Nicole Kidman was left fearing for her life when a ''real shooter'' came onto the set of her movie 'Destroyer' which was being filmed in the ''very worst neighbourhoods of Los Angeles''.

The 51-year-old Hollywood actress stars in director Karyn Kusama's upcoming crime drama in which she portrays LAPD detective Erin Bell who must revisit an undercover gang case from her early days in the police force which had tragic consequences.

The movie - which sees Bell work her way back into favour with the gang's members when the leader is released from prison - was shot on location in some of the most crime-ridden areas of LA and one day of shooting was interrupted when a gunman appeared leaving the cast and crew panicking for their safety.

Speaking to The Observer newspaper about the incident, she said: ''We didn't have much money so we did long hours and it was wet and cold and we were in the very worst neighbourhoods of LA. One time we got shut down because there was a real shooter on the set. Everyone was shouting, 'Get down! Stay down!' And I'm lying there with a gun, thinking, 'Well, if this guy is going to shoot anyone it's me, the person lying down holding a big gun.' It was quite intense.''

The 'Big Little Lies' actress stars opposite Sebastian Stan and Tatiana Maslany in the soon-to-be-released flick and she desperately wanted to take on the role of Erin because she wanted to support 50-year-old director Kusama - whose previous work includes 2005 sci-fi film 'Aeon Flux' and 2009 horror comedy 'Jennifer's Body', which starred Megan Fox as a high school cheerleader who is possessed by a flesh-eating demon.

Kidman explained: ''I wanted in part to go and support a female director, who is not 21, and has taken a few hits herself. There are suddenly a few more opportunities for female actors out there.''