Kidman was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, US. Her father, Dr Antony David Kidman, is a biochemist, clinical psychologist and author, with an office in Lane Cove, Sydney. Her mother, Janelle Ann (née Glenny), is a nursing instructor who edits her husband's books and was a member of the Women's Electoral Lobby. At the time of Nicole Kidman's birth, her father was a visiting fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health of the United States. The family returned to Australia permanently when Kidman was four years old and Kidman's parents now reside on Sydney's North Shore. Kidman has a younger sister, Antonia Kidman, who is a journalist.Kidman attended Lane Cove Public School in her primary school years, and then she attended the North Sydney Girls' High School. She then studied at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, at the Phillip Street Theatre in Sydney, along with her friend Naomi Watts. This was followed by studies at the Australian Theatre for Young People.
Relationships
Kidman met Tom Cruise on the set of their 1990 movie, Days of Thunder. Cruise was married to actress Mimi Rogers at the time, and later divorced her. Kidman and Cruise were married on Christmas Eve 1990 in Telluride, Colorado. The couple adopted two children, a daughter Isabella and a son Connor. They separated just after their 10th wedding anniversary. At the time she was 3 months pregnant and subsequently had a miscarriage. Tom Cruise filed for divorce in February 2001. The marriage was dissolved in 2001, with Cruise citing irreconcilable differences as the cause of the divorce. The reasons for the dissolution have never been made public. Also, in an interview for Marie Claire magazine, Kidman mentions that she had an ectopic pregnancy early in their marriage. In an interview in the June 2006 issue of Ladies' Home Journal, Kidman reported that she still loved Tom Cruise. Kidman told the magazine: "He was huge; still is. To me, he was just Tom, but to everybody else, he is huge. But he was lovely to me. And I loved him. I still love him." In addition, she has expressed shock about their divorce.
The 2003 film Cold Mountain was plagued by rumours that an on-set affair between Kidman and co-star Jude Law was responsible for the break-up of his marriage. Both vehemently denied the allegations, and Kidman eventually won an undisclosed sum from the British tabloids that published the story. She donated the money to a Romanian orphanage in the town where the movie was filmed. Robbie Williams confirmed that they had a short 'romance' on her yacht in summer 2004. Shortly after her Oscar win, there were unconfirmed rumours of a relationship between her and fellow Oscar winner Adrien Brody. She met musician Lenny Kravitz in 2003 and dated him into 2004.
Kidman met country singer Keith Urban at G'Day LA, an event honouring Australians in January 2005. Kidman and Urban were married on Sunday June 25, 2006, at the Cardinal Cerretti Memorial Chapel in the grounds of St Patrick's Estate, Manly in Sydney. They maintain homes in Sydney, Los Angeles and Nashville, Tennessee. In March 2008, they purchased mansions in both Los Angeles and Nashville within the span of a few days.
After constant speculation by the press, on January 8, 2008, it was confirmed that Kidman was 3 months pregnant. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, on July 7, 2008, in Nashville, Tennessee. It was then revealed the next day by Nicole's father that their daughter's unusual first name was after Sunday Reed, and that her middle name was after Urban's late grandmother Rose.
Religion
Kidman was raised a Roman Catholic and currently is a practicing Catholic. She attended Mary Mackillop Chapel in North Sydney. However, during her marriage to Tom Cruise, she was reported to be a "half-hearted" follower of Scientology.
Politics
Kidman's name was included in an advertisement in the Los Angeles Times (August 17, 2006) that condemned organisations Hamas and Hezbollah, and supported Israel's efforts in the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict.
Kidman has made numerous donations to U.S. Democratic party candidates and endorsed John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election.
Charitable work
Kidman publicly supports a variety of charities and causes. She has been a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF Australia since 1994. She has worked to help raise money for and draw attention to the plight of the most disadvantaged children in Australia and around the world. In 2004, she was honoured as a "Citizen of the World" by the United Nations.
On January 26, 2006 (Australia Day), Kidman received Australia's highest civilian honour when she was made a Companion of the Order of Australia, for "service to the performing arts as an acclaimed motion picture performer, to health care through contributions to improve medical treatment for women and children and advocacy for cancer research, to youth as a principal supporter of young performing artists, and to humanitarian causes in Australia and internationally." However, due to film commitments and her wedding to Urban, it wasn't until April 13, 2007 that she was presented with the honour. She was also nominated goodwill ambassador for UNIFEM.
Kidman joined the 'Little Tee Campaign' for Breast Cancer Care to design T-shirts or vests to raise money for breast cancer. Kidman's mother, Janelle, is a breast cancer survivor who was diagnosed in 1984.
Press and other
In January 2005, Kidman won interim restraining orders against two Sydney-based paparazzi. In 2004 Kidman became the face of Chanel No. 5. Recently it was reported that from 2009 she will cease to represent the iconic fragrance. Kidman is left-handed.
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