Nicole Kidman has dropped out of a new movie, allegedly because she doesn’t want to work while pregnant.

The actress was due to start filming post-World War II Germany drama The Reader later this month, but industry insiders say she has pulled out through fear her workload may harm her unborn baby.

The Golden Compass star was asked by a reporter in Sydney on Friday if she was pregnant but refused to answer either way.

Her rep Catherine Olim also refused to comment on the latest rumours.

But a source told PageSix: "Of course, everyone knows she's pregnant and lying about it."

Another source claims a Vanity Fair editor was recently overheard discussing bringing forward the date of Nicole's photoshoot for the magazine because of her pregnancy.

The insider said: "It's because the costumes she's set to wear won't fit her much longer."

Meanwhile, Matthew Frankel, a spokesman for the Weinstein Company who are producing The Reader insists that "the status on The Reader has not changed."

Whatever that means.