Was Nicole Kidman Actually Born in the United States?
Nicole Kidman is a celebrity sensation all over the world, bringing strength, versatility, and substantial range to her movie and TV roles in Hollywood. And there’s no debating her talent for acting — she has countless awards to back it up. Not to mention she’s also famously known among country fans for her long-time marriage to country-star singer Keith Urban.
However, since her debut in Hollywood with an unmistakable Australian accent, the big question on everyone’s mind has been: Was Kidman actually born in the United States? We’ve got the scoop!
Nicole Kidman is known as an American-Australian actress
To many, Kidman is considered an Australian actress, mostly because of her distinct accent. However, some people would argue that it doesn’t technically mean she was born in Australia. Either way, she has made an unimaginable impact on Hollywood that wasn’t influenced by her nationality but rather by her skill and choice in award-winning movies and TV.
According to IMDb, Kidman has won an Academy Award, two Primetime Emmy Awards, a BAFTA Award, and five Golden Globe Awards. An award collection any actor would be lucky to achieve considering the prestige it would take not only to win one – but several of these notable awards.
She has set the stage for immense success in her career with distinguished roles in hits like Practical Magic, Moulin Rouge!, The Hours, Cold Mountain, and more recently, Big Little Lies.
The shocking origin of Kidman’s name
During an interview with The Graham Norton Show, fans get a glimpse into some interesting facts behind the names of popular actors like Meryl Streep, Carey Mulligan, Nicole Kidman, and Nigella Lawson. Most interesting, however, goes to Kidman and the origin of her “Hawaiian” name. It’s a story that will make you laugh at first but can break your heart in the end.
Kidman tells Graham Norton that her Hawaiian name is Hokulani, meaning heavenly star. “[My parents got the name from] the Honolulu Zoo. There was a baby elephant that was born at the same time as me. [The elephant] was called Hokulani,” Kidman says. “See the similarity? My twin!”
Unfortunately, it turns out that a letter presented on the show revealed, “Hokulani died at the Honolulu Zoo on November 13, 1970. She was found dead in the moat of her exhibit, and it was speculated that she was pushed by another young elephant jealous of the mothering attention she was receiving.” Yikes!
Was she born in the United States?
To the surprise of many, Kidman was not born in Australia like you may have previously believed. She was actually born in Honolulu, Hawaii, while her parents were there on vacation.
In fact, her parents Janelle Anne, a nursing instructor, and Antony David Kidman, a biochemist and clinical psychologist, were there on an educational visa when Nicole came along. Nonetheless, she did grow up in Sydney, Australia, most of her life, which explains her Australian accent.
For all intents and purposes, Kidman is Australian. However, the Aussie star “had close ties to America from day one. She was born in Hawaii to Australian parents [which gave] her citizenship of both America and Australia,” reports Cinecurry Hollywood. “A fact that would come in very useful for her globe-trotting life to come.”
There you have it! Nicole Kidman is Australian due to the fact she grew up in Australia but was actually born in the United States. A fact that explains her accent and ties to both countries. I think it’s safe to say, both Australia and the U.S. would be lucky to have her!
