Nicole Kidman has built one of the most varied careers in modern film and television, moving between major studio productions, independent dramas, prestige series and challenging character roles. From Dead Calm and Moulin Rouge! to The Hours, Big Little Lies, The Undoing and Babygirl, she has repeatedly taken on projects that allow her to explore very different characters. In 2026, she remains active on screen, with Practical Magic 2 among her major releases and several television projects expanding her recent body of work.
Nicole Kidman’s Early Career
Born in Honolulu and raised in Australia, Nicole Kidman began acting professionally as a teenager. Her early Australian film and television work established her before international audiences became familiar with her.
One of the films that helped introduce her to a wider audience was Dead Calm, the 1989 psychological thriller directed by Phillip Noyce. She followed it with increasingly prominent roles, including Days of Thunder alongside Tom Cruise, Far and Away, and Batman Forever.
During the 1990s, Kidman continued balancing commercial films with more demanding dramatic projects. To Die For, released in 1995, was particularly significant because her performance as ambitious television personality Suzanne Stone demonstrated how effectively she could combine comedy, drama and darker character elements.
Her work in Eyes Wide Shut, directed by Stanley Kubrick, further strengthened her reputation as an actor willing to take on unconventional material.
Nicole Kidman and Her Oscar-Winning Performance
The early 2000s became a defining period in Nicole Kidman’s career. She received Academy Award nominations for Moulin Rouge! and later won the Oscar for Best Actress for playing Virginia Woolf in The Hours. The Academy records the award as her first Oscar victory.
The Hours required Kidman to portray a real historical writer while sharing the film with Julianne Moore and Meryl Streep. Her performance demonstrated a markedly different side of her acting compared with the glamorous musical role she had played in Moulin Rouge! the previous year.
Her later film work continued to move across genres. She appeared in Cold Mountain, The Stepford Wives, Australia, Nine and Rabbit Hole. The latter earned her another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress.
Major Film Milestones
| Film | Year | Role or significance |
|---|---|---|
| Dead Calm | 1989 | Early international breakthrough |
| To Die For | 1995 | Acclaimed dramatic performance |
| Moulin Rouge! | 2001 | Oscar-nominated musical role |
| The Hours | 2002 | Academy Award-winning performance |
| Rabbit Hole | 2010 | Oscar-nominated dramatic role |
| Lion | 2016 | Oscar-nominated supporting performance |
| Being the Ricardos | 2021 | Oscar-nominated Lucille Ball portrayal |
| Babygirl | 2024 | Venice Best Actress-winning performance |
From Film to Prestige Television
Television became an increasingly important part of Nicole Kidman’s career during the 2010s. She starred in HBO’s Big Little Lies, playing Celeste Wright alongside Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Shailene Woodley and Zoë Kravitz.
The series became a major television success and earned Kidman an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for its first season.
She subsequently appeared in The Undoing, Nine Perfect Strangers and Expats, demonstrating how streaming and premium television provided opportunities for established film actors to lead long-form stories.
Her work in television has also increased her involvement as a producer. That has allowed her to participate in projects beyond simply performing in front of the camera.
For readers interested in celebrity film careers, George Clooney’s career and filmography offers another example of an established Hollywood actor moving between film, television, production and other creative work.
Nicole Kidman’s Recent Film Work
Kidman has continued choosing projects that differ substantially in tone and subject.
In Being the Ricardos, she portrayed television icon Lucille Ball opposite Javier Bardem as Desi Arnaz. The performance earned Kidman another Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, her fifth overall Oscar nomination at that point.
She later starred in Babygirl, a psychological erotic thriller directed by Halina Reijn. Her performance earned the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at the 2024 Venice Film Festival. The role represented another departure from the more conventional studio dramas associated with some of her earlier work.
In 2024, she also appeared in the Netflix mystery series The Perfect Couple, which became another example of her continued interest in high-profile television projects.
💡 Pro Tip:
If you are exploring Nicole Kidman’s filmography for the first time, watching one project from each stage of her career gives a clearer picture of her range than focusing only on her most famous films. Try To Die For, The Hours, Big Little Lies and Babygirl.
What Is Nicole Kidman Working On in 2026?
2026 has been another busy year for Kidman. She stars alongside Sandra Bullock in Practical Magic 2, returning as Gillian Owens nearly three decades after the original fantasy film. The sequel is scheduled for a September 18, 2026 theatrical release. Susanne Bier directs, with Bullock and Kidman reprising their roles as the Owens sisters.
Kidman is also leading the Prime Video series Scarpetta, based on Patricia Cornwell’s popular novels. In addition, she is attached to Apple’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles, adding another television project to an already extensive streaming résumé.
Another upcoming project is Discretion, a Paramount+ legal drama starring Kidman and Elle Fanning. The series has received an eight-episode order, with production planned for later in 2026.
Kidman also appeared as a presenter at the 98th Academy Awards in March 2026, showing that her connection with the Oscars continues beyond her own nominated performances.
📌 Key Takeaway:
Nicole Kidman’s career is defined by variety. Her film work includes Oscar-winning drama, musicals, thrillers and biographical performances, while her television career has made her a major figure in prestige and streaming productions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Nicole Kidman best known for?
Nicole Kidman is best known for films including Moulin Rouge!, The Hours, The Others, Cold Mountain and Being the Ricardos, as well as television series such as Big Little Lies and The Undoing.
Did Nicole Kidman win an Oscar?
Yes. Kidman won the Academy Award for Best Actress for The Hours at the 75th Academy Awards. She has also received several additional Oscar nominations throughout her career.
What is Nicole Kidman’s newest movie?
One of her major 2026 releases is Practical Magic 2, in which she returns as Gillian Owens alongside Sandra Bullock. The film is scheduled for theatrical release on September 18, 2026.
Is Nicole Kidman in Practical Magic 2?
Yes. Kidman reprises her role as Gillian Owens in Practical Magic 2, returning alongside Sandra Bullock as the sisters Sally and Gillian Owens.
What TV shows has Nicole Kidman starred in?
Her notable television credits include Big Little Lies, The Undoing, Nine Perfect Strangers, Expats, The Perfect Couple and Scarpetta. Her television work has become an increasingly important part of her career.
Nicole Kidman’s Continuing Career
Nicole Kidman has remained relevant by avoiding a single definition of what her career should look like. She has moved from Australian productions to Hollywood films, prestige television and streaming projects while continuing to accept roles that challenge her professionally.
Her Oscar-winning performance in The Hours remains one of her most recognized achievements, but her later work shows that her career has continued to evolve. With Practical Magic 2, Scarpetta, Margo’s Got Money Troubles and Discretion among her recent projects, Nicole Kidman remains an active presence across both film and television.
