Nicole Kidman comes to this place for passion.
The Oscar winner—who has had a busy year premiering multiple projects, including Netflix’s The Perfect Couple, the second season of Paramount+’s Lioness and her upcoming film Babygirl—shared what helps her to keep working instead of burning out.
“I'm just still so, so passionate about what I do,” Nicole exclusively told E! News at The Gothams 34th Annual Film Awards in New York City Dec. 2. “I love acting, and I love being with people that are so inspiring.”
“And a great script is a great script,” she continued. “So, I don't think it's burnout. It's more staying in a place of just [being] incredibly grateful for opportunities and the ability to work with people that I love.” (For more from Nicole Kidman and more stars who attended The Gothams 2024, tune in to E! News tonight, Dec. 2, at 11 p.m.)
The Moulin Rouge! Actress—who is mom to Sunday Rose, 16, and Faith Margaret, 13, with husband Keith Urban, as well as daughter Bella, 31, and son Connor, 29, with ex Tom Cruise—has also been candid about her goal to work with women filmmakers often, recently revealing she has worked with 15 female directors often. In fact, she recently revealed she has collaborated with 15 female directors in the last seven years, blowing past her goal of working with one every 18 months.
“I love supporting women in their capacity now as writers and directors and really trying to balance that in the industry,” Nicole shared in a Nov. 23 clip from The Graham Norton Show, before commenting on Babygirl writer and director Halina Reijn’s script. “It was just good. It was really, really good and kind of exciting and bold, and I’m always looking to push out of my comfort zone.”
But the Bombshell actress isn’t just focused on working with great directors—she wants to use her star power to help others.
“There are so many opportunities in terms of being able to be of service to the people who are coming up,” she told Variety in October. “It’s very hard for me to go, ‘OK, I’m just going to take care of myself,’ because I’m so much about taking care of other people. I’m thinking, ‘I can create more work for people. I can create jobs for people.’”
“And also, I love it,” she added. “I have the passion. I’ve just got to take care of my body. I wish I had superpowers because I would love to be everywhere.”
Read on to look back at some of Nicole’s best roles.
—Reporting by Emily Curl
Dead Calm
Nicole Kidman made her onscreen debut in 1983, but it was her breakout role alongside Sam Neill and Billy Zane in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm that really put her on the map.
Days of Thunder
In 1990, Kidman starred as Tom Cruise's love interest in this high-octane drama, and the pair married later that year.
Far and Away
The power couple teamed up again for director Ron Howard's epic romance, playing Irish immigrants hoping to claim land in 1890s America.
To Die For
The Aussie actress earned her first Golden Globe for this critically-acclaimed satirical comedy about an ambitious TV reporter.
Batman Forever
In 1995, she starred in her first superhero movie, playing Dr. Chase Meridian opposite Val Kilmer's Batman.
Practical Magic
In this beloved 1998 comedy, Kidman joined forces with Sandra Bullock to play witchy sisters Sally and Gilly Owens.
Eyes Wide Shut
Before their divorce in 2001, Kidman and Cruise appeared onscreen together one last time in Stanley Kubrick's erotic drama.
Moulin Rouge!
In 2001, she picked up her first Oscar nomination for her role as Satine in the dazzling hit musical.
The Others
Switching gears once again, Kidman delivered a spooky turn and a twist ending in this supernatural horror.
The Hours
Kidman scored her first Oscar win in 2002, playing the writer Virginia Woolf.
Bewitched
While Bewitched didn't cast a spell at the 2005 box office, Kidman was widely praised for her comedic turn a opposite Will Ferrell.
The Golden Compass
In 2007, she stole the show as the wicked Mrs. Coulter in this fantasy adventure film based on the books by Philip Pullman.
Rabbit Hole
The actress earned her third Oscar nomination for this 2010 drama, starring alongside Aaron Eckhart as a couple dealing with the aftermath of their child’s death.
Paddington
It was back to villain mode in 2014, playing an evil taxidermist who was trying to stuff poor Paddington and display him in the Natural History Museum.
Lion
Kidman starred as adoptive mother Sue Brierley in this heartwarming true story that earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
In 2017, she joined Colin Farrell and Barry Keoghan in this critically-acclaimed and very creepy psychological thriller by director Yorgos Lanthimos.
Aquaman
She dove back into the superhero realm in 2018 by playing Atlanna, the mother to Jason Momoa's Aquaman.
Big Little Lies
Kidman joined the all-star cast of Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Zoë Kravitz, and Laura Dern in HBO's hugely popular limited series, earning herself an Emmy and a Golden Globe along the way.
Bombshell
She portrayed Gretchen Carlson in this 2019 drama about the downfall of Fox News CEO Roger Ailes.
The Undoing
She teamed up with Hugh Grant to star in this psychological drama, which ended up being HBO's most-watched show of 2020.
AMC Theatres ad
She created one of the pop culture moments of 2021 by declaring, "heartbreak feels good in a place likе this" for AMC.
Nine Perfect Strangers
Kidman's hotstreak on TV continued into 2021 with her role as the mysterious host of a wellness resort in this Hulu drama series.
Being the Ricardos
In 2022, the actress racked up her fifth Oscar nomination playing Lucille Ball opposite Javier Bardem's Desi Arnaz.
Expats
And in 2024, she joined the ensemble cast of Amazon Prime's new series, about the lives of expatriates living in Hong Kong.