Naomi Watts is full of praise for her lifelong friend Kidman, who landed one of TIME magazine’s six special issue covers: “Dead Calm was released in 1989. Big Little Lies was released in 2017,” writes Watts. “In the interim, Nicole Kidman has never once left our consciousness. And even after decades, she continues to break new ground… But beyond being an outstanding actor, Nicole has intelligence, compassion, kindness and humour that make her the epitome of a great woman and friend.”
Also flying the Australian flag is Hugh Jackman, who is honoured by his Les Miserables co-star Anne Hathaway. “I’ve never stopped and analysed why I love Hugh Jackman,” Hathaway writes. “For me, it’s like loving chocolate or puppies or rainbows: effortless.” Similarly, actress Priyanka Chopra is full of praise for her pal Meghan Markle, calling her “a princess for the people” crediting her for making “a cynical world believe in fairy tales again.”
Elsewhere, former president Barack Obama praises the Parkland, Florida shooting survivors turned activists: “They have the power so often inherent in youth,” he writes. “To see the world anew; to reject the old constraints, outdated conventions and cowardice too often dressed up as wisdom.”
This year, there are a record-breaking 45 women on the list and 45 of the influencers named are under the age of 40. "The TIME 100, always a reflection of its moment, looks quite different than in the past," noted TIME Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal.
