic, regularly puts his general knowledge to the test by watching brain-teasers like Only Connect and University Challenge.

When his flatmate urged him to become a contestant himself, however, he decided to go for the most famous quiz show in British telly history: Mastermind.

His specialist subject? Need you even ask?

Nicole Kidman films were the perfect Mastermind subject

James took his place in the legendary leather chair this summer, which aired on BBC Two on Monday, January 30.

Overcoming his nerves about being first up, James scored an impressive 10 points during an intense grilling on his specialist subject.

Finishing the first round head and shoulders above the other contestants, whose specialist subjects included Roald Dahl novels and Take That, it all hinged on the general knowledge round.

But there was no need to be concerned as he scooped the number one place with 21 points – three points ahead of the next-best player.

He will now go through to the semi-finals.

The DC Thomson advertising worker told us all about the once-in-a-lifetime experience – and his passion for Nicole Kidman films.

“I’ve always been big into horror films – probably watching some before I was really old enough to,” James explains.

“I remember taking The Others out from the video shop to watch with my dad.

“And after that I just wanted to keep watching her films. The first one I actually got to see in the cinema was The Golden Compass.

“Now, I’ve seen every film she’s made.”

Hugh Bonneville and Nicole Kidman smile on the red carpet for Paddington.
Hugh Bonneville and Nicole Kidman attend the world premiere of Paddington at the Odeon, Leicester Square, central London.

The movie enthusiast even travelled to London to see his idol appear on stage in Photograph 51 in 2016.

And James was thrilled when he got to meet Kidman at the stage door afterwards, managing to nab a selfie after getting his programme signed.

A selfie of Aberdeen Mastermind contestant James Davidson with Nicole Kidman at the stage door after her performance in a play.
James and Nicole Kidman in London’s West End. Image: James Davidson

James put in The Hours to prepare

In the weeks ahead of the recording, James rewatched the dozen Nicole Kidman films he knew he would be quizzed on.

With a pen and pad in hand, it took him hours to get through each one as he paused to take notes.

But he was well-rehearsed by the time he got to the BBC’s Belfast studios – where Nicole Kidman herself recorded some scenes for last year’s The Northman.

James jokes: “It was like revising for an exam…

“And that’s what it feels like on the show – a filmed exam that everyone you know is going to watch!”

What questions was James asked?

Q. In The Others, what’s the first name of the little boy Nicole Kidman’s character Grace’s daughter claims is repeatedly drawing back the curtains in her bedroom?

A. Victor 

Q. In 1989’s Dead Calm, the grieving couple played by Nicole Kidman and Sam Neill set sail on a yacht named what?

A. Saracen

Q. In To Die For, the ambitious Suzanne Stone says directly to the camera that “you’re not anybody in America unless you’re…” what?

A. On television 

Nicole Kidman seen here when she was among an all-star cast brought together by director Danny Boyle for a charity show at The Royal Court Theatre in London in 2015

Q. What name does the witch Gillian Owens give to her lucky charm which she goes back to retrieve from a car in Practical Magic, just before being caught by the abusive Jimmy Angelov?

A. A tiger’s eye 

Q. In The Hours, Kidman portrayed Virginia Woolf as she struggled to write which novel?

A. Mrs Dalloway

Q. In Eyes Wide Shut, Kidman’s character Alice Harford fantasises about an affair with a young Naval officer who she met at a hotel on which peninsula?

A. Cape Cod

Q. In Moulin Rouge, Satine tells the potential sponsor that her next show will have which two-word title?

A. Spectacular Spectacular 

Q. At the start of Cold Mountain, Ada Monroe describes her former home of Charleston as a “world of slaves and corsets” and what?

A. Cotton (this was one of James’s few passes)

Q. In Stepford Wives, Kidman’s TV executive character survives a murder attempt by a contestant from what fictional reality TV show?

A. I Can Do Better 

Q. In Rabbit Hole, what book does grieving  mother Becca Corbett borrow from the library after it’s been returned by the driver who killed her son?

A. Parallel Universes (James was close, answering Parallel Worlds)

Q. In Lion, after being adopted by Sue Brierley, what’s the first English word spoken by Saroo at the dining table in his new home in Tasmania?

A. Pepper 

Q. In the 2021 film Meet The Ricardos, a bet is made that the TV network won’t allow Lucille Ball to say what specific word on her TV show I Love Lucy?

A. Pregnant  

You can watch the show here.

Could you challenge Aberdeen Mastermind’s knowledge of Nicole Kidman films?

We also put James to the test with a few Nicole Kidman questions – which he got 100% right. But do you know your Days of Thunder from your Cold Mountain?

Take our quiz and find out!

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