Nicole Kidman

After an already prolific career spanning four decades, 2024 has been The Year Nicole Kidman Was Everywhere. Kidman started the year at high tide, reprising her role of Atlanna in Marvel’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. She heated up the summer in the rom-com Family Affair, and things got even steamier at the Venice Film Festival where the erotic thriller Babygirl premiered. Fall brought us the perfectly bonkers The Perfect Couple (Netflix), season 2 of Lioness (Paramount+), and this Thanksgiving she’ll voice Queen Ellsmere in the animated movie Spellbound (Netflix). 2024 also promises the release of the indie film Holland, Michigan. Several upcoming projects were also announced this year, including season two of Nine Perfect Strangers (Hulu), season three of Big Little Lies (HBO), and two new series — Scarpetta (Amazon Prime) and Margot’s Got Money Troubles (Apple TV+). And it has finally been confirmed that the Owens sisters (Nicole Kidman and Sandra Bullock) will reunite for Practical Magic 2. Because everyone knows we come to Nicole Kidman … for magic.

Hollywood is notorious for giving actresses a “shelf life.” At an age when most veteran actresses struggle to find regular work, Nicole Kidman has proven that audiences will engage with stories about mature women. Whether giving a nuanced and fragile performance as a mother in unthinkable turmoil (Expats) or chewing the scenery in a campy whodunnit (The Perfect Couple), Kidman sells her stories with a grace that only comes from experience.

The wigs in The Perfect Couple were iconic. Several viewers — myself included — were convinced that because the wigs were so obvious, that it must be some kind of plot device. It wasn’t. It was just her wig. Classic Nicole.