Nicole Kidman Reflects on 25 Years in Hollywood and 'Lucky' Life with Her Kids and 'Deep Love' Keith Urban

The Oscar and Emmy winner is at the top of her game after three decades in Hollywood, relishing work and a 'lucky' life with her kids and 'deep love' Keith Urban

Feeling comfortable among Hollywood's glitterati didn't come easy to Nicole Kidman. "I remember the first time I went to the Academy Awards, and I was like, this is the most overwhelming, intimidating place ever," recalls the Expats star, 56, who broke through in the U.S. with Dead Calm in 1989 and became an Oscar-Emmy-Golden Globe-winning actress and producer of hits like Big Little Lies, The Undoing and Special Ops: Lioness. "Now I walk in and I’m like, Oh, right, I know most of the people here, I’ve grown up [and] lived a life with them. That’s a really beautiful thing. It's my tribe." Raising daughters Sunday Rose, 15, and Faith Margaret, 13, with husband and "deep, deep love" Keith Urban, 56, also fills the 2002 Most Beautiful cover star, who spoke to PEOPLE for the magazine's 50th anniversary special issue, with profound gratitude: "I’m so lucky."

The world has followed your journey for so long. What’s that been like? 
Crazy. Crazy good. I started working at 14, and I've grown up on camera and in front of people, so that's really exposing, but at the same time, it's my path. I've shared my ups and downs with the world and also shared all of my work. That's been my life...my children, my husband and my work.

What’s your comfort level with fame?
I'm not an extrovert. I’m shy. I wouldn’t say I’m the person that walks in and goes, I own this room. I like small, intimate dinner parties [and] hanging at people's houses. I'm not a nightclub kind of girl, but I love dancing and I’ll go to a rave because I just want to lose it with a group of people and dance. That's really fun. I love music. I love dancing. I'm obviously married to a musician, so that's a huge part of our life. [And] traveling has been one of the greatest gifts of this job. I set out as an Australian actress who was born in America, who wanted to be a global citizen and work everywhere. I’ve had that opportunity. I've traveled to the most obscure places. I've worked with directors from most nationalities and had incredible, intimate, deep relationships with lots and lots of people.

You've been consistent about learning from other people and places along the way.
That's important to me. I don't know where I'm going next. I have no plan. I'm open, willing and still incredibly curious.

What advice would you give your younger self?
Be kind to yourself. I'm my toughest critic. My biggest thing would be "Go easy on yourself, Nicky."

Who has helped you not be so hard on yourself and supported you along the way?
I've had so many mentors. I've had so many people that when you reach out and you go, "I'm really in need of help right now," they have appeared, saved me, helped me, taught me, guided me and been unbelievably generous towards me. I am the recipient of an enormous amount of love. A lot of people have believed in me and given me the courage and opportunity when they didn't have to. I'm always passing that on.

You've pointedly collaborated with so many female directors over the years.
I'm working with female directors who are taking a huge bite out of this world right now. [Expats'] Lulu Wang is one of them and I was like, yeah, let's go, I'm with you. Mimi Cave, Halina Reijn, who I just finished working with on Baby Girl, and people like Susanne Bier and Karyn Kusama. These women are either in their prime or are in that sort of launching stage. I just love being a part of their world and their vision and being able to go, I'm here, I'll support you. They're telling our stories. They're showing up and writing these fantastic roles for all ages and all sorts of people and we're so lucky to have them. I mean, these are women who are stepping into their own.

How do you juggle being an actress and producer on projects like Expats, Special Ops: Lioness and Big Little Lies?
It's been stepping into my own power and being able to go, "Okay, I can actually not just act in this show, but I can shepherd it and carry it and make strong, hard, logical decisions to get things made." That side of my brain wasn't really being used because the creative side is far more visceral for me. I was really good at mathematics at school and that side of my brain was very underused. The emotional visceral part of who I am is very over used and it is probably my greatest joy as well.

I can [also] delegate and it's also the way in which you work and collaborate together. [For instance], Reese [Witherspoon] and I are always talking and going, "Okay, how do we do this and how do we do that" and that started on the first Big Little Lies. She's a huge confidant for me and we're able to confide and share and guide each other, so I've got those people as well in my life now, which is really so good because you can lean on people.

You have a great support system.
I have my sister, mother, nieces, nephews, daughters. I'm raising a soon to be 16-year-old and a 13-year-old who are divine. They're just lovely people and I'm so lucky that I have Keith, who's just my love, my deep, deep love. That gives me the ability to go and do whatever I have to do because I know where I can come back to.

Credits

Photographer Art Streiber

Cinematographer Matt Blair

Set Design Anthony A. Altomare/Buffalo Art Co.

Prop Stylist Nick Tortorici 

Hair Italo Gregorio/Bryan Bantry

Makeup Kate Synnott/The Wall Group

Manicurist Lisa Bilavern

Stylist Jason Bolden

Wardrobe Blazer: Fendi, Bodysuit: Wolford, Skirt: A.L.C., Shoes: Gianvito Rossi, Jewelry: David Yurman

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