Babygirl ending explained: What happens when the affair is exposed?

The film stars Nicole Kidman – in one of her finest big-screen performances in years – as Romy, a high-powered CEO in a passionless marriage, who begins a taboo affair with a much younger intern in her office, played by Harris Dickinson.

Throughout the film, the risky new relationship threatens to have major consequences for both her marriage and career, but the narrative heads in a rather different direction than you might expect – with an ending that champions self-acceptance rather than shaming Romy for her desires and infidelity.

Seen the film and need those final scenes unpacked? Read on to have the Babygirl ending explained.

Babygirl ending explained: What happens when the affair is exposed?

As the relationship between Romy and Samuel continues to heat up, the risk of it being exposed becomes all the more grave – and eventually Romy's assistant Esme (Sophie Wilde) learns of the affair and weaponises the knowledge to try and get a promotion.

Romy's response is to confess about the affair to her husband Jacob (Anotinio Banderas), who subsequently tells her to leave.

Sometime later, he arrives at the country house that the couple had shared and confronts Samuel, only to suffer a panic attack. Samuel helps him but then decides to leave – and it turns out this will mark the end of his relationship with Romy as he leaves for a job in Japan.

Two notable things then happen in the final stretch. First, a board member – presumably aware of the affair – suggestively invites Romy for a meeting at his free house, but she firmly responds by telling him she is not intimidated, ordering him to leave.

Her experiences appear to have allowed her to set new boundaries with colleagues, and she seems to have gained a degree of self-empowerment.

Meanwhile, this exchange also shows that her desire to be dominated in the bedroom is in no way correlated to a willingness to be dominated in the boardroom: her powerful position at work can co-exist with her submissive sexual desires.

Secondly, the affair also looks to have reignited the spark in Romy's marriage with Jacob, who now appears more ready to fulfil her sexual desires.

The film therefore presents Romy's infidelity in an almost completely non-judgemental way, suggesting that it was a necessary catalyst to bring about important changes in her life.

It's a happy ending of sorts – with Romy now seeming more content in both her work life and home life, and more comfortable in communicating and navigating her desires.

Babygirl is now showing in UK cinemas.

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