Nicole Kidman Nicole Kidman first came to the attention of American audiences with her critically acclaimed performance in the riveting 1989 psychological thriller "Dead Calm". Since then, she has become one of the most sought-after young actresses in film. The much lauded 1985 Kennedy-Miller miniseries "Vietnam" made her a virtual overnight star in Australia. Only seventeen at the time, she was voted Best Actress of the Year by the Australian Film Institute for her performance. In addition to public and critical acclaim, her performance in the series also attracted attention of film makers throughout Australia. In 1995, she starred as Suzanne Stone, in director Gus Van Sant's widely acclaimed black comedy "To Die For". For her pitch-perfect, wickedly funny portrayal of a woman obsessed with the dream of becoming a TV personality, she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, along with Best Actress Awards from the Boston Film Critics, National Broadcast Film Critics, London Film Critics and the Seattle Film Festival. She was also nominated by BAFTA in the best actress category. Kidman made a highly-lauded London stage debut last Fall, starring with Iain Glenn in "The Blue Room", David Hare's modern adaptation of Schnitzler's "LaRonde ", for director Sam Mendes and the Donmar Warehouse. For her work in "The Blue Room" she won the Evening Standard Special Award `for her special and significant contribution to London Theater'. Last year, Kidman co-starred with Sandra Bullock in Grifien Dunne's romantic comedy "Practical Magic " . The year before, she starred with George Clooney in Mimi Leder ' s international thriller "The Peacemaker". In 1996 she starred in the title role, opposite John Malkovich, for Jane Campion's screen adaptation of Henry James "Portrait of a Lady. " Other film credits include "Days of Thunder " , "Billy Bathgate "(for which she received a Golden Globe nomination), "Malice", "My Life", "Far and Away", and "Batman Forever". Kidman will next be seen on the screen in the summer of 1999 opposite Tom Cruise in Stanley Kubrick ' s highly anticipated "Eyes Wide Shut " . Born in Hawaii, Kidman spent her childhood in Australia with parents who instilled in her a love of culture and education. Kidman made her debut in the Australian film "Bush Christmas" at fourteen and began to mix her schoolwork while working in film. She appeared in projects such as "Winners " and "Five Mile Creek". Between films, Kidman honed her craft at the Australian Theater for Young People in Sydney, and the Philip Street Theater where she learned voice, production and studied history.