Nicole Kidman, Bio, from ‘Dead Calm’ to ‘Eyes Wide Shut’
Nicole Kidman, Biography
Nicole Kidman is an Academy Award–winning actor and producer known for her versatility, elegance, and fearless choice of roles. Over the course of her decades-long career, she has captivated audiences with acclaimed performances in films such as Moulin Rouge! (2001), The Hours (2002), and The Others (2001), as well as the hit television series Big Little Lies (2017–2019). Beyond her acting achievements, Kidman is also recognized for her humanitarian work and enduring presence as one of Hollywood’s most respected and influential figures.
She was married to country music star Keith Urban, with whom she shares two daughters.
Latest News: Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban Part Ways After 19 Years
After nearly two decades of shared love, song, and starlight, Oscar-winning actor Nicole Kidman and country music icon Keith Urban have chosen separate paths. Reports from late September revealed that the pair have quietly lived apart since the early summer, when Urban is said to have moved out of their Nashville home.
Their last public appearance together was three months earlier, beneath the roar of the crowd at a FIFA World Cup match in June. Later that same month, Kidman marked what would be their nineteenth wedding anniversary with a tender photograph on social media—an image of two hearts still entwined in memory. In her post, she wrote of love’s endurance, a sentiment that sources later described as a reflection of her wish to preserve their marriage.
Those close to the couple shared that Kidman had hoped for reconciliation, striving to keep the flame alive even as the distance between them grew. Now, their love story—once a duet sung in harmony—rests gently in the quiet space between what was and what remains.
History
The Babygirl star first crossed paths with Keith Urban, then 57, in January 2005 at the glittering G’Day USA Gala, an evening honoring Australians who had made their mark on the world stage. What began as a chance meeting soon blossomed into a love story that culminated in a June 2006 wedding, rich with promise and devotion. Together, they built a family, raising two daughters—Sunday and Faith—who have grown into their teenage years beneath the gentle gaze of two devoted parents.
Before Urban, Nicole Kidman had shared another chapter of her life with Tom Cruise, to whom she was married for over a decade. Their union brought two adopted children, Isabella and Connor, whom she continues to hold close to her heart.
Now, amid whispers of change and quiet reflection, Kidman has remained silent about her separation from Urban—her voice, for now, a calm in the storm, her story still unfolding between love remembered and the unknown ahead.
Who Is Nicole Kidman?
Nicole Kidman is a highly acclaimed film and television actor whose career has spanned decades of artistic excellence and reinvention. She won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her haunting portrayal of Virginia Woolf in The Hours (2002) and has continued to captivate audiences through a wide range of performances—from the dazzling romantic spectacle of Moulin Rouge! (2001) to the poignant depth of Lion (2016) and the Emmy-winning drama Big Little Lies on HBO.
Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Australian parents, Kidman grew up in Sydney and began acting as a teenager, quickly emerging as one of Australia’s brightest young talents. Her Hollywood breakthrough came in the early 1990s with Days of Thunder (1990) and Billy Bathgate (1991), films that established her as both a gifted performer and a leading lady of striking poise and emotional intelligence.
Off-screen, Kidman’s personal life has often drawn public attention. She was married to actor Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001 and later found love again with country singer Keith Urban, whom she married in 2006.
Continuing to evolve as one of cinema’s most compelling figures, Kidman stars in the upcoming 2024 psychological thriller Babygirl, marking yet another chapter in a career defined by bold choices and timeless grace.
Nicole Kidman, Height and Weight
She is 5ft 10.5, which translates to 179.1cm tall and weighs 58kg. She has naturally blue eyes and red hair.
Nicole Kidman Age
As of November 2025, Kidman is 58 years old.
Young Nicole Kidman
Nicole Mary Kidman was born on June 20, 1967, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Antony Kidman, a respected biochemist and clinical psychologist, and Janelle Ann Kidman, a nursing instructor and advocate for women’s health. She grew up alongside her younger sister, Antonia, born in 1970.
At the time of Nicole’s birth, her parents were Australian citizens living in the United States on student visas, granting her dual citizenship in both America and Australia. The family’s early years were peripatetic—they moved from Hawaii to Washington, D.C., before finally returning home to Sydney when Nicole was just four.
As a child, Kidman was thoughtful and observant, but she wrestled with insecurities about her height and appearance. By the age of 13, she had nearly reached her adult height of 5 feet 11 inches, a distinction that often made her feel awkward and exposed. She later reflected that she was teased for her height, describing the experience as unkind and isolating. Her porcelain skin also meant she had to avoid the Australian sun, spending long hours indoors—where she found comfort in books and the stories that sparked her imagination. Those quiet, sun-drenched afternoons planted the first seeds of her artistic spirit.
Nicole Kidman, Education
Kidman attended North Sydney Girls High School, but her fascination with storytelling soon pulled her toward the stage. She joined a local theater group, and under the encouragement of director Jane Campion, she made her film debut in Bush Christmas (1983), followed that same year by the spirited adventure comedy BMX Bandits.
During this early period, Kidman met Naomi Watts, another young actor chasing her dreams. The two became fast friends after meeting at an open audition for a bathing suit advertisement, later sharing the screen in the 1991 coming-of-age film Flirting.
By the late 1980s, with her distinctive red hair, commanding screen presence, and natural talent, Nicole Kidman was poised for international stardom—a luminous new face ready to captivate the world beyond Australia.
Nicole Kidman Rise to Stardom: From ‘Dead Calm’ to ‘Eyes Wide Shut’
Nicole Kidman’s ascent to international fame began with the taut psychological thriller Dead Calm (1989), where her magnetic performance as a young wife battling terror at sea announced her as a major new talent. The following year, she joined the Hollywood mainstream with Days of Thunder (1990), portraying a brilliant neurosurgeon who falls in love with a reckless NASCAR driver, played by Tom Cruise. While the film drew mixed reviews, its high-octane energy and Kidman’s poise amidst the chaos proved she could hold her own in a blockbuster—and it has since become a cult favorite.
Her career quickly accelerated with roles in Billy Bathgate (1991), To Die For (1995)—for which she won her first Golden Globe—and Practical Magic (1998), where she displayed her comedic and mystical charm opposite Sandra Bullock. By the time she starred alongside Cruise again in Eyes Wide Shut (1999), the final film of legendary director Stanley Kubrick, Kidman had firmly established herself among Hollywood’s most daring and versatile actors.
Nicole Kidman Awards Glory: ‘Moulin Rouge!’ and ‘The Hours’
The new millennium brought Kidman’s most dazzling creative achievements. In Baz Luhrmann’s sumptuous musical Moulin Rouge! (2001), she lit up the screen as the enchanting courtesan Satine, capturing both the glitter and heartbreak of the Belle Époque. Her effervescent yet tragic performance earned her a Golden Globe Award and her first Oscar nomination.
The following year, she transformed entirely to embody author Virginia Woolf in The Hours (2002). With a subdued intensity and haunting realism, Kidman portrayed the tormented writer with such precision that she earned her first Academy Award for Best Actress. Critics hailed it as one of the finest performances of the decade—a portrayal that captured fragility, intellect, and despair in equal measure.
She continued her momentum with the Civil War epic Cold Mountain (2003), directed by Anthony Minghella, alongside Jude Law and Renée Zellweger, and the avant-garde Dogville (2004), where she collaborated with provocateur Lars von Trier in a stark, minimalist allegory of human cruelty.
Exploring Genres and Reinvention
While celebrated for her dramatic gravitas, Kidman proved equally adept at lighthearted fare. She ventured into comedy with The Stepford Wives (2004) and Bewitched (2005), a meta adaptation of the beloved TV series with Will Ferrell. Her versatility continued with the animated hit Happy Feet (2006), where she lent her voice to the whimsical world of dancing penguins. That same year, she portrayed the visionary photographer Diane Arbus in Fur, displaying her gift for complex, introspective characters.
Reuniting with Baz Luhrmann, Kidman starred opposite Hugh Jackman in the sweeping romance Australia (2008), followed by the glamorous ensemble musical Nine (2009), where she joined an illustrious cast including Daniel Day-Lewis, Penélope Cruz, and Marion Cotillard.
Critical Acclaim and Continued Evolution
Kidman’s ability to balance prestige and experimentation shone throughout the 2010s. In Rabbit Hole (2010), she delivered a devastating performance as a grieving mother, earning her third Oscar nomination. She surprised audiences again in The Paperboy (2012), a sultry Southern noir co-starring Zac Efron and John Cusack, and that same year, portrayed war correspondent Martha Gellhorn in HBO’s Hemingway & Gellhorn.
In Grace of Monaco (2014), Kidman embodied the legendary actress-turned-princess Grace Kelly, a role that earned her an Emmy nomination. The following year, she took on a variety of projects—from the haunting Australian mystery Strangerland to Werner Herzog’s Queen of the Desert, in which she portrayed adventurer and archaeologist Gertrude Bell.
By 2016, Kidman reminded the world of her emotional depth with Lion, the true story of an Australian mother who adopts a lost Indian boy. Her tender, soulful performance earned her yet another Oscar and Golden Globe nomination, reaffirming her status as one of cinema’s most luminous and fearless talents.
Nicole Kidman, Emmys for Big Little Lies
Television Triumphs and New Creative Heights
The following year, Nicole Kidman turned her focus to television and delivered one of her most lauded performances to date in HBO’s Big Little Lies (2017). As Celeste Wright—a woman navigating the hidden trauma of an abusive marriage—Kidman displayed a delicate balance of vulnerability and strength that captivated audiences and critics alike. Her work earned her multiple honors, including the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series, as well as a second Emmy as an executive producer on the show. She continued her awards streak with a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Limited Series or Television Film.
READ ALSO: Nicole Kidman Bio, Age, Salary, Net Worth, Husband, TV Shows, And Movies, Children
When Big Little Lies returned for its second season in 2019, Kidman reprised her role opposite an ensemble cast that welcomed Meryl Streep, deepening the series’ exploration of grief, love, and resilience.
Powerhouse Roles in Film
In 2018, Kidman ventured into darker territory with Destroyer, transforming herself into a hardened Los Angeles detective haunted by her past undercover life in a criminal gang. Her raw, unflinching portrayal was widely praised for its emotional depth and physical transformation. That same year, she entered the superhero realm as Queen Atlanna in DC’s Aquaman, showcasing her ability to bring regality and warmth even to fantastical worlds.
A year later, she took on the role of real-life journalist Gretchen Carlson in Bombshell (2019), the dramatization of the sexual harassment scandal that brought down Fox News chief Roger Ailes. Starring alongside Charlize Theron and Margot Robbie, Kidman’s performance underscored her enduring commitment to portraying complex, courageous women. She also appeared in The Goldfinch (2019), a literary crime drama adapted from Donna Tartt’s Pulitzer Prize–winning novel.
A Return to Prestige Television and Awards Recognition
Kidman continued to shine in prestige television with Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers (2021), where she portrayed Masha Dmitrichenko, a mysterious wellness mastermind with a haunting past. Starring alongside Melissa McCarthy and Michael Shannon, Kidman brought an enigmatic calm and eerie command to the role, further demonstrating her range.
That same year, she earned fresh acclaim for embodying comedy legend Lucille Ball in Aaron Sorkin’s biographical drama Being the Ricardos (2021). Despite early skepticism from critics and fans, Kidman delivered a performance rich in nuance and emotional intelligence, earning her sixth Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama and her fifth Academy Award nomination.
Nicole Kidman, Recent Success and ‘Babygirl’
Now in her late 50s, Kidman remains a magnetic force across genres. Her recent work includes Robert Eggers’ Viking epic The Northman (2022), where she portrayed Queen Gudrún with icy ferocity, the superhero sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), and Netflix’s romantic comedy A Family Affair (2024) alongside Zac Efron. She also starred in the streamer’s limited crime mystery series A Perfect Couple that same year.
In September 2024, Kidman received renewed critical acclaim after winning the Best Actress Award at the Venice Film Festival for the erotic psychological thriller Babygirl. In the film, she plays a powerful CEO entangled in a morally fraught affair with a much younger intern, portrayed by Harris Dickinson. Her performance was hailed as both fearless and devastating—a testament to an actor still unafraid to take risks nearly four decades into her career.
Nicole Kidman, married to Tom Cruise
Nicole Kidman’s first great Hollywood romance unfolded like a cinematic whirlwind. She met Tom Cruise on the set of Days of Thunder (1990), and only months later, the pair exchanged vows in December of that same year. Looking back on that time, Kidman reflected in a 2002 Vanity Fair interview that Cruise had completely swept her off her feet. She confessed that she had fallen “madly, passionately in love,” and that once she did, all her carefully laid plans for her life dissolved into the background—she was, as she put it, “consumed by it, willingly.”
The couple’s chemistry extended beyond their real-life romance to the screen. They co-starred in Far and Away (1992), a sweeping period drama, and later in Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut (1999), a haunting psychological exploration of intimacy and trust. Together, they became one of Hollywood’s most glamorous and talked-about duos throughout the 1990s.
During their marriage, Kidman and Cruise adopted two children: Isabella, born in December 1992, and Connor, born in January 1995. Behind the glittering surface, however, Kidman endured personal heartbreak. She has spoken openly about her struggles with fertility—suffering an ectopic pregnancy at just 23, followed by a miscarriage in 2001.
By early 2001, after more than a decade together, the couple’s marriage began to unravel. In February, a spokesperson announced their separation, citing the “difficulties inherent in divergent careers which constantly kept them apart.” Two days later, Cruise formally filed for divorce, listing irreconcilable differences.
Despite the heartbreak, Kidman remained open to love. In 2003, she began dating musician Lenny Kravitz, and the two were briefly engaged before parting ways. The relationship was short-lived—but Kidman’s next romance, also with a music star, would lead her to a lasting partnership.
Nicole Kidman, married to Keith Urban
Nicole Kidman found lasting love once again when she married country music singer Keith Urban on June 25, 2006, in a romantic ceremony held at St. Patrick’s Estate in Sydney, Australia. The wedding drew an array of Australian stars, including Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman, and Naomi Watts, blending Hollywood glamour with down-to-earth intimacy.
The pair first met in January 2005 at a G’Day USA Gala in Los Angeles—an event celebrating Australians in the arts and entertainment industry. For Urban, meeting Kidman marked a crucial turning point. He later reflected that their connection arrived at a moment of deep personal reckoning, describing it as “the ultimate fork in the road” of his life. Struggling with sobriety at the time, he said he recognized that being with her represented his one true chance to change.
The Fighter
Just a few months into their marriage, Urban made the difficult but necessary decision to seek help in a rehabilitation facility. Kidman stood by him throughout, offering unwavering support during his recovery. The experience not only strengthened their relationship but also inspired Urban’s 2016 hit song “The Fighter,” a duet with Carrie Underwood that he has said was born from the resilience and devotion he found in their marriage.
Over the next two decades, the couple built a loving family and a reputation for quiet strength amid Hollywood’s scrutiny. In addition to Kidman’s two adopted children with Tom Cruise, the couple welcomed two biological daughters: Sunday Rose, born in July 2008, and Faith Margaret, born in December 2010.
However, after nearly two decades together, reports surfaced in September 2025 that the couple had separated following 19 years of marriage. While neither Kidman nor Urban has spoken publicly about the split, sources close to the family have said they remain committed to co-parenting their daughters with love and respect.
Philanthropy
Beyond her celebrated career, Nicole Kidman has long been recognized for her humanitarian work and philanthropy. Her advocacy was shaped early in life—when she was 17, her mother, Janelle Kidman, was diagnosed with breast cancer. During her mother’s treatment, Kidman took on a nurturing role, even completing a massage course to help ease her mother’s discomfort through chemotherapy and radiation. She has since described the experience as “imprinting” on her in ways that continue to guide her empathy and activism.
In 2023, Kidman and Urban together made a major financial contribution to the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center in Nashville, Tennessee, funding new clinical trials and supporting cancer research in honor of her mother’s long battle with the disease.
Kidman’s parents remained pivotal figures in her life—her father, Antony Kidman, passed away in September 2014, and her mother, Janelle, died a decade later in September 2024.
For nearly twenty years, Kidman has served as a Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM), where she champions global initiatives promoting gender equality, women’s empowerment, and economic security. She also works closely with UNICEF, advocating for children’s welfare around the world.
Nicole Kidman, Net Worth
As of August 2024, Celebrity Net Worth estimated Nicole Kidman’s fortune at approximately $250 million. Over the course of her acclaimed career, she has earned more than $350 million from acting salaries alone—cementing her status as not only one of the most respected performers in the industry but also among its most successful.
