Kylie Minogue cannot be summed up simply. A 30-year career with era-defining trucks. An unmistakable aura, as if he knew her. and a knack for constant reinvention that defies expectations, from “I Should Be So Lucky” to “Padam Padam.”
So “Kylie,” which opens on Netflix Wednesday, doesn’t try to do that. Instead, a new documentary series directed by Michael Hart (Beckham, Three Same People, Still: A Michael J. Fox Film) and produced by Jon Batosek’s Ventureland (who also directed Beckham and Wham) explores what such a life was like for Minogue, and is surprisingly open about the grief, surveillance, and resilience Minogue experienced along the way. In addition to contributions from her sister Dannii Minogue, record producer Pete Waterman and musician Nick Cave, Kylie has also shared parts of her personal archive with the world, including archival photographs by her long-time friend Katerina Jebb.
In an interview with Variety at Netflix’s London headquarters ahead of the docuseries’ release, Minogue spoke about her experience being emotional on camera and why Kylie is more of a mid-point in her career than a flashback. She also discussed a number of topics that will come up in the three episodes, including her relationships with Neighbors co-star Jason Donovan and the late INXS frontman Michael Hutchence, as well as the media scrutiny she received early in her career.
Why was now the right time to make this documentary?
That’s the question, so I hope there’s a proper answer to it. I had been asked to make a documentary several times, so I was a little tempted, but I didn’t feel it was the right time. (Producer) John Battsek from Venturelands contacted me in 2018, which was a long time ago, but I met him probably in 2020 or 2021. It took me years to agree with him. I think I boiled down the idea and let it percolate. I think after ‘Padam’ and ‘Tension’ I felt a new wave, a new huge moment in my life and career.
Michael[Hart, the director]wasn’t 100% into it at the time, but I know the idea was there. So…a team moment! If not now, then when? I think in my mind, I had enough of the past and enough of the future, so I wasn’t like, “Oh, this is me looking back on my life.” This is an interesting moment for me as someone my age, as a woman my age, and in this industry. I didn’t know what he was going to say, but I just trusted Michael.
So you let him set the scope and then he comes to you and says, “I’d like to talk to you about this”?
Well, I really trusted it because I like to know things. I got the first interview, but things didn’t go well. I was still a little wary. And as he relaxed and I relaxed,[we]ended up saying, “Let’s put the paper away and have a little conversation.”
A year and a half has passed in this process. I was on tour and he was scheduled to check in and arrange another interview. It wasn’t until I saw the documentary in his editing suite that I felt the anxiety leading up to this and thought, “Oh my god, it’s three hours long, what if I don’t like it?” I know that it contains some content that is difficult for me. Also for celebrations. Also, “What the hell did I say in that interview? I don’t remember!” So, yeah, that’s…
What did you think after watching it?
By the time I reached the end of the third act, I felt overwhelmed. But what he did in the final edit, and how he used one of my songs at the top and end of the series, and I crossed the finish line, made me jump out of my seat! I think he pulled out his phone in record time because I was the craziest person in the editing room. I panicked and turned on the power at the same time.
Kylie Minogue in “Kylie”.
Provided by Netflix
The documentary makes very good use of archives, and you can see yourself digging through personal collections. Was there a moment that surprised you or affected you more than you expected?
This document certainly has some points. I’ve only seen it three times – once with (Harte), once with my family, and once with my team. That’s why I haven’t absorbed everything yet.
Before the interview, my radar was just, “If you see something, keep an eye out and remember to put it aside.” I thought, “Oh, there are lyrics.” My file system isn’t great, but it’s a little more organized. I looked at some of the top ones and just said, “I’m not going to look any further. This might be a good conduit to start a conversation about it. I know there’s something here, but I don’t know what.” So I think some really good moments fell from the sky.
And what I’m realizing now is… I don’t really know what the general reaction will be because it’s not out there yet, but I’m starting to talk about it from afar. It’s no longer a WIP (work in progress). It’s about to happen. I realize now that I can talk about the things I talk about in the documentary with a little bit more distance and without getting so upset, but I know that when I’m talking to Michael, I’m really trying to remember how I felt in that moment.
We’re chatting without cameras or anything, (but) you’re still aware there’s a camera and it makes everything a little bit more tense and a little bit more heightened. I gave myself permission to go there and I think I felt safe enough. I really knew they weren’t there to exploit me, and that’s a big deal, because you’ve seen some of the things I’ve been navigating (in the docs). So often my default is to be an open and sociable person, but I just got burned.
Was there a moment in the movie when you realized how unrealistic it was at the time?
There were some enlightening moments for me from the contributors. To meet my sister… She worked so hard in the documentary to retell that really difficult time and it was really hard to see what was going through her mind at that time.
You gave (producer) Pete Waterman his version of events, which is pretty close to mine. Nick Cave is such a deep, epic, dream-like presence, and Jason Donovan showed me images I had never seen before. It was difficult to make[the documentary series]and it’s still difficult to talk about because there’s so much content. It’s very dark.
I think what comes across to me through this documentary is not only your belief in not being boxed in, but also your sheer determination. In episode 1, when you were 19 years old, the media wrote some very scathing and absurd things about you (including calling her a “singing budgie”). You got through that period with determination.
When you see it in a documentary, it’s something I can’t explain. I don’t know. I’m also confused. “How did you show up? How did you do that TV show when all the voices in your head were saying, ‘You can’t do it?’…But you went out and sang.”
I’ve been trying to figure that out for the past few days. And that ties in with not wanting to be defined and that we’re all works in progress and we’re all in motion. And to any notion, feedback, or attitude that I can’t do it, I think, “But it might be possible.” Like “Dumb and Dumber.” he is in love with that girl. He was like, “What are the possibilities?” She said, “It’s one in a million.” He said, “There’s a chance!”
Don’t shut me up! I am fully aware that I am not that person… They expected me to be someone else. So please give me a chance! But thankfully I gave myself a chance. I thank myself for that.
Kylie Minogue in “Kylie”.
Is there any part of the documentary that you are particularly proud of or that stands out in any way?
Perhaps one thing is persistence. I am so proud of our family for getting through all of this. I’m proud of my parents for being great parents, and I’m proud of my viewers for sticking with me. Some people weren’t open-minded, but they were actually open-minded. Again, I’m not really sure how that happened. It might be different if I started my career at 40, but my career started at 17, 18, and 19, so it feels like everyone has grown up with me. I managed to stay on my path, you know?
I think you can see that in the second episode when we see you doing something unconventional, which is performing a poem on stage with Nick Cave. In this moment, I feel like I’m testing out a little bit of what I can’t do.
absolutely. I’m going to audition for Neighbors. Leave your “neighbor”. Go to (music label) Deconstruction. Who didn’t go to indie in the ’90s? That’s what I listened to, that’s what I wore, that’s where I was going.
What did you think of Jason Donovan’s recollections at the time?
It’s very heartfelt and moving. “Love hurts, buddy.” That’s the quote, and he’s not wrong. I really appreciated his honesty, as sometimes things like that happen. And it’s hilarious. And the F-bomb. He’s very much Jason Donovan. You just know that he is who he is.
All of the contributors were very natural and I think that’s a compliment to Michael (Hart) and the team and they felt like they could speak from the heart. And I just realized, I talk a lot about all the firsts with Michael (Hutchence), but I also talked a lot (not so) about the firsts with Jason. We rose to fame together. We listened to “Neighbours” every day. Then we dated and moved on from the mayhem. Mayhem! Thank you Jason.
Michael Hutchence and Kylie Minogue.
Michael Hutchence was especially memorable (Hutchence and Kylie dated from 1989 to 1991, and he died in 1997). It feels as if he influenced everything you did next, what he taught you, and how you looked back on life.
It’s hard to define him because he had many facets. First of all, he seemed like an adult, and I don’t think it felt that way at the time, but I was 21, 22 years old. The world knows because he is such a sincere and wonderful person and the world fell in love with him. I think I said it as well as I could in the documentary…[His]presence and having him in the room and being like, ‘Stay with me!’
Of course, my memory is really pure and always will be, but it is within the movement of memory. If it was Jason, you could say, “Hey, let’s go for a drink, let’s catch up,” and[Michael]left us years ago, so he’s just there. So aside from that being a really great moment for me, I think it just lives in its own microcosm because of his departure. It just lives as itself. And I just let it be nice.
Last question: What did you learn about yourself from this experience?
You can get into all kinds of disputes. here we go again! What happens is in my heart and it is a quiet determination. It’s a quiet sense of accomplishment.
I’m talking about thinking outside the box, but even after watching a three-hour documentary, I don’t think I can define myself that clearly. And I’m happy with it.
“Kylie” premieres on Netflix on May 20th. This interview has been condensed for length and clarity.
