Making Her Mark

Long established as a serious dramatic actress (with an Oscar, four Golden Globes and an Emmy to prove it), Nicole Kidman is these days most passionate about family, friends and bringing humanity to her life and work

Nicole Kidman and her husband, the country music star Keith Urban, like to play a little game. Say they’re talking about a guitarist: “When I say to him, ‘What kind of guitarist is that person?’ we do this,” she says, patting her head, patting her heart, and then motioning downwards. “Head, heart, or,” she cocks an eyebrow. “It’s a great way to describe different artists, right?”

It is. And it also raises a question: what kind of artist is she? “Well, I always say I’m a pretty even mix, but I’m probably dominated by that,” she says, with one hand over her heart. “If you don’t come from a feeling place, you just end up with an enormous amount of technique. I have this,” she says, tapping her head, “but that can be overruled. It fluctuates too. I have a strong sexuality. It’s a huge part of who I am and my existence.”

Anyone who has seen Kidman in HBO’s hit series Big Little Lies has witnessed all three elements at play, but off-screen her sexuality also manifests in more innocent ways, such as when she sees her husband – who crashes our interview at Noshville Delicatessen in Nashville, where the couple have lived since they married in 2006. “Excuse me,” Urban says, approaching the booth. “Can I clear these dishes for you?” Kidman beams and pulls him down next to her. They eat here often enough that the burgundy-haired hostess, Linda, barely bats an eye when they enter but can’t help exhaling dreamily when they leave: “I could stare at him all day long. He’s just the most beautiful man!”