Nicole Kidman, one of Hollywood's most recognizable faces, actually kicked things off in Honolulu, of all places—not Australia, like everyone assumes. Her parents were both brainiacs: dad was deep in biochemistry and psychology, mom taught nursing. They bounced around a bit—first to D.C. for more research, then back to Sydney when Nicole was still tiny. She was all about ballet at first, but eventually got sucked into acting (after a riveting debut as a sheep in a school play, no less). Instead of soaking up sun like her classmates, Kidman spent her teen years holed up in rehearsal spaces. She got noticed early, especially after Jane Campion (yes, that Jane Campion) sent her a letter cheering her on. By 16, Nicole ditched high school for a shot at film, scoring her first movie, "Bush Christmas." From there, it was a steady climb—TV gigs, a lead in "BMX Bandits," and a big splash in the miniseries "Vietnam." Her real Hollywood break came with "Dead Calm." Then, boom, she’s in "Days of Thunder" romancing Tom Cruise, both on and off screen. They got married, but Nicole kept hustling—roles in "Flirting," "Billy Bathgate," and "Far and Away." The world didn’t really buy her as a star until "To Die For," where she played a hilariously twisted housewife. Golden Globe? Nailed it. She kept mixing it up, from period dramas to action flicks, and even got tangled in Kubrick’s wild "Eyes Wide Shut" shoot. Through it all, family mattered most—she grew up debating politics at dinner and backing her activist parents, staying grounded even as the tabloids swirled.
So, back when they were filming Australia in 2008, Nicole Kidman basically turned into an absolute legend on set. There’s Hugh Jackman, right? Just chilling, about to hop into this bag for a scene, and suddenly Nicole spots a legit poisonous scorpion making its way up his leg. Total nightmare fuel. Instead of freaking out or calling for help, she just kept it cool—told Hugh not to move a muscle, crouched down, and literally scooped the creepy crawler into her hat. Then she just strolled off like it was no big deal and released the scorpion back into the woods. Everybody started clapping, obviously, but someone had to ask why she didn’t just squash it, you know? Nicole said she’d never kill an animal, and that every creature’s got its place in the world. The scorpion just didn’t need to be in Hugh’s bag. Classic Nicole, honestly.
Man, marriage is wild, isn’t it? There’s this myth that it’s all roses and candlelit dinners, but most days it’s just trying to figure out how not to drive each other nuts. I mean, living with someone—like really living with them—takes guts and patience, and let’s be honest, a little bit of magic. I totally get why people roll their eyes at that lovey-dovey stuff, but honestly, I’m crazy about being married. Maybe I downplay it sometimes because, yeah, people can’t help but comment like, “Oh, look at you two!” But honestly? I lucked out. I found someone who sticks around through my weird moods and all my quirks. That’s rare. Not everyone gets that, you know? It’s kind of like winning the relationship lottery, even if you have to compromise every single day.
June 20, 1967
5′ 11″ (1.80 m)
Konidela Ram Charan
Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
Yes, Isabella Jane Cruise
Janelle Ann Kidman (Glenny) and Surekha
58 years old