Center Stage: Nicole Kidman

Born Nicole Mary Kidman in Honolulu, Hawaii on June 20, 1967. Living briefly in Washington, DC, the Kidman family returned to native Sydney, Australia when Nicole was four. Nicole showed a huge interest in ballet and started classes in mime and drama. In her later school years the acting bug took hold and became the mainstay in Nicole's life, often opting to miss outings with friends and could be found in the theater honing her craft.

In 1983 Kidman appeared in her film debut, "BMX Bandits", at the age of 15. Throughout the 1980's she appeared in the Australian soap opera 'A Country Practice', the mini-series 'Vitenam' and the film "Emerald Forest" (1988). In 1989, her starring role in "Dead Calm" as Rae Ingram wife of a naval officer John Ingram (Sam Neill), held captive on their yacht by Hughie Warriner (Billy Zane), while vacationing on the high seas would become her breakthrough performance. The film garnered good reviews from the likes of Variety and critic Roger Ebert.

The nineties saw Kidman starring in larger, high-profile roles and would eventually lead to her international success. The first of these roles was the Ron Howard directed, car racing action flick "Days of Thunder" (1990) playing opposite Tom Cruise. During production Kidman and Cruise began a relationship that would eventually lead to their wedding by the end of the year. Kidman and Cruise would star alongside each other for Ron Howard again in 1992's "Far And Away". Kidman caught the attention of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association and received her first Golden Globe nomination for her portrayal of murderous newscaster Suzanne Maretto, in the satirical comedy "To Die For". Kidman rounded out the decade starring alongside Sandra Bullock in the highly enjoyable, supernatural romance film "Practical Magic" and in Stanley Kubrik's final directing effort, "Eyes Wide Shut" opposite husband Tom Cruise.

2001 was a huge year and saw Kidman starring in two blockbuster hits, Baz Lurhmann's musical "Moulin Rouge!" and the moody thriller "The Others". A Golden Globe nomination and win for 'Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical' was cinched for her portrayal of ill-fated heroine Satine in "Moulin Rouge!" Sadly, her Academy Award nomination for 'Best Actress' alluded her. The following year Kidman portrayed Virginia Woolf in Stephen Daldry's "The Hours" and earned Kidman her second 'Best Actress' Academy Award nomination and first win in 2003. The following years would be fraught with mainstream success and a mixture of good reviews and pans from critics.

Kidman's personal life was going through upheaval during the epitome of her career, a much publicized divorce from Tom Cruise and speculation of an affair with Jude Law occurring while starring opposite each other in "Cold Mountain". Kidman threw herself into her work while keeping a low public profile. In 2004 Lenny Kravitz and Kidman were spotted together and shared a brief romance. While in attendance of a 'G'day LA' event Kidman met second husband, country singer and fellow Aussie, Keith Urban in 2005. The pair were married the following year in Australia and bought a home in Tennessee and in 2008 welcomed their first daughter, Sunday Rose.

Nicole Kidman remains one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood and one of the most diverse, and on a personal note, my favorite actress. Aside from her impressive acting abilities, Nicole has surprised audiences by doing all of her own singing in her films, from the fabulous and sexy Satine in "Moulin Rouge!" to the playful Norma Jean in "Happy Feet". Nicole is a beautiful human being and humanitarian being a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF since 1994 and raising funds for disadvantaged children around the world. There is nothing that this lady can't accomplish and with several projects in the works well into 2011, we're guaranteed great performances for years to come!

Selected filmography:

BMX Bandits 1983
Dead Calm 1989
Days of Thunder 1990
Billy Bathgate 1991
Far and Away 1992
To Die For 1995
Batman Forever 1995
The Peacemaker 1997
Practical Magic 1998
Eyes Wide Shut 1999
Moulin Rouge! 2001
The Others 2001
The Hours 2002
Dogville 2003
Cold Mountain 2003
The Stepford Wives 2004
Birth 2004
The Interpreter 2005
Bewitched 2005
Happy Feet 2006
The Invasion 2007
The Golden Compass 2007
Australia 2008
Nine 2009