Nicole Kidman Movies: Essential Films

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1989 - 202110 Films20h 52m4.2 Average

This watch list highlights Nicole Kidman's most significant and acclaimed performances across her career. From her breakthrough in Dead Calm to her Oscar-winning portrayal of Virginia Woolf in The Hours, these films demonstrate her remarkable range and willingness to take creative risks.

The selection includes her collaborations with visionary directors like Kubrick, von Trier, and Lanthimos, alongside more accessible classics like Moulin Rouge! and The Others. Together, these performances showcase why Kidman is considered one of the greatest actresses of her generation, capable of transforming herself completely for each role while maintaining emotional authenticity.

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1
Dead Calm poster

Dead Calm

19891h 36m3.7
Director: Phillip Noyce
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Sam Neill, Billy Zane, George Shevtsov, Rod Mullinar

An Australian couple on a healing sailing trip encounters a disturbed survivor from a sinking ship, leading to a deadly psychological thriller on the open ocean.

ThrillerHorror

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2
To Die For poster

To Die For

19951h 46m3.7
Director: Gus Van Sant
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Matt Dillon, Joaquin Phoenix, Casey Affleck, Illeana Douglas

Suzanne Stone is an ambitious woman determined to become a famous news anchor, and she'll stop at nothing to achieve her goal. Her ruthless pursuit of fame leads her to manipulate and destroy anyone who stands in her way.

DramaComedyCrime

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3
Eyes Wide Shut poster

Eyes Wide Shut

19992h 39m4.4
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Sydney Pollack, Marie Richardson, Rade Šerbedžija

After his wife confesses to having sexual fantasies about another man, a New York doctor becomes obsessed with exploring his own desires and discovers a mysterious underground world of sexual intrigue.

DramaThrillerMystery

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4
Moulin Rouge! poster

Moulin Rouge!

20012h 8m4.4
Director: Baz Luhrmann
Cast: Ewan McGregor, Nicole Kidman, John Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent, Richard Roxburgh

A young poet falls into the glamorous world of Paris's infamous Moulin Rouge nightclub and begins a passionate romance with its most celebrated star. This musical celebration of love and creativity unfolds at the turn of the 20th century.

DramaRomanceMusic

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5
The Others poster

The Others

20011h 44m4.5
Director: Alejandro Amenábar
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Alakina Mann, Fionnula Flanagan, James Bentley, Eric Sykes

A deeply religious woman living in a darkened house with her two light-sensitive children begins to suspect their home is haunted by mysterious supernatural forces.

HorrorMysteryThriller

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6
The Hours poster

The Hours

20021h 50m4.2
Director: Stephen Daldry
Cast: Julianne Moore, Nicole Kidman, Meryl Streep, Stephen Dillane, Miranda Richardson

Three women from different time periods are connected by their shared struggles with depression and their search for meaning in life. Their stories interweave across decades, exploring themes of identity, creativity, and the impact of Virginia Woolf's novel Mrs. Dalloway.

Drama

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7
Dogville poster

Dogville

20032h 58m4.6
Director: Lars von Trier
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Paul Bettany, John Hurt, Stellan Skarsgård, Philip Baker Hall

A woman fleeing from criminals seeks refuge in a small Colorado town, where the residents agree to hide her in exchange for her labor, but their protection comes with unexpected costs.

CrimeDramaThriller

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8
Lion poster

Lion

20161h 58m4.9
Director: Garth Davis
Cast: Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, David Wenham, Nicole Kidman, Abhishek Bharate

A five-year-old Indian boy becomes lost in Calcutta and is eventually adopted by an Australian couple. Twenty-five years later, he embarks on a determined quest to find his birth family using modern technology and childhood memories.

Drama

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9
The Killing of a Sacred Deer poster

The Killing of a Sacred Deer

20172h 1m4
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos
Cast: Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Barry Keoghan, Raffey Cassidy, Sunny Suljic

A renowned cardiovascular surgeon's perfect family life becomes increasingly disturbed when a mysterious teenager begins inserting himself into their world in unsettling ways.

DramaThrillerMystery

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10
Being the Ricardos poster

Being the Ricardos

20212h 12m3.6
Director: Aaron Sorkin
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, J.K. Simmons, Nina Arianda, Tony Hale

A behind-the-scenes look at one tumultuous week in the lives of comedy legends Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz as they navigate professional and personal challenges that threaten both their hit show and their marriage.

DramaHistory