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The ravishing redhead was thrown into the Hollywood
limelight as Tom Cruise's wife, but Nicole Kidman has become an A-list
actress and a household name on the strength of her acting abilities,
not because of the wedding ring on her finger.
Many would be fooled into thinking that Nicole was born down under
because of her noticeable Australian accent, but they would be wrong.
Nicole Mary Kidman was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, on June 20, 1967.
The Kidmans lived in the U.S. because Nicole's biochemist father was
conducting research on breast cancer.
Once Nicole was 4 years old, her family moved to Australia, where
Nicole and her younger sister were raised under strict rules. Anthony
and Janelle Kidman were extremely politically active, and instilled
certain values into their daughters. The Kidman girls were even required
to discuss a political issue or current affair with their parents
at the end of every day.
Hard as it is to believe, Nicole felt extremely awkward and out of
place while growing up. Although today her statuesque figure is part
of her beauty, as a child her figure was not proportionate, and she
stood at a lanky height compared to her classmates. Her pale complexion
did not make matters any better for young Nicole.
Insecure with her awkward physique, Nicole sought refuge in performing
and drama. She participated regularly at the Philip Street Theater
in Sydney, where future director Jane Campion, who was a film student
at the time, was greatly impressed by Nicole's acting abilities. Her
love for ballet and the performing arts, as well as Jane Campion's
encouraging words, were enough for Nicole to know that acting was
her calling.
Nicole made her acting debut in 1983, in the Australian film Bush
Christmas. She made quite a lasting impression on her fellow Australians,
who still watch the film on television every December.
By the time she dropped out of high school to pursue a full-time
acting career and tend to her mother who had been diagnosed with breast
cancer, Nicole had already become a star Down Under. She soon became
recognized across the globe in the United States, when she appeared
in the 1989 thriller, Dead Calm.
Finally growing into her figure and becoming the red headed beauty
we know today, Nicole next appeared in the film Days of Thunder, which
would mold her life in more ways than one. In the racecar flick, she
stole co-star Tom Cruise's heart both on and off screen. The couple
were married after a brief courtship in 1990, and remain happily married.
Although Nicole's next roles in films such as Billy Bathgate, Far
and Away (co-starring then hubby Tom Cruise), My Life, and Malice
did not fare too well at the box office, the actress was still climbing
her way to becoming one of Hollywood's hottest commodities.
In 1995, Nicole secured her A-list status with her critically acclaimed
performance in the dark film To Die For. Her role as the fame-hungry
journalist swept aside all doubts that Nicole was just another actress
-- her performance was one of the most respected of the year, and
garnered her the Best Actress Award at the Golden Globes, among others.
As a Batman woman and the sexy love interest in the summer blockbuster
Batman Forever, Nicole stole the hearts of many men and film critics
alike.
The following years were marked by a leading role in Jane Campion's
film adaptation of The Portrait of a Lady; a co-starring role in DreamWorks'
first feature film, The Peacemaker, opposite George Clooney; and her
teaming up with Sandra Bullock in the romantic comedy Practical Magic.
Nicole and Tom starred as husband and wife (not too much of a stretch)
in the psychosexual drama Eyes Wide Shut, classic director Stanley
Kubrick's final film. The much anticipated film drew mixed reviews,
despite the fact that it took most of 1997 to film.
Returning to her theatrical roots, Nicole starred in the Broadway
production of The Blue Room, which garnered her raves reviews and
a Theatre World Award.
Continuing their reign as one of Hollywood's most powerful and photogenic
couple, Nicole and Tom are the parents of two adoptive children, Isabella
Jane and Connor Anthony, and are members of the Church of Scientology,
along with Hollywood couple John Travolta and Kelly Preston, and actress
Jenna Elfman.
Nicole will next appear in the films Birthday Girl and Moulin Rouge,
while Criminal Conversation and a film adaptation of Berlin Diaries
are still in the works.
Nicole's husband of 10 years, Tom Cruise, filed for divorce in February
2001, which triggered news that Nicole suffered a miscarriage in early
2001.Nicole Kidman
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