Nicole Mary Kidman was born on 20 June 1967 in
Honolulu, Hawaii,[4][5] while her Australian parents were temporarily in the United States on student visas.[6] Her mother, a
nursing instructor and member of the
Women's Electoral Lobby, edited her husband's books; her father,
Antony Kidman, was a
biochemist,
clinical psychologist, and author.[7] She also has a younger sister,
Antonia Kidman, who is a journalist and TV presenter.[8] Having been born in the American state of Hawaii to Australian parents, Kidman holds
dual citizenship of Australia and the United States.[9][10] She has English, Irish, and Scottish ancestry.[11][12] Being born in Hawaii, she was given the Hawaiian name "Hōkūlani" ([hoːkuːˈlɐni]), meaning "heavenly star". The inspiration came from a baby elephant born around the same time at the
Honolulu Zoo.[13]
When Kidman was born, her father was a graduate student at the
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He became a visiting fellow at the
National Institute of Mental Health of the United States. Opposed to the
Vietnam War, her parents participated in
anti-war protests while living in Washington, D.C., having moved there shortly after Kidman's birth.[14] Her family eventually returned to Australia three years later.[15] She grew up in
Sydney where she attended
Lane Cove Public School and
North Sydney Girls' High School. She was enrolled in ballet at the age of three and showed her natural talent for acting during her primary and high school years.[16]
Kidman has said she first aspired to become an actress upon watching
Margaret Hamilton's performance as the
Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz.[17] She revealed that she was timid as a child, saying, "I am very shy – really shy – I even had a stutter as a kid, which I slowly got over, but I still regress into that shyness. So I don't like walking into a crowded restaurant by myself; I don't like going to a party by myself."[18] During her teenage years, she attended the
Phillip Street Theatre, alongside fellow actress
Naomi Watts, and the
Australian Theatre for Young People, where she took up drama and mime as she found acting to be a refuge. Owing to her fair skin and naturally red hair, the sun drove her to rehearse in the halls of the theatre.[16] A regular at the Phillip Street Theatre, she was encouraged to pursue acting full-time, which she did by dropping out of high school.[11][15]
Career
Early work and breakthrough (1983–1994)
In 1983, 16-year-old Kidman made her film debut in a remake of the Australian holiday classic Bush Christmas.[11] By the end of that year, she had a supporting role in the television series Five Mile Creek. In 1984, her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, which caused Kidman to halt her acting work temporarily while she studied
massage therapy to help her mother with physical therapy.[19] She began gaining recognition during this decade after appearing in several Australian films, such as the action comedy BMX Bandits (1983) and the romantic comedy Windrider (1986).[20] Throughout the rest of the 1980s, she appeared in various Australian television programs, including the 1987 miniseries Vietnam, for which she won her first
Australian Film Institute Award.[21]
Kidman next appeared in the Australian film Emerald City (1988), based on the
play of the same name, which earned her a second Australian Film Institute Award. She then starred alongside
Sam Neill in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm as Rae Ingram, the wife of a naval officer who is menaced by a castaway at sea, played by
Billy Zane. The film proved to be her
breakthrough role, and was one of the first films for which she gained international recognition.[22] Regarding her performance, Variety commented how "throughout the film, Kidman is excellent. She gives the character of Rae real tenacity and energy."[23] Meanwhile, critic
Roger Ebert noted the excellent chemistry between the leads, stating, "Kidman and Zane do generate real, palpable hatred in their scenes together."[24] She followed that up with the Australian miniseries Bangkok Hilton before moving on to star alongside her then-boyfriend and future ex-husband,
Tom Cruise, in the 1990 sports action film Days of Thunder, as a young doctor who falls in love with a
NASCAR driver. Considered to be her international breakout film, it was among the highest-grossing films of the year.[25]
Critical acclaim and worldwide recognition (1995–2003)
In 1995, Kidman played
Dr. Chase Meridian, the
damsel in distress, in the superhero film Batman Forever, opposite
Val Kilmer as the film's
title character. That same year, she starred in
Gus Van Sant's critically acclaimed dark comedy To Die For, in which she played the murderous newscaster Suzanne Stone. Regarding her performance,
Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle said "[she] brings to the role layers of meaning, intention and impulse. Telling her story in close-up – as she does throughout the film – Kidman lets you see the calculation, the wheels turning, the transparent efforts to charm that succeed in charming all the same."[34] For her performance in the film, she received the
Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture. In the following years, she appeared alongside
Barbara Hershey and
John Malkovich in The Portrait of a Lady (1996), based on the
novel of the same name, and starred in The Peacemaker (1997) as nuclear expert Dr. Julia Kelly, opposite
George Clooney. The latter film grossed US$110 million worldwide.[35][36] In 1998, she starred alongside
Sandra Bullock in the romantic comedy Practical Magic as two witch sisters who face a threatening curse that prevents them from finding lasting love. While the film opened at the top of the charts during its North American opening weekend, it was a commercial failure at the box-offce.[37][38] She returned to the stage that same year for the
David Hare play The Blue Room, which opened in London.[39] For her performance, she received a
Laurence Olivier Award nomination for Best Actress.[40]
In 1999, Kidman reunited with then-husband Tom Cruise to portray a couple on a sexual odyssey in Eyes Wide Shut, their third film together and the final film of director
Stanley Kubrick. It was subject to censorship controversies due to the explicit nature of its sex scenes.[41] After a brief hiatus and a highly publicised divorce from Cruise,[42] Kidman returned to the screen to play a
mail-order bride in the British-American drama Birthday Girl.[43] In 2001, she took on the role of
cabaret actress and
courtesan Satine in
Baz Luhrmann's musical Moulin Rouge!, opposite
Ewan McGregor. Her performance and her singing received positive reviews; Paul Clinton of
CNN called it her best work since To Die For, and wrote "[she] is smoldering and stunning as Satine. She moves with total confidence throughout the film ... Kidman seems to specialize in 'ice queen' characters, but with Satine, she allows herself to thaw, just a bit."[44] She subsequently received her second Golden Globe Award for
Best Actress – Motion Picture Comedy or Musical, among several other awards and nominations, including her first nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Actress.[45][46]
Also in 2001, Kidman starred in
Alejandro Amenábar's psychological horror film The Others (2001) as Grace Stewart, a mother living in the Channel Islands during World War II who suspects her house is haunted. Grossing over US$210 million worldwide, her performance earned her several award nominations, including a
Goya Award nomination for
Best Actress, in addition to receiving her second
BAFTA Award and fifth Golden Globe Award nominations.[47][48]Roger Ebert commented that "Alejandro Amenábar has the patience to create a languorous, dreamy atmosphere, and Nicole Kidman succeeds in convincing us that she is a normal person in a disturbing situation, and not just a standard-issue horror movie hysteric."[49]A. O. Scott of The New York Times highlighted Kidman's performance, writing that she "embodies this unstable amalgam with a conviction that is in itself terrifying. The icy reserve that sometimes stands in the way of her expressive gifts here becomes the foundation of her most emotionally layered performance to date."[50]
The following year, Kidman garnered critical acclaim for her portrayal of
Virginia Woolf in
Stephen Daldry's The Hours, co-starring alongside
Meryl Streep and
Julianne Moore. Kidman wore prosthetics, which were applied to her nose, to portray the author during 1920s England, making her look almost unrecognisable. The film was a critical success, earning several awards and nominations, including a nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Picture. The New York Times wrote that "Ms. Kidman, in a performance of astounding bravery, evokes the savage inner war waged by a brilliant mind against a system of faulty wiring that transmits a searing, crazy static into her brain".[51] She won numerous critic and industry awards for her performance, including her first BAFTA Award, third
Golden Globe Award, and the Academy Award for Best Actress, becoming the first Australian to win the award.[15] During her Oscar's acceptance speech, she referenced the
Iraq War which was occurring at the time when speaking about the importance of art saying, "Why do you come to the Academy Awards when the world is in such turmoil? Because art is important. And because you believe in what you do and you want to honour that, and it is a tradition that needs to be upheld."[52] That same year, she was named the World's Most Beautiful Person by People magazine.[53]
Following her Oscar win, Kidman appeared in three distinctly different films in 2003. The first of those, a leading role in director
Lars von Trier's Dogville, was an
experimental film set on a bare
soundstage. Though the film divided critics in the United States, Kidman earned praise for her performance. Peter Travers of Rolling Stone stated, "Kidman gives the most emotionally bruising performance of her career in Dogville, a movie that never met a cliche it didn't stomp on."[54] The second film was an adaptation of
Philip Roth's novel The Human Stain, opposite
Anthony Hopkins. Her third film that year was
Anthony Minghella's war drama Cold Mountain, where she starred opposite
Jude Law and
Renée Zellweger, playing
Southerner Ada Monroe, a woman who falls in love with Law's character and become separated by the
American Civil War. Regarding her performance, Time magazine wrote, "Kidman takes strength from Ada's plight and grows steadily, literally luminous. Her sculptural pallor gives way to warm radiance in the firelight".[55] The film garnered several awards and nominations, most notably for the performances of the cast, with Kidman receiving her sixth Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress.[56]
In conjunction with her success within the film industry, Kidman became the face of the
Chanel No. 5 perfume brand. She starred in a campaign of television and print ads with
Rodrigo Santoro, directed by Moulin Rouge! director Baz Luhrmann, to promote the fragrance during the holiday seasons of 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008. No. 5 the Film, a three-minute commercial produced for Chanel No. 5, made Kidman the record holder for the most money paid per minute to an actor after she reportedly earned US$12 million for the three-minute advert.[61] During this time, she was also featured as the 45th Most Powerful Celebrity on Forbes' 2005 Celebrity 100 List. She made a reported US$14.5 million between 2004 and 2005. On People magazine's list of 2005's highest-paid actresses, Kidman came in second behind
Julia Roberts, with a US$16–17 million per-film price tag.[62]
The following year, Kidman reunited with Moulin Rouge! director Baz Luhrmann for the Australian period film Australia (2008), set in the remote
Northern Territory during the
Japanese attack on Darwin during World War II. Starring opposite
Hugh Jackman, she played an Englishwoman feeling overwhelmed by the continent. Though the film received mixed reviews from critics,[66] it turned out to be a box office success, grossing over $211 million worldwide against a budget of $130 million.[67] In 2009, she appeared in the
Rob Marshall musical Nine, portraying the
muse Claudia Jenssen, alongside an
ensemble cast consisting of
Daniel Day-Lewis,
Marion Cotillard,
Penélope Cruz,
Judi Dench,
Fergie,
Kate Hudson and
Sophia Loren. Kidman, whose screen time was brief in comparison to the other actresses, performed the musical number "Unusual Way" alongside Day-Lewis. The film received several Golden Globe Award and Academy Award nominations, with Kidman earning her fourth
Screen Actors Guild Award nomination, as part of the
Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture award.[68]
In 2014, Kidman starred as the
titular character in the biographical film Grace of Monaco, which chronicles the 1962 crisis in which
Charles de Gaulle blockaded the tiny principality, angered by Monaco's status as a tax haven for wealthy French subjects and Kelly's contemplative Hollywood return to star in
Alfred Hitchcock's Marnie. Opening out of competition at the
2014 Cannes Film Festival, the film received largely negative reviews.[81] She also starred in two films with
Colin Firth that year, the first being the British-Australian historical drama The Railway Man, in which she played an officer's wife.[82] Katherine Monk of the
Montreal Gazette said of Kidman's performance, "It's a truly masterful piece of acting that transcends Teplitzky's store-bought framing, but it's Kidman who delivers the biggest surprise: For the first time since her eyebrows turned into solid marble arches, the Australian Oscar winner is truly terrific".[83] Her second film with Firth was the British thriller film Before I Go To Sleep, portraying a car crash survivor with brain damage.[84] Also in 2014, she appeared in the live-action animated comedy film Paddington as the film's main antagonist.[85]
Lion, Big Little Lies and continued acclaim (2016–present)
In 2016's Lion, Kidman portrayed Sue, the adoptive mother of
Saroo Brierley, an Indian boy who was separated from his birth family, a role she felt connected to as she herself is the mother of adopted children.[91] She received positive reviews for her performance, in addition to her first nomination for the
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, her fourth nomination overall, and her eleventh Golden Globe Award nomination, among several others.
Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times thought that "Kidman gives a powerful and moving performance as Saroo's adoptive mother, who loves her son with every molecule of her being, but comes to understand his quest. It's as good as anything she's done in the last decade."[92] Budgeted at US$12 million, Lion earned over US$140 million globally.[93] She also gave a voice-over performance for the English version of the animated film The Guardian Brothers.[94]
In 2017, Kidman returned to television for Big Little Lies, a drama series based on
Liane Moriarty's
novel of the same name, which premiered on HBO. She also served as executive producer alongside her co-star,
Reese Witherspoon, and the show's director,
Jean-Marc Vallée. She played Celeste Wright, a former lawyer and housewife, who conceals an abusive relationship with her husband, played by
Alexander Skarsgård. Matthew Jacobs of The Huffington Post considered that she "delivered a career-defining performance",[95] while Ann Hornaday of The Washington Post wrote that "Kidman belongs in the pantheon of great actresses".[96] She won the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her performance, as well as the
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Limited Series as a producer. She also received a Screen Actors Guild Award, two
Critics' Choice Television Awards and two Golden Globe Awards for her work in the show.[97][98]
In 2018, Kidman starred in two dramas, Destroyer and Boy Erased. In the former, she played a detective troubled by a case for two decades. Peter Debruge of Variety and Brooke Marine of W both found her "unrecognizable" in the role and Debruge added that "she disappears into an entirely new skin, rearranging her insides to fit the character's tough hide",[104] whereas Marine highlighted Kidman's method acting.[105] The latter film is based on Garrard Conley's Boy Erased: A Memoir, and features
Russell Crowe and Kidman as socially conservative parents who send their son (played by
Lucas Hedges) to a
gay conversion program. Richard Lawson of Vanity Fair credited all three performers for "elevating the fairly standard-issue material to poignant highs".[106] That same year, Kidman took on the role of
Queen Atlanna, the mother of the
title character, in the
DC Extended Universe superhero film Aquaman, which grossed over US$1.1 billion worldwide, becoming her highest-grossing film to date.[107][108] Also in 2018, she was interviewed for a
BAFTA event A Life in Pictures, where she reflected on her extensive film career.[109]
Forbes ranked her as the fourth highest-paid actress in the world in 2019, with an annual income of $34 million.[110] In 2019, she took on the supporting part of a rich socialite in
John Crowley's drama The Goldfinch, an adaptation of the
novel of the same name by
Donna Tartt, starring
Ansel Elgort.[111] Although it was poorly received,
Owen Gleiberman commended Kidman for playing her part with "elegant affection".[112][113] She next co-starred alongside
Charlize Theron and
Margot Robbie in the drama Bombshell, a film depicting the scandal concerning the sexual harassment accusations against former
Fox News CEO
Roger Ailes, in which she portrayed journalist
Gretchen Carlson.[114]Manohla Dargis of The New York Times opined that despite lesser screen time than her two co-protagonists, Kidman successfully made Carlson "ever-so-slightly ridiculous, adding a sharp sliver of comedy that underscores how self-serving and futile her rebellious gestures at the network are".[115] For her performance, she received an additional Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for
Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role.[116]
Kidman started off the 2020s with her role of Grace Fraser, a successful New York therapist, in the HBO psychological thriller miniseries The Undoing, based on the novel You Should Have Known by
Jean Hanff Korelitz.[117][118] She served as executive producer alongside the show's director,
Susanne Bier, and
David E. Kelley, who previously adapted and produced Big Little Lies. Throughout its season, the series gained increasing momentum and broke records. HBO celebrated a historic achievement as the show became the network's first original series to grow its viewership consistently week by week. The finale marked the most-watched night on HBO since the season 2 finale of Big Little Lies.[119] Furthermore, the series surpassed Big Little Lies to become HBO's most-watched show of 2020 based on audience numbers.[120]
For her performance, she received additional Golden Globe Award and Screen Actors Guild Award nominations.[121][122] Her only film release of 2020 was the musical comedy The Prom, based on the
Broadway musical of the same name, starring alongside Meryl Streep,
James Corden and
Keegan-Michael Key.[123]
In September 2021, Kidman starred in a commercial for
AMC Theatres entitled "
We Make Movies Better", which would play before every film in the theatres owned by the chain beginning that month and Kidman's sponsorship was later extended for another year in August 2022.[137][138] The commercial and Kidman's delivery of her speech proved popular with audiences who viewed it as a way to drive moviegoers back to seeing films theatrically in the midst of the
COVID-19 pandemic.[139] AMC's CEO
Adam Aron described
Kidman's viral ad was "iconic and revered" during a 2022 earnings call and
CNN reported that the ad "has inspired memes, homages and debate" and became "cultural thing".[140][141]
In April 2022, Kidman appeared in an episode of the anthology series Roar, based on
Cecelia Ahern's
2018 short story collection, in addition to serving as executive producer.[142] The miniseries attracted mixed attention due to its unconventional and controversial feminist themes.[143][144] That same month, she starred alongside her Big Little Lies co-star Alexander Skarsgård,
Anya Taylor-Joy,
Ethan Hawke and
Willem Dafoe in the historical drama The Northman, directed by
Robert Eggers.[145] The film was received with widespread acclaim upon its release.[146][147]
In July 2023, Kidman joined the cast of the
Paramount+ television series Special Ops: Lioness, on which she was already serving as an executive producer.[148] The miniseries received mixed attention upon release and reviewer Anita Singh of The Telegraph criticized "the one thing that lets the show down is Nicole Kidman as a CIA boss, whose frozen face these days is a total distraction".[149][150] Innitially, reviewer Mike Hale, writing for The New York Times, remarked that the show resembled many other counterterrorism thrillers, noting its visceral action and somewhat artificial setting in the first episode. However, upon further reflection, he found that the show evolved into a moody, suspenseful, and intricately crafted genre piece with compelling characters.[151][152] In December 2023, Kidman reprised the role of Queen Atlanna in the sequel to the 2018 superhero film Aquaman, titled Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.[153][154]
In January 2024, Kidman starred in and served as executive producer of the drama television series Expats.[155] Her performance garnered mixed reviews from critics.[156][157] In June 2024, she will reunite with her The Paperboy co-star
Zac Efron in Netflix's A Family Affair.[158][159]
Kidman is also set to voice Queen Ellsmere in the animated fantasy film Spellbound.[160] One of her project is Amazon's Holland, Michigan directed by Mimi Cave, which is wrapped up and expected to release by end of 2024.[161][162]
Kidman is often regarded to be among the finest actresses of her generation.[174][175] She has been noted for seeking eccentric roles in risky projects helmed by auteurs, as well as for her volatile performances and versatile work, having appeared in a variety of eclectic films from several genres throughout her extensive career spanning over nearly four decades.[176][147]Vanity Fair stated that, despite struggling with her personal life being publicly scrutinised by the media during the early years of her career, "[Kidman] has shown herself to be a major talent, a remarkable actress who can get in there with the best of them, go toe-to-toe, and come out with her credibility intact. What's more, she's proved herself to be a star with a capital S, the one-in-a-generation kind who, like Elizabeth Taylor, is bigger than the Hollywood system, and is also unafraid to be human and real, which only makes her more popular."[177] According to The New York Times, "the plucky, disciplined indomitability she brings to her performances, even more than the artistry she displays within them, may be the secret of her appeal, the source of her bond with the audience."[178] Emily Nussbaum of The New Yorker commented how "in each role, there is something waxen and watchful and self-possessed about Kidman, so that, even when she's smiling, she never seems liberated. While other actors specialize in transparency, Kidman has a different gift: she can wear a mask and simultaneously let you feel what it's like to hide behind it."[179] In 2004 and 2018, Time magazine named Kidman one of the 100 most influential people in the world on their annual
Time 100 list.[180][181] In 2020, The New York Times ranked her fifth on its list of the greatest actors of the 21st century,[182] and in a 2022 readers' poll by Empire magazine, she was voted one of the 50 greatest actors of all time.[183]
"I'm a character [actor]. I was trained as a character actor. That's what I want to do. I believe in changing the way you look, the way you move, the way you speak. I'm not great at playing myself, so what really gives me the greatest satisfaction is changing into something else."
Kidman is known to practise
method acting for many of her roles.[185] It has been noted that she oftentimes transforms herself physically, mentally and emotionally to resemble her characters,[186][187] to the point where it has adversely affected her health.[188] Mark Caro from the Los Angeles Times stated that "to Nicole Kidman, acting isn't a mere technical feat; it's the art of transformation. To hear her tell it, the change can be as dramatic as a caterpillar-into-butterfly metamorphosis. She'll be working and working to get under the skin of a character."[189]W Magazine described her as a "cipher", and pointed out how "she gets under her character's skin so thoroughly, it's nearly impossible to distinguish the actress from the role. It's why she has become so synonymous with a few key roles ... and why those films are so defined by Kidman's presence in them."[190]
Scholars have also commented on her acting style and approach to roles. Sharon Marie Carnicke, a professor of critical studies and acting at the
USC School of Dramatic Arts, mentioned that "Kidman's [acting] choices are believable and natural as reactions to the specific circumstances in her world" and described her work as "kinetic".[191] Dennis Bingham, a professor of English and director of film studies at
Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, stated that "Kidman acts always a step or two outside the character, telegraphing her reactions, elongating the time she takes to articulate her decisions and conclusions. Even her emotional responses are presented as signs."[192]Pam Cook, a professor of film at the
University of Southampton, suggests in her biography of Kidman that "her emphasis on artifice and technique points to a conception of screen acting that looks to cinematic expression rather than to the actor's body and intentions for the realisation of character."[193]Mary Luckhurst, a professor and head of the
University of Bristol School of Arts with credentials in theatre and performance, stated how "she has strategically pursued a high-risk mutability and versatility, and regularly traverses between naturalist and non-naturalist roles and artforms." She continues saying that "she can continually test her own emotional limits, physical skills, politics, values and frames of reference" and mentions how "her conception of character acting involves metamorphosing gradually into something that she feels is so 'other' that she frequently speaks of losing herself or getting lost in the role, and her preparedness to challenge herself in this respect has continually surprised other actors, directors and producers."[194]
Arte France released a 53-minute documentary in 2023, Nicole Kidman – Eyes Wide Open.[195]
Kidman has also been described as a fashion icon.[196] The
chartreuse Dior gown she wore to the
1997 Academy Awards is regarded as one of the greatest dresses in Oscar history and has been credited with changing red carpet fashion forever.[197]Vogue described how "from her embroidered chartreuse John Galliano for Christian Dior gown in 1997, at the side of then-husband Tom Cruise, to that impeccable red Balenciaga moment at the 2007 Oscars, to the unforgettable Calvin Klein ballerina dress she wore to the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, the Australian native has mastered the art of red carpet dressing, always piquing our [interest] and taking risks while never overdoing it."[198]Insider stated that "over the years, Kidman has experimented with all sorts of trends, including bold colors, statement jewelry, and everything in between, making herself one of the most iconic celebrities when it comes to her fashion choices."[199] In 2003, she received the Fashion Icon Award, which was awarded to her by the
Council of Fashion Designers of America.[196] Regarding her bestowal, Peter Arnold, executive director of the CFDA, said, "Nicole Kidman's style, both on and off the screen, has had an undeniable impact on fashion. As an actress, she has developed her many memorable characters with an innate understanding of the artistry of clothes. At the same time, she has elegantly established her personal style and own iconic presence worldwide."[200]
Personal life
Relationships and family
Kidman was married to actor
Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001 and has been married to country singer
Keith Urban since 2006. Kidman met Cruise in 1989 while working on the set of Days of Thunder, a film in which they both starred, and they married on Christmas Eve of 1990 in Colorado.[201][202] While married, the couple adopted a daughter, Isabella (born 1992), and a son, Connor (born 1995).[203] On 5 February 2001, the couple's spokesperson announced their separation.[204] Cruise filed for divorce two days later, and their marriage was dissolved later that year, with Cruise citing irreconcilable differences.[205] In a 2007 interview with Marie Claire, Kidman noted the incorrect reporting of a miscarriage early in her marriage: "It was wrongly reported as
miscarriage by everyone who picked up the story. So it's huge news, and it didn't happen. I had a miscarriage at the end of my marriage, but I had an
ectopic pregnancy at the beginning of my marriage."[206]
In the June 2006 issue of Ladies' Home Journal, Kidman revealed that she still loved Cruise despite their divorce: "He was huge; still is. To me, he was just Tom, but to everybody else, he is huge. But he was lovely to me and I loved him. I still love him". In addition, she expressed shock about the divorce.[205] In 2015, former
Church of Scientology executive
Mark Rathbun claimed
in a documentary film that he was instructed to "facilitate [Cruise's] break-up with Nicole Kidman".[207] Cruise's
auditor further claimed Kidman had been wiretapped on Cruise's suggestion.[208] In an interview with
Tina Brown at the 2015
Women in the World conference, she expressed that the attention surrounding her at the time of her divorce from Cruise led to increased public attention to her career, stating, "Out of my divorce came work that was applauded, so that was an interesting thing for me." She went on to receive an Academy Award in 2003, shortly after her divorce.[209]
Prior to marrying Cruise, Kidman had been involved in relationships with Australian actor
Marcus Graham and Windrider co-star
Tom Burlinson.[210][211] The film Cold Mountain brought rumours that an affair between Kidman and co-star
Jude Law was responsible for the break-up of his marriage. Both denied the allegations, and Kidman won an undisclosed sum from the British tabloids that published the story.[212] She began dating musician
Lenny Kravitz in 2003 before becoming engaged to him, but they ultimately decided to break off their engagement.[213] She was also romantically involved with rapper
Q-Tip.[214]
During an interview for Vanity Fair in 2007, Kidman mentioned that she had been secretly engaged to someone, later revealed to have been Lenny Kravitz, prior to her present relationship with New Zealand-Australian country singer Keith Urban,[215][216] whom she met in 2005 at
G'Day LA, an event honouring Australians.[217] Kidman married Urban on 25 June 2006 at Cardinal Cerretti Memorial Chapel on the grounds of
St Patrick's Estate,
Manly, in Sydney.[218][219] In a 2015 interview, regarding her relationship with Urban, Kidman said, "We didn't really know each other – we got to know each other during our marriage."[209] They maintain homes in Nashville (Tennessee, U.S.),[220] Beverly Hills (California, U.S.),[221] two apartments in Sydney (New South Wales, Australia),[222] a farmhouse in
Sutton Forest (New South Wales, Australia), and an apartment in Manhattan (New York, U.S.) .[222] The couple's first daughter (Sunday Rose) was born in 2008, in Nashville.[223][224] In 2010, Kidman and Urban welcomed their second daughter (Faith Margaret) via
gestational surrogacy[225] at Nashville's Centennial Women's Hospital.[226][227]
Religious beliefs and political views
Kidman was brought up in a
Catholic family and remains practising.[228][229] She attended Mary Mackillop Chapel in
North Sydney. Following criticism by Catholic leaders regarding her role in The Golden Compass as
anti-Catholic,[230][231] Kidman told Entertainment Weekly that the source material had been "watered down a little" and that her religious beliefs would prevent her from taking a role in a film she perceived as anti-Catholic.[232] Since her divorce from Tom Cruise, she has been reluctant to discuss Scientology.[233][234]
This article is missing information about net worth rankings. Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the
talk page.(August 2023)
Kidman has featured in annual rankings of the world's highest-paid actors multiple times, including the leading place for a female actor in 2006.[239] In 2002, she first appeared on the Australian Financial ReviewRich List, following her divorce from Tom Cruise, with an estimated
net worth of A$122 million.[240] As of May 2023[update], Kidman's net worth, listed jointly with Urban's, was assessed at A$596 million by the Financial Review, after several years of not meeting the threshold for inclusion on the Rich List.[241] In 2021 it was reported that Celebrity Net Worth had assessed Kidman's net worth, not including that of Urban's, at US$250 million.[242]
Kidman has raised money for, and drawn attention to, disadvantaged children around the world. In 1994, she was appointed a
Goodwill Ambassador for
UNICEF.[247] She also joined the Little Tee Campaign for breast cancer care to design T-shirts or vests to raise money to fight the disease;[248] motivated by her mother's own battle with breast cancer in 1984.[249] Kidman was also appointed Goodwill Ambassador of the
United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) in 2006.[250][247]
She visited Kosovo in 2006 to learn about women's experiences of conflict and UNIFEM's support efforts.[251] She is also the international spokesperson for UNIFEM's Say NO – UNiTE to End Violence against Women initiative.[252] Kidman and the UNIFEM executive director presented over five million signatures collected during the first phase of this to the UN Secretary-General on 25 November 2008.[253] On 8 January 2010, alongside
Nancy Pelosi,
Joan Chen and
Joe Torre, Kidman attended the ceremony to help the
Family Violence Prevention Fund break ground on a new international centre located in the
Presidio of San Francisco.[254][255]
In 2004, Kidman was honoured as a "Citizen of the World" by the United Nations.[258] During the 2006
Australia Day Honours, she was appointed Companion of the
Order of Australia (AC) for "service to the performing arts as an acclaimed motion picture performer, to health care through contributions to improve medical treatment for women and children and advocacy for cancer research, to youth as a principal supporter of young performing artists, and to humanitarian causes in Australia and internationally".[259][260] However, due to film commitments and her wedding to Urban, it was not until 13 April 2007 that she was presented with the honour.[261] It was presented by the
Governor-General of Australia, Major General
Michael Jeffery, in a ceremony at Government House, Canberra.[262] At the beginning of 2009, Kidman appeared in a series of postage stamps featuring Australian actors. She,
Geoffrey Rush, Russell Crowe, and
Cate Blanchett each appear twice in the series: once as themselves and once as their Academy Award-nominated characters, with Kidman appearing as Satine from Moulin Rouge!.[263]
Other work
Kidman has taken part in several endorsement deals representing various companies.[264] In 2003, she served as the face of the
Chanel No. 5 perfume.[265] She has also served as an ambassador for
Omega watches since 2005.[266] In 2007,
Nintendo announced that she would be the new face of Nintendo's advertising campaign for the
Nintendo DS game
More Brain Training in its European market.[267] In 2010, Kidman starred in the inauguration campaign of the Brazilian mall VillageMall, owned by the company Multiplan, located in Barra da Tijuca, in Rio de Janeiro.[268] In 2013, she served as the face of
Jimmy Choo shoes.[269] In 2015, she became the brand ambassador for
Etihad Airways.[270] In 2017, she was announced as the new face of
Neutrogena.[271] In 2020, she joined SeraLabs as their global brand ambassador.[272] In December 2023, she joined
Balenciaga as their brand ambassador.[273][274]
In 2003, Kidman received a star on the
Hollywood Walk of Fame for her achievements in the motion picture industry.[279][280] In addition to her Academy Award for Best Actress win, she has received many other awards and nominations for her performances on the screen and stage, including four additional Academy Award nominations, one BAFTA Award from five nominations, two Laurence Olivier Award nominations, two Primetime Emmy Awards from three nominations, a Screen Actors Guild Award from fifteen nominations, three Critics' Choice Awards from fifteen nominations and six Golden Globe Awards from seventeen nominations, among various others.[281][40][90]
Kidman's
discography consists of several audio recordings, including one
spoken word album, one
extended play and three
singles.[282] Kidman, primarily known for her acting career, entered the
music industry during the early 2000s after recording a number of tracks for the original motion picture soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann's 2001 musical film Moulin Rouge!, which she starred in.[283] Her duet with Ewan McGregor entitled "
Come What May" was released as her debut single and the second single off of the film's original soundtrack album through
Interscope Records on 24 September 2001. The composition became the eighth-highest selling single by an Australian artist that year,[284] being certified Gold by the
Australian Recording Industry Association,[285] while peaking at number twenty-seven on the
UK Singles Chart.[286] In addition, the song received a
Best Original Song nomination at the 59th Golden Globe Awards[287] and was listed at eighty-fifth within
AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs by the
American Film Institute.[288]
"
Somethin' Stupid", a
cover version of
Frank and
Nancy Sinatra's version, followed soon after. The track, recorded as a duet with English singer-songwriter
Robbie Williams, was issued on 14 December 2001 by
Chrysalis Records as the
lead single off his fourth studio album, Swing When You're Winning.[289] Kidman's second single topped the official music charts in New Zealand,[290] Portugal,[291] and the UK, in addition to reaching top ten placings all over Europe, including Austria,[292] Belgium,[293] Denmark,[294] Germany,[295] the Netherlands,[296] Norway[297] and Switzerland,[298] as well as Australia. Apart from being certified either Gold[299] in a number of countries, it was ranked as the thirteenth best-selling single of 2002 in the UK, the fifty-ninth in Australia[300] and the ninety-third in France,[301] respectively. The song peaked at No. 8 on the Australian ARIAnet Singles Chart and at No. 1, for three weeks, in the UK.[302]
On 5 April 2002, Kidman released through Interscope Records her third single, a cover of
Randy Crawford's "
One Day I'll Fly Away".[303] The song, a Tony Philips remix, was promoted as the pilot single for the follow-up to the Moulin Rouge! original soundtrack, titled Moulin Rouge! Vol. 2. In 2006, she contributed to the original motion picture soundtrack of Happy Feet, recording a rendition of the
Prince song "
Kiss" for the film.[304] In 2009, she was featured on the
original soundtrack of Rob Marshall's 2009 musical film Nine, recording the song "Unusual Way".[305] In 2012, she narrated an
audiobook and in 2017, she contributed with background vocals to her husband's,
country music singer Keith Urban, song titled "
Female".[306][307] In 2022, Kidman joined Luke Evans to release a single named
Say Something, which was a "poignant rendition of Christina Aguilera and A Great Big World's 2014 hit".[308]
Nicole Kidman was selected for the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award, originally scheduled to be received at Hollywood's Dolby Theatre on 10 June 2023, but was postponed to 27 April 2024 due to the
WGA strike.[309][310][3]
^Ellis, Lucy; Sutherland, Bryony (October 2002). Nicole Kidman: the biography. Aurum. p.
34.
ISBN9781854109262. Retrieved 9 November 2015. Nicole withdrew from all acting jobs and enrolled on a massage course so that she could relieve her mother's suffering with physical therapy.
^Carnicke, Sharon Marie (2006). "The Material Poetry of Acting: 'Objects of Attention', Performance Style, and Gender in The Shining and Eyes Wide Shut". Journal of Film and Video. 58 (1–2). University of Illinois Press: 21–30.
ISSN0742-4671.
JSTOR20688513.
^Baron, Cynthia (2004). More Than a Method: Trends and Traditions in Contemporary Film Performance. Detroit: Wayne State University Press. pp. 260–261.
ISBN0-8143-3079-7.
OCLC54035239.
^Hoffman, Claire; Christensen, Kim (18 December 2005).
"Tom Cruise and Scientology". Los Angeles Times. Archived from
the original on 23 July 2012. Among other things, Britt said, Miscavige and his wife attended the star's 1990 wedding to Kidman in Colorado and then followed up with frequent gifts.