Cliff Notes – Fans think Nicole Kidman has subtly dragged Tom Cruise with ‘movie star’ comments
- Nicole Kidman described herself as a ‘character actor’ in a recent interview, sparking speculation that her comments were aimed at ex-husband Tom Cruise, who has been labelled ‘the last movie star.’
- Kidman emphasised her focus on creating characters rather than simply being a movie star, contrasting her approach with Cruise’s recent acclaim for his blockbuster roles.
- Online reactions suggest that fans believe Kidman’s remarks may reflect lingering tensions from their marriage, which ended in 2001 due to ‘irreconcilable differences.’
Fans think Nicole Kidman has subtly dragged Tom Cruise with ‘movie star’ comments
Some fans are speculating that Nicole Kidman’s recent claim that she’s a ‘character actor’ and not ‘a movie star’ is a dig at her ex-husband, Tom Cruise.
The actress, 57, said in a recent interview that her acting style is about ‘creating a character,’ not just showing up as herself.
She said: ‘We’re character actors. That’s what we do. If you’re employed to be a movie star, that’s a different thing. They’re like, “We just want you.” I’ve never been employed for that. I’ve never been chosen for that. I’ve always been chosen to create a character.’
The comments come after Cruise, 63, has been hailed by critics recently as ‘the last movie star,’ following the release of the final installment in the Mission: Impossible franchise.
During an interview with Entertainment Tonight at the New York City premiere of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, when asked if he’s the last movie star, he said: ‘I don’t want to be. There’s so many other talented actors out there and I want to see them crush it.’
As a result, many think Kidman was taking a sly dig at Cruise with her comments on movie stars. The pair were married from 1990 to 2001 before splitting over ‘irreconcilable differences.’
The online discourse comes shortly after Cruise made a rare public reference to his ex-wife.
In an interview with the British Film Institute’s (BFI) Sight and Sound magazine, Cruise said of making Eyes Wide Shut with Kidman: ‘I flew out to his (Kubrick’s) house and I landed in his backyard. I read the script the day before and we spent the day taking about it. I knew all of his films.
‘Then it was basically he and I getting to know each other. And when we were doing that, I suggested Nicole play the role (of Alice). Because obviously she’s a great actress.’
The production of Eyes Wide Shut lasted 400 days and Cruise recalled how he informed Kubrick, who passed away from a heart attack aged 70 before the movie was released, that he was willing to do whatever it took to get the film made.
The actor had last spoken publicly about Kidman – with whom he raised daughter Bella Cruise, 32, and son Connor Cruise, 30 – in 2002 while reflecting on the reason behind their breakup.
‘She knows why, and I know why,’ Cruise told Vanity Fair at the time. ‘She’s the mother of my children, and I wish her well.’
Cruise had filed for divorce from Kidman in February 2001. At the time, their reps said: ‘Citing the difficulties inherent in divergent careers, which constantly keep them apart, they concluded that an amicable separation seems best for both of them at this time.’
Kidman went on to marry Keith Urban in 2006 and welcomed with him daughters Sunday Rose, 16, and Faith Margaret, 14.