Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman
Kidman at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival
Born	Nicole Mary Kidman June 20, 1967 (1967-06-20) (age 42) Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Years active	1983–present
Spouse(s)	Tom Cruise (1990-2001) Keith Urban (2006-present)
Awards won Academy Awards Best Actress 2002 The Hours Australian Film Institute Awards Best Actress in a Miniseries 1988 Vietnam BAFTA Awards Best Actress in a Leading Role 2002 The Hours Golden Globe Awards Best Actress - Motion Picture Musical/Comedy 1996 To Die For 2002 Moulin Rouge! Best Actress - Motion Picture Drama 2003 The Hours Other awards Saturn Award for Best Actress (film) 2001 The Others Silver Berlin Bear for Best Actress 2002 The Hours

Nicole Mary Kidman, AC (born June 20, 1967) is an Academy Award-winning actress, a UN Citizen of the World award winning humanitarian and a UNIFEM and UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. In 2006, Kidman was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, Australia's highest civilian honour.^[1] In 2006, she was also the highest-paid actress in the motion picture industry.^[2]

After making various appearances in film and television, Kidman received her breakthrough role in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm. Her performances in several films, such as To Die For (1995), Moulin Rouge! (2001), and The Hours (2002), have won her much critical acclaim. In 2003, Kidman received her Star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood, California. She is also well-known for her former marriage to the actor Tom Cruise and her current marriage to the country musician Keith Urban. Because she was born to Australian parents in Hawaii, Kidman has dual citizenship of Australia and the United States.^[3]

Early life and family

Kidman was born in Honolulu, Hawaii. Her father, Dr Antony David Kidman, is a biochemist, clinical psychologist and author, with an office in Lane Cove, Sydney.^[4][5][6] Her mother, Janelle Ann (née Glenny), is a nursing instructor who edits her husband's books and was a member of the Women's Electoral Lobby. At the time of Nicole Kidman's birth, her father was a visiting fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health of the United States. The family returned to Australia permanently when Kidman was four years old and Kidman's parents now reside on Sydney's North Shore. Kidman has a younger sister, Antonia Kidman, who is a journalist.

Kidman attended Lane Cove Public School in her primary school years, and then she attended the North Sydney Girls' High School. She then studied at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, at the Phillip Street Theatre in Sydney, along with her friend Naomi Watts. This was followed by studies at the Australian Theatre for Young People.

Career

Early career in Australia (1983–1989)

Kidman's first appearance in film came in 1983 when, as a fifteen year-old, she appeared in the Pat Wilson music video for the song "Bop Girl". By the end of the year she had secured a supporting role in the television series Five Mile Creek and four film roles, including BMX Bandits and Bush Christmas. During the 1980s, she appeared in several Australian productions, including the soap opera A Country Practice, the mini-series Vietnam (1986), Emerald City (1988), and Bangkok Hilton (1989).

Breakthrough (1989–1995)

In 1989, Kidman starred in Dead Calm as Rae Ingram, the wife of naval officer John Ingram (Sam Neill), held captive on a Pacific Ocean yacht trip by the psychotic Hughie Warriner (Billy Zane). The thriller film garnered strong reviews; the staff of Variety.com commented: "Throughout the film, Kidman is excellent. She gives the character of Rae real tenacity and energy."^[7] Meanwhile, critic Roger Ebert noted the excellent chemistry between the leads, stating, "...Kidman and Zane do generate real, palpable hatred in their scenes together."^[8] In 1990, she appeared opposite Tom Cruise in Days of Thunder, a stock car racing movie. After this, Kidman starred with Cruise in Ron Howard's Far and Away (1992). In 1995, Kidman featured in the ensemble cast of Batman Forever. On November 20, 1993 she hosted Saturday Night Live.^[9]

Singing

Not known as a singer prior to Moulin Rouge!, Kidman had several well-received vocal performances in the film. Her collaboration with Ewan McGregor on the song "Come What May" from the film's soundtrack debuted and peaked at 27 in the UK Singles Chart. But there was much controversy to whether Nicole Kidman should have been dubbed due to her "shocking, not to mention boring" voice and many people said she "should never sing again for money, or in public". Later she collaborated with Robbie Williams on the song "Somethin' Stupid", a cover of the old swing song on Williams' swing covers album Swing When You're Winning. It debuted and peaked at 8 in the Australian ARIAnet Singles Chart, and at number 1 for three weeks in the UK. It was the UK Christmas number 1 Single for 2001.

In 2006, she provided her voice for the animated movie Happy Feet, along with vocals for the character Norma Jean's 'heartsong', which was a slightly altered version of "Kiss" by Prince. Kidman is set to sing in Rob Marshall's next movie, musical Nine, along with co-stars Daniel Day-Lewis, Penélope Cruz, Judi Dench, Sophia Loren and Marion Cotillard.

Personal life

Relationships

Kidman met Tom Cruise on the set of their 1990 movie, Days of Thunder. Cruise was married to actress Mimi Rogers at the time, and later divorced her. Kidman and Cruise were married on Christmas Eve 1990 in Telluride, Colorado. The couple adopted two children, a daughter Isabella Jane and a son Connor Antony. They separated just after their 10th wedding anniversary. At the time she was 3 months pregnant and subsequently had a miscarriage.^[10] Tom Cruise filed for divorce in February 2001. The marriage was dissolved in 2001, with Cruise citing irreconcilable differences as the cause of the divorce.^[11] The reasons for the dissolution have never been made public. Also, in an interview for Marie Claire magazine, Kidman mentions that she had an ectopic pregnancy early in their marriage.^[12] In an interview in the June 2006 issue of Ladies' Home Journal, Kidman reported that she still loved Tom Cruise. Kidman told the magazine: "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 has expressed shock about their divorce.^[11]

Nicole Kidman in August 2006

The 2003 film Cold Mountain was plagued by rumours that an on-set affair between Kidman and co-star Jude Law was responsible for the break-up of his marriage. Both vehemently denied the allegations, and Kidman eventually won an undisclosed sum from the British tabloids that published the story.^[13] She donated the money to a Romanian orphanage in the town where the movie was filmed.^[14] Robbie Williams confirmed that they had a short 'romance' on her yacht in summer 2004. Shortly after her Oscar win, there were unconfirmed rumours of a relationship between her and fellow Oscar winner Adrien Brody.^[15] She met musician Lenny Kravitz in 2003 and dated him into 2004.^[16]

Kidman met country singer Keith Urban at G'Day LA, an event honouring Australians in January 2005. Kidman and Urban were married on Sunday June 25, 2006, at the Cardinal Cerretti Memorial Chapel in the grounds of St Patrick's Estate, Manly in Sydney. They maintain homes in Sydney, Los Angeles and Nashville, Tennessee. In March 2008, they purchased mansions in both Los Angeles^[17] and Nashville^[18] within the span of a few days.

After constant speculation by the press, on January 8, 2008, it was confirmed that Kidman was 3 months pregnant. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, on July 7, 2008, in Nashville, Tennessee.^[19] It was then revealed the next day by Nicole's father that their daughter's unusual first name was Sunday, and that her middle name was after Urban's late grandmother, Rose.^[20] Curiously, on Sunday Rose's birth day of July 7 the Greek Orthodox Church celebrates Saint Kyriaki; "Kyriaki" is the Greek word for Sunday.^[21]

Religion

Kidman was raised a Roman Catholic and currently is a practicing Catholic.^[22] She attended Mary Mackillop Chapel in North Sydney. During her marriage to Tom Cruise, she had been an occasional practitioner of Scientology. ^[23]

Politics

Kidman's name was included in an advertisement in the Los Angeles Times (August 17, 2006) that condemned organizations Hamas and Hezbollah, and supported Israel's efforts in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.^[24]

Kidman has made numerous donations to U.S. Democratic party candidates and endorsed John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election.^[25]

Charitable work

Kidman publicly supports a variety of charities and causes. She has been a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF Australia since 1994. She has worked to help raise money for and draw attention to the plight of the most disadvantaged children in Australia and around the world. In 2004, she was honoured as a "Citizen of the World" by the United Nations.

On January 26, 2006 (Australia Day), Kidman received Australia's highest civilian honour when she was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, 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."^[26] However, due to film commitments and her wedding to Urban, it wasn't until April 13, 2007 that she was presented with the honour.^[27] She was also nominated goodwill ambassador for UNIFEM.^[28]

Kidman joined the 'Little Tee Campaign' for Breast Cancer Care to design T-shirts or vests to raise money for breast cancer.^[29] Kidman's mother, Janelle, is a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed in 1984.^[30]

Press and other

In January 2005, Kidman won interim restraining orders against two Sydney-based paparazzi.^[31] In 2004 Kidman became the face of Chanel No. 5. Recently it was reported that from 2009 she will cease to represent the iconic fragrance. Kidman is left-handed.

Filmography

Discography

• "Come What May" single (Duet with Ewan McGregor – October 2001) AUS #10, UK #27
• "Somethin' Stupid" single (Duet with Robbie Williams – December 2001) AUS #8, UK #1
• "Kiss" / "Heartbreak Hotel" – Nicole Kidman / Hugh Jackman - November 2006 (Happy Feet Soundtrack)

Awards

Government honours

In 2006, Kidman was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), Australia's highest civilian honour, in recognition of her contribution to the arts and her charity work.^[32] The award was presented by Governor-General of Australia, Major General Michael Jeffery in a ceremony at Government House, Canberra on April 13, 2007.^[33]

Academy Awards

• 2003 - Best Actress in a Leading Role for The Hours

Berlin International Film Festival

• 2003 - Silver Berlin Bear for Best Actress for The Hours

Boston Society of Film Critics

• 1995 - Best Actress for To Die For

British Academy of Film and Television Arts:

• 2003 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role for The Hours

Broadcast Film Critics Association

• 1996 - Best Actress for To Die For

Golden Globe Awards:

• 1996 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for To Die For
• 2002 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy for Moulin Rouge!
• 2003 - Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for The Hours

Kansas City Film Critics Circle

• 2002 - Best Actress for The Others

Las Vegas Film Critics Society

• 2003 - Best Actress for The Hours

MTV Movie Awards:

• 2002 - Best Female Performance for Moulin Rouge!
• 2002 - Best Musical Sequence for Moulin Rouge!

Seattle International Film Festival

• 1995 - Best Actress for To Die For

ShoWest Convention

• 1992 - Female Star of Tomorrow
• 2002 - Distinguished Decade of Achievement in Film

In 2003, Kidman received a Star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. In addition to those accolades, Kidman has received Best Actress awards from the following critics' groups or award giving organisations: Australian Film Institute, Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, Empire Awards, Golden Satellite Awards, Hollywood Film Festival, London Critics Circle, Russian Guild of Film Critics, and the Southeastern Film Critics Association. In 2003, Kidman was given the American Cinematheque Award.

Nominations

Academy Awards:

• Best Actress in a Leading Role Moulin Rouge! (2001)

Golden Globe Awards:

• Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama Birth (2005)
• Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama Cold Mountain (2004)
• Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama The Others (2002)
• Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture Billy Bathgate (1992)

BAFTA:

• Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role The Others (2002)
• Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role To Die For (1996)

Goya Awards:

• Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role The Others (2002)

Screen Actors Guild:

• Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role The Hours (2003)
• Best Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture The Hours (2003)
• Best Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture Moulin Rouge! (2002)

References

Additional reading

• Thomson, David (2006). Nicole Kidman. Knopf. ISBN 1-4000-4273-9. 

External links

• Nicole Kidman at the Internet Movie Database
• Nicole Kidman at Yahoo! Movies
• Nicole Kidman at People.com
• Nicole Kidman's charity work