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Cover story Slug here Nicole Kidman Love, laughter The Aussie star opens up to Jenny Cooney& about her lies career renaissance, the power of female friendships and the joy of finding true love later in life. icole Kidman may well be Hollywood’s starred in and co-produced with actress Reese quintessential Renaissance woman. Witherspoon, received an astounding 16 Emmy At 51, a time when most Hollywood nominations and won eight, including a personal actresses bemoan the lack of Emmy for Nicole as Best Actress – is yet another substantial roles and the fading successful second act, one that forms the perfect lustre of their careers, Nicole is riding the crest foundation for her recent triumphs. N of a professional wave that has reinvigorated That foundation is the commitment, security her presence and longevity in a notoriously and affection Nicole has found with the great capricious industry that often abandons genuine love of her life, country superstar Keith Urban, talent if it’s not wrapped in a vivacious the father of her daughters, Sunday Rose, nine, 30-something package. who goes by Sunny, and Faith Margaret, seven, Yet here stands Nicole, who strode onto who Nicole affectionately calls Fifi. the Hollywood stage almost 30 years ago as “We’re told that the chances of finding love get Tom Cruise’s love interest in Days of Thunder, less as you get older,” says Nicole, who was just 23 defiantly winning accolades and honours not when she married fellow actor Tom Cruise and from only for her moving, complex roles on screen whom she split in 2001, wondering if she would but also for her skill and acumen as a producer. ever be happy again. “So, that’s why I actually like Underpinning this professional revitalisation to say to women now, ‘No, I did meet the love of – Big Little Lies, the HBO TV series which Nicole my life at 40’. That’s a really important thing to ➝ FOURELEVEN.AGENCY. MUÑOZ, NINO BY PHOTOGRAPHY 28 The Australian Women’s Weekly | APRIL 2018 APRIL 2018 | The Australian Women’s Weekly 29 Cover story emphasise because it’s a beautiful thing; because if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone.” Nicole is speaking to The Weekly via telephone from her home in New York. The previous evening she was sitting in the front row at the Oscars ceremony in Los Angeles, playing a part in the 90th anniversary Academy Awards to honour past winners. Nicole flew back to New York today “It really came down to resume shooting an indie film in to Meryl standing up the morning. She warns that she has limited time to chat tonight because and saying ‘I support she needs to tuck daughters Sunny and Fifi into bed. Even so, she is in you as women’.” an expansive mood, discussing her relationship with Keith, the joy of working with friends such as Reese Witherspoon and Meryl Streep (soon to join Big Little Lies in its much anticipated second season), and her hope that her renewed success in Hollywood may give inspiration to other women. For now, though, she is basking in that post-Oscars glow, acknowledging what an honour it was to be included. “It was nice being there with no pressure in terms of presenting and about the next chapter in the lives of Golden Globe for Best Limited Series. As Swisse Wellness Global reacting when she hears tabloid not being up for an award but having those characters for a planned new It’s a glorious achievement for her Ambassador, Nicole says exercise reports that claim she opposed casting such a great year with television,” season, Nicole and her co-producer long-time production company, and meditation help her find Streep out of jealousy. “As a group of balance. From top right: Reese says Nicole proudly. “It all feels rather Reese Witherspoon both had only Blossom Films, and the 10 projects girls, we don’t even bother answering Witherspoon and Nicole filming surreal right now, that I am having one thought, ‘Meryl Streep’. The now listed in development at her a scene in Big Little Lies; Laura all those stories,” she says in speaking this extraordinary time in my life 21-time Oscar-nominated actress was company are just another sign that, Dern, Nicole, Zoe Kravitz, Reese for all her close-knit co-stars. going into my 51st year.” perfect to play Mary Louise Wright, after managing to produce only and Shailene Woodley celebrate “I love hearing that magazines like In another surreal moment, shortly the distraught mother of Perry two films in the previous eight years their Golden Globes win; Nicole The Australian Women’s Weekly are after Big Little Lies became a global (Alexander Skarsgard) who comes (Rabbit Hole in 2010 and The Family with her heroine, Meryl Streep. working to support women, because TV obsession, Nicole received an looking for answers about her late Fang in 2015), things are changing. that’s how we change things,” she email from an unexpected fan, acting son’s “accident”. “I called Reese and Not just for Nicole, she is quick to continues. “We all know what it’s like legend Meryl Streep. we were like, ‘gosh, I wonder if point out, but for women everywhere. it’s exciting and fun when women can that she would go into scenes, shooting out there for women on their own, and “She really responded to the show Meryl would be interested’ and in “You see people like Meryl and get together and complement each some of the most violent and tormented if we don’t help each other, by God it’s and wrote one of the most beautifully our wildest dreams we didn’t dare to Reese leading the way with this other to get things done. We still keep scenes her character experiences, and going to be a bad path for you.” eloquent emails about her emotional hope,” Nicole says. “But we were able allegiance and solidarity and it’s great pinching ourselves. We can’t believe then our director would say, ‘cut’ and With an occasional interruption response to my character Celeste’s to reach out to her and it was amazing to have the conversation happening we’ve wrangled everyone to come she was back, talking about schools from her eldest daughter in the other storyline of domestic violence,” the that she thought the role was good and see the changes happening right back together again, but we wanted to and kids and holiday plans.” room, asking for a snack before bed, Aussie star recalls excitedly. Nicole and enough that she wanted to do it. It now,” she says optimistically. “I think do it because it’s ours and it’s fun and The only person who does not seem Nicole remains focused and engaged Meryl have been friends since they really came down to her standing up it’s an important time for us always to it’s really cool!” to realise she has been elevated to the after a long cross-country day, talking shared a screen credit (but no scenes) in and going, ‘I support you as women, be reaching out to help each other.” Not surprisingly, Reese returns the status of The Great One is Nicole with deep emotion in her voice about the 2002 drama, The Hours, which and I believe in you’ and that’s a big Surrounded by powerful women in compliments about her “beautiful, herself. She talks humbly about the the love that’s brought her to this earned Nicole an Academy Award for statement coming from her.” her own life – starting with her beloved soulful, talented friend”. “I’ve worked career she has unexpectedly maintained sweet spot in life. Best Actress as author Virginia Woolf. The success of Big Little Lies has mother, Janelle, and her sister, Antonia in Hollywood for 25 years and I’ve long past the use-by date of most “To have met Keith just before I “I still call her The Great One,” she not only refreshed Nicole’s acting – Nicole sounds grateful. “I called never seen anyone transform so Hollywood actresses, turning in turned 40 and to be able to have Sunny giggles as she recalls the nickname she career, with her Best Actress Emmy Reese the other day and at the end of completely on set,” Reese said when award-winning performances in recent and Fifi with him, what a beautiful, playfully gave Streep at that time. and Golden Globe wins, but also the call I said, ‘gosh, I love working presenting Nicole with an acting honour films such asLion , The Beguiled and unexpected turn of events for me,” she So, when Big Little Lies author established her as a powerful producer with you’,” she recounts. “We both at the Gotham Film Awards last The Killing of a Sacred Deer. She is continues in a hushed tone. “I wanted Liane Moriarty submitted her novella – she picked up another Emmy and bring different things to the table and BANK. PHOTO POLK/NBC/NBCU CHRISTOPHER AUSTRALSCOPE. IMAGES. GETTY FOURELEVEN.AGENCY. MUÑOZ, NINO November. “I was in awe of the way even generous enough to restrain from it and I dreamed of it but I had ➝ 30 The Australian Women’s Weekly | APRIL 2018 APRIL 2018 | The Australian Women’s Weekly 31 Cover story no idea if it was actually going to with a handful of female directors, so happen. I feel beyond blessed to have it would be great to shift that so there this incredibly deep and powerful are percentage changes.

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