AceShowbiz - Nicole Kidman wanted to attend group grief counseling sessions to prepare for her role in harrowing new movie "Rabbit Hole" - but she was banned from taking part because of strict rules protecting parents. The actress plays a woman who has lost a child in the heartbreaking new film, starring opposite Aaron Eckhart as her onscreen partner.

"The Dark Knight" actor recently revealed he attended a counseling session to help him understand his role as a mourning father, and Kidman admits she wanted to take part in a similar scheme. But actress found she wasn't welcomed into the group therapy.

She tells Watoday.com.au, "I read stuff (to prepare). I tried to go to a grief group but I was told 'No, you're not allowed. You can only step into these rooms if you lost a child.' I totally get it, yet for whatever reason, that rawness was available to me. Maybe it was from giving birth (to daughter Sunday Rose) 11 months prior."