ANCIENT& not so ancient WISDOM
offering a weekly positive perspective

October 14, 2004

When you relinquish your desire to control your future, you can have more happiness

- Nicole Kidman (1967 - ) 

"Since my divorce, I lean, consciously or not, toward characters who are strong women taking control of their destiny, personal and professional," said Kidman. "The position of a so-called powerful actress is comforting for a single woman like me," she added.

Nicole was born on Honolulu, Hawaii on the 20th of June 1967, and holds dual US and Australian citizenship. The family moved with her father’s work with breast cancer from Hawaii to Washington DC and then back to Sydney. 

She began taking ballet lessons at 3, moving onto mime at 8 and drama at 10. Her first public role was at 6, as a loud sheep in her elementary school's Christmas pageant. Just entering her teens, she was known as Storky (5’10”) and spent her weekends at the Philip Street Theatre learning. She had her first kiss onstage in Frank Wedekind's Spring Awakening. 

Kidman's film debut was in Bush Christmas, about a poor family relying on their racehorse to make their fortune in a race on New Year's Day. The movie was a big hit.

As Nicole continued her education at the Australian Theatre For Young People in Sydney and the St Martin's Youth Theatre in Melbourne, she was offered parts in a host of movies. At 17, she landed a role in a Disney TV production that was filmed five days a week for seven months giving Kidman plenty of time to develop confidence before the camera. 

She took time off from her career to help her mother who was diagnosed with cancer. 

Back at work with some key roles, received a call from Tom Cruise's people, asking her to come talk about Days Of Thunder. Meeting Cruise and his people in a hotel conference room, she was embarrassed by the way she towered over the megastar, but the next day she was informed she was in and the height wasn’t a problem. 

Wishing you much happiness.  

Sincerely,