Ringside Report Puts the Spotlight On Nicole Kidman
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By Geoffrey Huchel
As a kid in the 1980s, I remember watching an Australian movie called BMX BANDITS (1983). It was released during the huge BMX bike racing craze. It’s a lesser known film, but I’ve watched it more times than I can count, and ultimately it has become one of my favorites. I didn’t know it at first, but this movie starred a very curly haired Nicole Kidman; who would go on to become one of Hollywood’s biggest and most respected stars. Although she was a relative unknown when she played Judy in BANDITS, you knew there was something special about her. Kidman’s range is supreme and the characters she portrays are very diverse. No two are the same. She is regarded as one of the most acclaimed and versatile actresses working today.
Kidman’s career began in her native Australia in the 1980s with a string of movie and television appearances, before finding success in the United States. In the 1990s Kidman was cast as Claire in the action/thriller DAYS OF THUNDER (1990), with Tom Cruise and the crime/ drama BILLY BATHGATE (1991), with Dustin Hoffman. Kidman returned for a second time to work with her then-husband Tom Cruise in the period drama FAR AND AWAY (1992), directed by Ron Howard, and starred again with Michael Keaton in the drama MY LIFE (1993).
In the mid-90s Kidman, in one of best performances, starred as the calculating Suzanne Stone in TO DIE FOR (1995), earning a Golden Globe Award and co-starring Matt Dillon and Joaquin Phoenix; she played Bruce Wayne’s love interest Dr. Chase Meridian in BATMAN FOREVER (1995); the romance/drama THE PORTRAIT OF A LADY (1996); the action/thriller THE PEACEMAKER (1997) opposite George Clooney; and PRACTICAL MAGIC (1998), playing the sister of Sandra Bullock’s character. Kidman finished out the 1990s with a performance in Stanley Kubrick’s EYES WIDE SHUT (1999), co-starring for a third time with Tom Cruise.
The early 2000s brought Kidman three of her most famous roles; Grace, a mother of two who believe they are being haunted in the spooky THE OTHERS (2001); Satine, a cabaret actress in MOULIN ROUGE (2001) earning Kidman another Golden Globe win and THE HOURS (2002) in her Oscar winning role of Virginia Woolf. Kidman’s next film was the Civil War drama COLD MOUNTAIIN (2003), playing Ada, the love interest of Jude Law’s character. In 2004, Kidman starred as Joanna, in the remake THE STEPFORD WIVES (2004), with Matthew Broderick and Bette Midler. In the years that followed Kidman appeared in BEWITCHED (2005), a reimagining of the classic television series; HAPPY FEET (2006), lending her voice as penguin Norma Jean; THE INVASION (2007); THE GOLDEN COMPASS, playing the villainous Mrs. Coulter; and as Lady Sarah Ashley in the epic drama AUSTRALIA (2008) opposite Hugh Jackman.
In recent years, Kidman delivered noteworthy performances in NINE (2009), featuring an all-star cast including Daniel Day Lewis and Penelope Cruz; THE PAPERBOY (2012) with Zac Efron and PADDINGTON (2014), playing the villain again as Millicent. Also, in 2014, Kidman shined in her amazing portrayal of Grace Kelly in the biopic GRACE OF MONACO (2014).
In 2016 Kidman received an Oscar nomination for her role in LION, and starred alongside Colin Farrell and Kirsten Dunst in the drama THE BEGUILED (2017). In 2017, Kidman starred as Celeste in the critically acclaimed HBO series BIG LITTLE LIES, with Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern. Kidman won both a Golden Globe and an Emmy for her work on the show. Kidman will be appearing in the upcoming season 2 of BIG LITTLE LIES, as well as a long line of projects in the works.
In addition to her remarkable career, Kidman has been involved in charity work serving as Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF since 1994 and UNIFEM since 2006.
Essential Kidman-
TO DIE FOR (1995)
THE OTHERS (2001)
MOULIN ROUGE (2001)
COLD MOUNTAIN (2003)
AUSTRALIA (2008)
BIG LITTLE LIES (2017)
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