Best Nicole Kidman Movies: Top 5 Films Most Recommended By Fans -

Hailing from the land down under (born in Hawaii, however, if we are being technical) comes today’s career spotlight pick, Nicole Kidman. You may know her as the songbird Satine in “Moulin Rouge” or perhaps for her two-season stint on “Big Little Lies.” But no matter what you may know of the acclaimed actress, you know she sure put in the effort to form an exhilarating filmography of some of the best Nicole Kidman movies in existence. From the beginning of her career to more recent films, she has consistently delivered captivating performances that have solidified her status as one of the most talented actresses in Hollywood. With each project, Kidman brings a unique intensity and vulnerability that captivates audiences and leaves a lasting impression. The best Nicole Kidman movies are examples of her amazing acting prowess that will live on in film forever.

Though Kidman’s success is no shocker, it may surprise you to find out that Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman makes the list of actors in Oscar-worthy movies in terms of her worth per second to these films! According to a study, Kidman is worth nearly $23,000 for every second she’s on the screen in recent Oscar-nominated films. Among her many credits, Kidman took home the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2003 for her work in “The Hours” and has been nominated a total of five times currently. However, that could change very soon, seeing as Kidman’s popularity and talent only seem to rise over time. Her movies consistently perform well at the box office, with many of them grossing over $100 million worldwide. Audiences are just drawn to her captivating performances and ability to portray complex characters with depth and nuance. As her career continues to thrive, it’s no surprise that Kidman remains one of the most sought-after actresses in the industry.

Of course, Kidman is known for much more beyond her work on screen. The actress, alongside her husband, country singer Keith Urban, is also known for their generous charity and philanthropy efforts. Just this year, the couple provided a substantial donation towards breast cancer research. The star-studded couple supported clinical trials by the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center aimed at developing new and better therapies for breast cancer. Kidman and Urban are long-time supporters of cancer research efforts and reside in Nashville, Tennessee – the home of Vanderbilt-Ingram. The couple’s advocacy when it comes to cancer is deeply rooted in Kidman’s experiences as a teenager caring for her mother, a breast cancer survivor.

Good deeds aside, what are the most memorable roles that the Aussie actress has played? Luckily, we at StudyFinds have made it our mission to research across multiple expert sources to bring you today’s ranking of the best Nicole Kidman Movies of all time. Don’t agree with our list? No worries, we would love to hear from you in the comments down below!

Nicole Kidman at the 2018 Academy Awards (Photo by Tinseltown on Shutterstock)

The List: Best Nicole Kidman Movies, According to Experts

1. “The Others” (2001)

The first spot on our list is 2001’s “The Others”. A horror film is seldom an actor’s best picture, but this one is the epitome of what a thriller should be. “This Spanish horror film written and directed by Alejandro Amenábar would seem to be another unlikely vehicle to awards glory, but Kidman nonetheless garnered a Golden Globe Best Actress nomination for her work as Grace Stewart, a religious woman living in Normandy, France, with her two children who are suffering from photosensitivity, so they must be shielded from sunlight at all times. While in their home, Grace becomes convinced that the house is being overrun by ghosts as she has spied specific ‘others’ roaming the house at times. Then comes one of the great plot twists of the past 20 years, as Grace realizes just what part she and her family truly serve in the grand scheme of things, and chills are brought with a minimum of special effects and a maximum of good writing,” says GoldDerby.

“‘The Others’ is one of the defining horror films of the 2000s, bringing back the supernatural genre after a brief hiatus in the ’90s. Kidman delivers an outstanding performance in the lead role, perfectly capturing the fear and anxiety of being forced to protect your children from a seemingly malevolent evil spirit. It’s a film that never gives the audience space to breathe and has since become famous for its shocking third-act twist,” writes ScreenRant.

“‘The Others’ was released in the same year as Moulin Rouge. Despite the difference in tone and genre, both films featured incredible performances by Kidman. In this psychological thriller, Kidman plays a religious single mother of two who decides to move to a secluded mansion she used to live in when she was younger. As Grace waits for the return of her husband from the war, she tries to take care of her children and protect them from the horrors that come with the arrival of three mysterious servants,” describes Collider.

2. “The Hours” (2002)

Second up on our list is “The Hours.” The film earned Kidman her first Oscar and had her holding her own against the likes of Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore. “‘The Hours’ is a drama film released in 2002, directed by Stephen Daldry and based on the novel of the same name by Michael Cunningham. The movie tells the stories of three women from different eras whose lives are interconnected by the novel ‘Mrs. Dalloway’ by Virginia Woolf,” explains FilmLifestyle.

“‘The Hours’ is perhaps one of the most monumental performances of Kidman’s career, as it won the movie star her first Academy Award for Best Actress in 2003. In the riveting psychological drama, Kidman is brilliant as the influential English author Virginia Woolf, with the film chronicling the writer’s struggles with both mental illness and severe depression as she attempts to write her novel,” notes MovieWeb.

“The film has plenty to say about womanhood and autonomy, telling an important story in an entirely fresh and unique way. It manages to interweave a fictional story of two modern women seeking purpose with the biographical story of one iconic woman in a completely natural way. It’s another Nicole Kidman movie that earned the actress Oscar and Golden Globe nominations — though this time, those nominations turned into wins,” states ScreenRant.

3. “Moulin Rouge” (2001)

We must all travel to the “Moulin Rouge” for our next pick. With this movie’s spectacular spectacle, it would be easy to get lost in the mix, but Kidman shines here. “Baz Luhrmann’s remarkable mishmash of musical stylings provided Kidman one of her most memorable roles as Satine, the lead courtesan at the famed Paris nightspot, the ‘Moulin Rouge.’ The role brought her nominations at the Oscars and SAG Awards plus a Golden Globe win,” comments GoldDerby.

“The movie is frequently cited as one of the best cinematic musicals of the 2000s, probably as a result of its unrelenting commitment to style and flair. A gripping connection and realistic people are at the center of this incredibly glossy and joyful movie, which combines vivid colors and polished photography to convey its story,” raves Pinkvilla.

“This extravagant story of truth, beauty, freedom, and love takes place in 1899 Paris, centering around the titular cabaret and its place in the burgeoning Bohemian movement. A young writer named Christian (Ewan McGregor) recounts the love affair he had with a performer at the cabaret amidst a flurry of overwhelming visuals and modern songs. Here, Kidman portrays Satine, the performer and courtesan who falls in love with Christian before meeting a tragic end,” reports Giggster.

4. “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999)

Next up on our ranking is the film “Eyes Wide Shut,” a captivating and controversial exploration of sexuality, desire, and the darker aspects of human nature. “Kidman starred alongside her then-hubby Tom Cruise in this late nineties Stanley Kubrick thriller. She plays Alice Hartford, who shares her sexual fantasies of another man, which makes her husband incredibly jealous. Her husband, Bill Hartford, indulges in a late-night foreplay-esque fantasy that borders on an obsession,” explains Wide Open Country.

“Nicole Kidman takes an unbelievably good turn in Stanley Kubrick‘s ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ in what may be the most surprising performance of her career. The final film of Kubrick’s illustrious filmography follows Dr. William Harford (Tom Cruise) and his wife Alice (Kidman). Alice admits to William that she considered having an affair with another man, which stuns William and leads him to question everything,” describes Looper.

“Under Stanley Kubrick’s brilliant direction, Kidman was paired with her former husband in this psychological narrative centered on a complex couple. Even though Kidman’s role has less screen time than her counterpart, her powerful gaze and shocking revelation are what drive the film in its entirety. Not to mention the way she delivers the last line,” notes Collider.

5. “To Die For” (1995)

Last but certainly not least goes to the oldest film on our list, but one that is 100 percent worth a rewatch. “Smuggled in between drab love interest roles and the time she played Batman’s girlfriend is this mean and nasty little comedy. ‘To Die For’ made Hollywood sit up to Kidman’s daring while she was still best known for being Tom Cruise’s wife. She played a ruthlessly ambitious TV weather girl hungry for fame in what would become one of the most influential performances in modern cinema, a blueprint for Reese Witherspoon in ‘Election,’ Margot Robbie in ‘I, Tonya’ and even Rosamund Pike in ‘Gone Girl’ – all manic energy and skin-crawling unease encased in a cheery package,” states Independent.

“Gus Van Sant’s very, very dark comedy proved to be Kidman’s big-time entry into Hollywood. Buck Henry’s script is so smart, not only taking on the concept that celebrities feel like they can get away with anything but satirizing the mindset that, as long as you’re on television, there’s some value to your life. Wrong,” exclaims GoldDerby.

“Kidman is luminous as Suzanne Stone. Stone is a beautiful woman who wants nothing more than to be a big-time broadcast journalist. It’s not long before she becomes a weather reporter, but it’s not nearly enough for her ambitions. When her husband starts pressuring her to give up her career for a family, she devises a scheme and enlists some high schoolers — including the hapless Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix) — to help achieve her professional goals, no matter the cost,” concludes Looper.

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Note: This article was not paid for nor sponsored. StudyFinds is not connected to nor partnered with any of the brands mentioned and receives no compensation for its recommendations.

Tags: movies