Nicole Kidman covers the latest issue of Marie Claire Australia to promote her work in The Undoing, an HBO miniseries. But really, she’s got a million things going on, and I think she just agreed to this Australian fashion magazine because she was in town. During the lockdown, she was supposed to do Nine Perfect Strangers in America. Everything got screwed up, so they switched the locale (physically, changed the production) to Byron Bay, Australia. So she ends up talking a lot about how happy she is to be back “home” for several months for the film, and there’s a lot about her life and family. You can read the full piece here. Some highlights:
Coming back to Oz during the pandemic: “We’re just so grateful. The whole time during COVID, I couldn’t pop home and see my family, which was really tough. I missed my mum’s 80th and her knee operation, so now I’m just trying to be here. Last night, I dropped the kids at a sleepover, and then visited Mum. Friends are asking, “What did you do last night?” and I’m like, “I watched a documentary with my mum!” That’s my big Saturday night.
Being separated from Keith for a few weeks because of quarantine: “We’ve never been away from each other this long before; it’s hard, so we’re constantly on FaceTime. That’s our world now – and thank god for it. What would we have done without it?
On Hugh Grant, her costar in The Undoing: “He’s great to hang out with, so naughty. I’ve known Hugh since my early twenties. My sister and I remember going to dinner with Hugh and Liz Hurley at The Ivy in London and she and I would talk in our secret sister language. Hugh was always like, “What the hell are you saying?”… We just get along. I think having that British-Australian connection helped, and I already knew his wit, so we have an ease, which is great for an on-screen marriage. We went on this intense journey together. There were days when he’d go, “I’m just buggered. Are you?” And I’d go, “I’m wrecked, too. This is harrowing.”
The female energy in her home: “[It’s just] Keith and [the dog] Julian. At times, he just needs to escape with his guitar. Sometimes I’ll find him in his closet playing guitar. That’s when I know we really need to give him space. Oh, and he googles cars. I’ll know when he’s stressed ’cause he’s googling cars. I couldn’t care less what car I’m driving; you can pick me up in any old thing. But Keith and Faith love cars.
On Keith saying he “married up”: “Honestly though, I married into my heart. He just came along and protected me. He’s loved me, given me confidence, and made me so much more comfortable. He knows who I am and he’s opened me up. We have an interesting balance because I’m an introvert and he’s an extrovert. I’m deeply introverted. Not when I’m with a small number of people, but I’m not comfortable in crowds. I have trouble public speaking.
I’m not sure that I would consider Nicole Kidman a “high maintenance” person in general, but I feel like she’s definitely a person who needs a lot of “maintenance” in a relationship or marriage. Like, she needs to be the one being taken care of, the one who is nurtured and protected. A lot of people, men and women, are like that – the gardens in need of a gardener. I also love what she says about the female energy in her house – she talked a lot about how important her sister and mother are in her life, and now she has two little girls… and an adult daughter she rarely sees. And cats. She’s got three cats now.
Cover and IG courtesy of Marie Claire Australia.
The Undoing is great so far but I can’t help focusing on her face, only 5% of it moves
So true!
I just find it sad when actors value a pretty (and unrealistic aging) face over the a face that can act. There’s only so much acting that your eyes can do.
I came here to say the same thing! From some angles, her plastic surgery is so obvious, it’s distracting.
I have always been a fan of Nicole’s and hate, hate, HATE to agree with your statement because it bums me out, but yep, you are right, I find it very distracting.
During the first episode of the Undoing, there was a scene where she was a bit turned to the side, and it was a bit close up and she was in front of a window, I THINK it was natural light, but with Hollywood, ya never know. But my point is, you could REALLY see how smooth her entire forehead was, it was not moving at all, and then about two inches above her eyebrows WOULD move and I missed what was being said as I was SO fascinated by what was going on there.
And I mean, it sucks. Older male actors don’t have to do this. But someone like Nicole is expected to look the same as she did at 20. I *have* to imagine that if she didn’t do all this extra stuff to her face, she would still look great. She has always been fair and likely has used sunscreen religiously for decades. But I hate criticizing actresses for getting too much work done because I feel like they get so much pressure from the industry to do so. :/
There’s something about her chin/jawline that is distracting. She did something and I can’t quite figure it out.
Hahaha, totally agree with the comment of the distracting frozen face. It is even more frozen than in Big littles Lies, right? Or just the bangs of the character were helping.
In the full article, I loved her response to the question about what female directors bring to the table that is different. She said they’re the same,but haven’t been given the same opportunities. I can just imagine the smacked down look on the interviewer’s face.
Just wanted to say how much I love the phrase “the gardens and the gardeners”. It just sums up that dynamic so beautifully without judgment.
It makes me so happy to see her hair in its naturally curly reddish blond. I always loved her natural hair, and for years and years and years and years it was flat and blond. No insult to flat blond hair, if that’s your thing, but I prefer a curly reddish mane. Yay!
So, Nicole has three cats? I am planning on getting a new cat, and would like to hear if any of you can tell about the benefits of having to cats rather than one? I have noticed many get two siblings, and are a bit nervous about the added workload with two cats?
In my experience, one cat is that same amount of work as two cats. I still clean the litter box everyday. The only issue I have found that that there is a much longer adjustment period for two cats getting used to each other than say when you adopt a second dog. The first pair I had were sisters so they were fine, the second pair I had were both rescues. I fostered a kitten with my 3 year old tabby and she HATED him. Beat him up all the time, wouldn’t let him eat. Sadly he went back to the shelter but ended up in his perfect home. Next I fostered a 2 year old female and after a couple of weeks they were best friends.
Adopt in winter and keep your house cold. They will be much more likely to become friends fast if they need to cuddle. Works with rabbits too :p
I just would have to wear an extra sweater and socks
Beware. Some cats will get along, but others just won’t. I don’t think you can tell either, until they are introduced, what it will be. Despite getting behavioural guidance from our vet for my cats, they never ever learned to like each other, and the first ones in the home became very stressed. It never ever got better, and my son maintains another residence now, I’m pretty sure, for the sake of keeping the cats apart. It’s not about the workload, its about all the personalities in the house coping.
If you haven’t seen The Others, you have to see it.
@kkat that’s horrible advice and not cute at all.