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Nicole Kidman: “Why I wanted to walk away”

The Big Little Lies star was ready to give it all up.
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Even so, life after 50 is filled with promise for Nicole Kidman who’d all but given up her career.

“I was at a point probably about a decade ago where I wanted to quit.”

“I’m lucky I have the mother who goes, ‘No, hold on to your career because you’re going to want that at some point; you are creative.’ I told her I was happy to sit here and I’d worked my whole life and I just wanted to sit and smell the roses, and my mum insisted I still needed to be out there doing what I do and sharing my artistic voice.”

“And that’s when I did Rabbit Hole [2010] so even though it looks like all of this just happened for me, that was a lot to get it made and that gave me a little encouragement to go down that road.”

It’s a good thing she kept going, because the Hollywood star has been nominated for an AACTA for her supporting role in Boy Erased alongside Russell Crowe.

“Getting nominated by my peers in Australia feels like such an amazing acknowledgement and I feel so much a part of Australia and everything coming out of it. It also feels amazing to have had last year with Top of the Lake and to be in an Australian film, Lion, because it’s still a huge part of who I am and who I want to be. Even though I play an American in Boy Erased, I was happy to be able to support [director] Joel [Edgerton] – that was really important for both Russell and me, because he’s one of our own and I think that is also a very Australian trait: we are all very tight and for me to be honoured in this way, with an AACTA nomination, having been part of that industry since I was 14 years old, it makes me so grateful.”

So at this point in her career, she has no plans to stop.

“Right now, we are the trailblazers for the next generation because we are going, ‘Hey, we’re still here, we’re totally engaged and we’ve got things we’re willing to share!’ We want to nurture and be part of our community and help the next generation and keep it alive!”

For more, pick up the new issue of WHO.

WHO
(Credit: WHO)
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