55 Best Nicole Kidman Movies and TV Shows to Add to Your Queue (2024)

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55 Best Nicole Kidman Movies and TV Shows to Add to Your Queue (1)

By Nakeisha Campbell

Published Sep 5, 2023

Nicole Kidman is one of the most talented stars to ever grace Hollywood—and she has more than 100 accolades to show for it.

The Oscar-winning actress has not only starred in top-grossing films like Moulin Rouge and Batman Forever, but she has also showcased her incredible range, having appeared in romantic comedies, psychological thrillers, political dramas and sci-fi adventures. Not to mention, she’s set to star in the upcoming Aquaman sequel, Expats, on Prime Video.

So, to honor her nearly four-decade career, we’re highlighting 55 of Nicole Kidman’s best movies and TV shows, including Being the Ricardos, Big Little Lies and more.

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According to IMDb, Aquaman is Kidman's highest-grossing film to date, with a total gross of $335 million. The actress plays Atlanna in the superhero film, which follows Arthur's (Jason Momoa) quest to stop a massive war between the underwater kingdoms and the surface world.

1. Nine Perfect Strangers (2021)

  • Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Michael Shannon, Luke Evans, Regina Hall
  • Rating: TV-MA

Inspired by Liane Moriarty's book of the same title, this Hulu miniseries follows a group of nine strangers who participate in a ten-day health and wellness retreat. But as it turns out, there’s more to their resort—and their mysterious host, Masha—than meets the eye. Not surprisingly, Kidman steals practically every scene.

2. Big Little Lies (2017)

  • Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Zoë Kravitz
  • Rating: TV-14

The average person would assume that the residents of Monterey, California, are living the dream. But in reality, there’s division, rumors and dark secrets lurking beneath the surface. In Big Little Lies, a group of upper-class moms get pulled into a murder investigation. The show offers plenty of commentary on American culture (especially when it comes to parenting and marriage).

3. The Prom (2020)

  • Cast: Meryl Streep, James Corden, Keegan-Michael Key
  • Rating: PG-13

Ryan Murphy’s star-studded musical comedy, which topped the Netflix charts just days after its release, follows an Indiana teen who gets banned from bringing her girlfriend to the big school big dance. Meanwhile, three failing Broadway stars are convinced that they can use her story to save their reputation.

4. Rabbit Hole (2010)

  • Cast: Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, Miles Teller, Tammy Blanchard
  • Rating: PG-13

Kidman and Eckhart star as Becca and Howie Corbett, a married couple whose lives are turned upside-down after their 4-year-old son is suddenly killed. This riveting film is a powerful look at how grief and loss can impact people in different ways, and Kidman’s layered performance, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, truly takes it to the next level.

5. Boy Erased (2018)

  • Cast: Lucas Hedges, Joel Edgerton, Joe Alwyn
  • Rating: R

Based on Garrard Conley’s memoir, this poignant biographical drama follows Jared Eamons, the son of a Baptist preacher who is forced to participate in gay conversion program after getting “outted” by a classmate. The critically acclaimed biopic has solid performances all around, and it tackles serious themes like suicide and identity.

6. The Hours (2003)

  • Cast: Meryl Streep, Julianne Moore, Ed Harris, Claire Danes
  • Rating: PG-13

The lives of three women from different generations are intertwined through Virginia Woolf’s 1925 novel, Mrs. Dalloway. Kidman shines as Wolf, a talented writer who struggles with depression in 1920s England. Meanwhile, Moore plays a pregnant and unhappily married housewife in 1950s California, and Streep portrays a literary editor trying to help a dear friend in present-day New York. (Fun fact: This movie earned Kidman her first Academy Award for Best Actress.)

7. To Die For (1995)

  • Cast: Joaquin Phoenix, Matt Dillon
  • Rating: R

No offense to the incredible Meg Ryan, but had she not tuned down this role, we would have never seen Kidman work her magic as a master manipulator. In To Die For, Kidman stars as Suzanne Stone, an aspiring broadcast journalist who will stop at nothing to get what she wants—even if she hurts people along the way.

8. Flirting (1991)

  • Cast: Noah Taylor, Thandie Newton, Naomi Watts
  • Rating: R

When 17-year-old Danny gets sent off to an all-boys boarding school, he meets and falls for a girl named Thandie, whom he meets at a school game. But as they try to pursue a romantic relationship, they’re forced to deal with opposition and overbearing rules. Kidman takes on a supporting role as one of Thandie's classmates in this coming-of-age tale, which takes on themes like first loves and sexuality.

9. The Northman (2022)

  • Cast: Alexander Skarsgård, Claes Bang, Anya Taylor-Joy
  • Rating: R

Skarsgård stars as Amleth, a Viking warrior and prince who’s on a mission to avenge his father’s murder. Meanwhile, Kidman plays Amleth's mother, Queen Gudrún, who gets kidnapped by his evil uncle. There’s never a dull moment in this intense, action-packed epic.

10. Lion (2016)

  • Cast: Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, David Wenham
  • Rating: PG-13

Saroo, a young Indian boy, gets adopted by an Australian couple after getting lost on a train that takes him hundreds of miles away from home. Two decades later, he sets out to reunite with his family, even though he barely remembers them. This moving film garnered six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, and even made history as one of the highest-grossing Australian films of all time.

11. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

  • Cast: Colin Farrell, Barry Keoghan, Raffey Cassidy, Sunny Suljic, Alicia Silverstone
  • Rating: R

Farrell is Dr. Steven Murphy, a famed cardiovascular surgeon who gets more than he bargained for when he takes in Martin, a seemingly harmless teenager. Kidman nails her role as the doctor's wife, but it’s Keoghan who stands out as the charming—but peculiar—young boy in this psychological horror.

12. The Undoing (2020)

  • Cast: Hugh Grant, Édgar Ramírez, Noah Jupe, Lily Rabe
  • Rating: TV-MA

If you can't resist a good "whodunnit" storyline, add this one to your queue. The HBO series revolves around Grace Fraser, a successful therapist whose life begins to unravel when her husband gets accused of murdering a young woman. (FYI, Kidman also sings the theme song for this miniseries.)

13. The Others (2001)

  • Cast: Fionnula Flanagan, Christopher Eccleston, Elaine Cassidy, Eric Sykes
  • Rating: PG-13

Set during World War II, the movie follows a religious mom named Grace, who tries to protect her two children as they deal with unusual supernatural occurrences in their home. If you’ve seen Scary Movie 3, then you’ll recognize the infamous “I am your daughter” line, as well as a few other references.

14. The Railway Man (2013)

  • Cast: Colin Firth, Jeremy Irvine, Stellan Skarsgård
  • Rating: R

The Railway Man is about a former British Army officer and prisoner of war, who suffers from psychological trauma several years after being tortured in a Japanese labor camp during World War II. When he discovers that one of his captors is still alive and working as a tour guide, both he and his wife decide to confront him.

15. The Interpreter (2005)

  • Cast: Sean Penn, Catherine Keener, Jesper Christensen
  • Rating: PG-13

Kidman steals the show as Silvia Broome, a U.N. interpreter whose life becomes a living nightmare after she overhears plans to assassinate the President of the Republic of Matobo. And to make matters worse, she becomes a suspect as authorities continue to investigate. (BTW, did you know this political thriller was the first to be shot inside the United Nations Headquarters?)

16. The Family Fang (2016)

  • Cast: Jason Bateman, Christopher Walken, Maryann Plunkett, Jason Butler Harner
  • Rating: R

When Baxter and Annie Fang, two offbeat performance artists, suddenly go missing, it’s up to their adult children to figure out whether they’re in danger or if it’s just another elaborate hoax. If you think your family is dysfunctional, they’ve got nothing on the Fangs.

17. Birth (2004)

  • Cast: Cameron Bright, Danny Huston, Lauren Bacall
  • Rating: R

Ten years after the death of her husband, Anna is finally ready to move on and marry her boyfriend. But during their engagement party, she meets a young boy who claims to be her deceased husband. She dismisses him at first, but his extensive knowledge of her late husband’s past causes her to have second thoughts.

18. Bangkok Hilton (1989)

  • Cast: Denholm Elliott, Hugo Weaving, Joy Smithers
  • Rating: NR

As Kat Stanton sets out to find her father, she meets a charming man named Arkie. But when she tries to head to Australia, she realizes that Arkie planted drugs in her luggage and ditched her as soon as the authorities found it. This lands her in the infamous Bangkok Hilton prison, where she could face the death penalty for trafficking.

55 Best Nicole Kidman Movies and TV Shows to Add to Your Queue (2)

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19. Vietnam (1987)

  • Cast: Nicholas Eadie, Barry Otto
  • Rating: 16+

This miniseries not only depicts Australia's involvement in the Vietnam War, but it also examines the war’s impact on society—especially the Goddard family. Kidman shines as the headstrong anti-war activist, Megan Goddard.

20. Moulin Rouge (2001)

  • Cast: Ewan McGregor, John Alberto Leguizamo, Jim Broadbent
  • Rating: PG-13

Set in 1890s Paris, this Oscar-winning musical drama follows Christian, a young writer who meets and falls for a cabaret actress named Satine. A love triangle ensues when they start a secret affair—thanks to a very wealthy and jealous duke. The catch? Satine is hiding a dangerous secret from both men.

21. Bombshell (2019)

  • Cast: Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie, John Lithgow
  • Rating: R

Inspired by true events, the drama film revolves around three brave and ambitious women at Fox News as they fight to expose their toxic and sexist boss, Roger Ailes. It'll have you chuckling one moment and fuming the next, but the film raises a lot of important questions about misogyny and sexism in the workplace.

22. Practical Magic (1998)

  • Cast: Sandra Bullock, Stockard Channing, Dianne Wiest, Aidan Quinn
  • Rating: PG-13

Sally and Gillian Owens (played by Bullock and Kidman) are sisters who’ve mastered their abilities as witches. But when it comes to their love lives, something always goes wrong. As it turns out, they’ve been under a mysterious curse that affects all the men they date.

23. Aquaman (2018)

  • Cast: Jason Momoa, Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson
  • Rating: PG-13

After Batman Forever, Kidman made her second DC appearance as the Queen of Atlantis in Aquaman. The film follows the half-human, half-Atlantean hero as he sets out to stop his brother, King Orm, from taking over the water kingdoms and ultimately destroying the surface world.

24. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

  • Cast: Tom Cruise, Sydney Pollack, Marie Richardson, Rade Serbedzija
  • Rating: R

In this steamy adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler’s novella, Cruise plays Dr. Bill Harford, who embarks on a few adventures of his own—including a masked orgy—after learning that his wife, Alice, almost cheated on him. This box-office hit is director Stanley Kubrick's highest-grossing film.

25. Dead Calm (1989)

  • Cast: Billy Zane, Sam Neill
  • Rating: 18+

This classic thriller follows a couple who decide to spend some time alone at sea after losing their child. While there, they spot an abandoned boat and rescue the sole survivor, only to realize that he’s not what he seems. Kidman is a clear standout in this terrifying film, and the suspense will keep you guessing until the very end.

26. Being the Ricardos (2021)

  • Cast: Javier Bardem, J. K. Simmons, Nina Arianda
  • Rating: R

Set in 1952, power couple Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz try to navigate the ups and downs of their professional and personal lives while filming their hit show. It’s not exactly an extended version of the sitcom we love. Rather, this film offers a behind-the-scenes look at the people who helped make this show possible.

27. Bewitched (2005)

  • Cast: Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine
  • Rating: PG-13

Kidman is no Elizabeth Montgomery, but she holds her own as the famous nose-twitching enchantress. In the film, Isabel gets hired to portray Samantha in a remake of the classic show, Bewitched. Her co-star, Jack, is convinced he can outshine her, but little does he know that Isabel is also a witch in real life.

28. The Upside (2017)

  • Cast: Kevin Hart, Bryan Cranston, Aja Naomi King, Jahi Di'Allo Winston
  • Rating: TV-14

In this feel-good remake of The Intouchables, Hart plays a recently paroled convict who gets hired to care for a billionaire who's quadriplegic. As they spend more time together, the two develop an unlikely friendship, to the surprise of his personal assistant.

29. Destroyer (2018)

  • Cast: Toby Kebbell, Tatiana Maslany, Scoot McNairy, Bradley Whitford, Sebastian Stan
  • Rating: R

After an undercover operation goes horribly wrong, detective Erin Bell is consumed with guilt and finds it difficult to move on. But when another opportunity arises to right her wrongs, she springs back into action, determined to bring the criminals to justice.

30. Paddington (2014)

  • Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, Julie Walters, Ben Whishaw
  • Rating: PG

After losing his home to a devastating earthquake, a young bear heads off to England to find a new home. Fortunately for him, he gets taken in by a loving family who calls him “Paddington.” But all the while, a museum taxidermist named Millicent takes notice and devises an evil plan of her own.

31. Stoker (2013)

  • Cast: Mia Wasikowska, Matthew Goode, Dermot Mulroney
  • Rating: R

Following the death of her father, India Stoker's mysterious uncle, whom she has never met, shows up and decides to move in with her and her mother. Over time, though, India suspects that her “uncle” has dark motives. Disclaimer: There are some unsettling moments, and you’ll never see the end coming.

32. Australia (2008)

  • Cast: Shea Adams, Hugh Jackman, Eddie Baroo
  • Rating: PG-13

At the beginning of World War II, Lady Sarah Ashley, an English aristocrat, inherits a massive cattle farm in Australia. She gets rid of the manager and reluctantly teams up with a stockman to drive 2,000 heads of cattle across hundreds of miles to Darwin, which is no easy journey. And when they arrive, they must deal with bombings by Japanese forces.

33. My Life (1993)

  • Cast: Dr. Haing S. Ngor, Michael Keaton, Samantha Mathis, Gaby Hoffmann
  • Rating: PG-13

My Life may have cheesy moments, but it’ll make you think deeply about life and how you’re making an impact. The film follows Bob Jones, a successful businessman who has it all, including a gorgeous wife who’s carrying their first child. When he is diagnosed with cancer and learns that he won’t live to see his baby’s birth, he starts a video diary in hopes that it will help his future child.

34. Happy Feet (2006)

  • Cast: Elijah Wood, Robin Williams, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman
  • Rating: PG

An adorable little penguin named Mumble is surrounded by other penguins who sing to attract their soul mates. The problem? He can’t carry a tune, which makes him feel like an outsider. After getting exiled from Emperor Land, Mumble meets and bonds with the Amigos, who help him embrace his gift for tap dancing. Expect a few valuable lessons about self-acceptance, perseverance and the pressure to fit in.

35. The Paperboy (2012)

  • Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Zac Efron, David Oyelowo
  • Rating: R

In 1969, reporter Ward Jansen travels to his Florida hometown to cover a story about a death row inmate. He enlists the help of his brother, Jack, and his colleague, Yardley, as he investigates…but it’s no easy task. Meanwhile, the prisoner's fiancée, Charlotte, further complicates things when Jack falls for her.

36. Far and Away (1992)

  • Cast: Daniel Gillison, Tom Cruise
  • Rating: PG-13

Cruise and Kidman play a hopeful Irish immigrant couple who travel to 1890s America in hopes of living freely and owning land. But after they work diligently to save their earnings, their money gets stolen, forcing them to endure even more hardship before they can achieve their dream. Given their real-life romance at the time, it comes as no surprise that Cruise and Kidman’s on-screen chemistry is off the charts.

37. The Goldfinch (2019)

  • Cast: Ansel Elgort, Oakes Fegley, Aneurin Barnard
  • Rating: R

At just 13 years old, Theodore Decker loses his mom to a deadly terrorist attack at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Overwhelmed with grief, he decides to steal a valuable piece of art known as The Goldfinch—a decision that totally changes the trajectory of his life.

38. Batman Forever (1995)

  • Cast: Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey
  • Rating: PG-13

The Caped Crusader is up against not one, but two foes in this action-filled superhero flick. Kilmer stars as Batman, who must stop Two-Face and the Riddler as they plan to attack Gotham City residents with a dangerous brainwave device. Meanwhile, Batman also begins a new romance with psychologist Chase Meridian.

39. Top of the Lake (2013)

  • Cast: ​​Elisabeth Moss, Holly Hunter, Peter Mullan, David Wenham, Thomas M. Wright
  • Rating: TV-MA

If you enjoyed Broadchurch and Mare of Easttown, you’ll take a liking to this compelling mystery drama. It follows Sydney detective Robin Griffin as she investigates the mysterious disappearance of a 12-year-old pregnant girl and uncovers multiple dark secrets along the way. Kidman nails her part as the overbearing adoptive mother of Robin's child.

40. Dogville (2003)

  • Cast: Lauren Bacall, Paul Bettany, Chloë Sevigny, Stellan Skarsgård
  • Rating: R

Grace Mulligan is on the run from criminals who are trying to pursue her—that is, until a small town in Colorado, called Dogville, agrees to take her in on one condition: She pay them with free labor. This deal breeds animosity and abuse from citizens, who continue to see her as an outsider.

41. Margot at the Wedding (2007)

  • Cast: Jennifer Jason Leigh, Jack Black, John Turturro, Ciarán Hinds
  • Rating: R

When Margot and her son show up on the eve of her estranged sister’s wedding, the siblings hope to use their reunion as an opportunity to reconcile. That plan goes out the window, however, when Margot disapproves of her sister’s fiancé.

42. Cold Mountain (2003)

  • Cast: Jude Law, Renée Zellweger, Eileen Atkins
  • Rating: R

Based on Charles Frazier’s bestselling novel, the movie follows an injured soldier from the Confederate States Army, who travels home to Cold Mountain, North Carolina, to reunite with the woman who stole his heart. The war epic, which was nominated for seven Oscars, includes stellar performances by the main cast and addresses themes like trauma and isolation.

43. The Human Stain (2003)

  • Cast: Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris, Gary Sinise
  • Rating: R

After getting fired for using a racial slur, Professor Coleman Silk teams up with his colleague, Nathan Zuckerman, to write a book about his life. However, Nathan uncovers a dark secret from Coleman’s past in the process. And Coleman’s secret affair with a younger woman could lead to devastating consequences.

44. Days of Thunder (1990)

  • Cast: Tom Cruise, Robert Duvall, Randy Quaid, Michael Rooker
  • Rating: PG-13

FYI, Days of Thunder marked former married couple Kidman and Cruise’s first movie together. It follows Cole Trickle, a young open-wheel racer who gets recruited to participate in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series. But when he joins, a bitter rivalry develops between him and an experienced racer. Meanwhile, Cole finds love with a neurosurgeon named Dr. Claire Lewicki.

45. Hemingway & Gellhorn (2012)

  • Cast: Clive Owen, David Strathairn, Molly Parker
  • Rating: NR

Get some insight on the great Ernest Hemingway’s romance with Martha Gellhorn, AKA one of the greatest war correspondents of the 20th-century. Understandably, critics raved about Kidman’s riveting performance, which earned her nominations for an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a SAG Award.

46. The Beguiled (2017)

  • Cast: Colin Farrell, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning
  • Rating: R

Set during the Civil War, John McBurney, a wounded Union soldier, seeks refuge at an all-girls boarding school in Virginia. But it’s only a matter of time before his presence leads to rivalry, jealousy and betrayal amongst the girls.

47. Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus (2006)

  • Cast: Nicole Kidman, Robert Downey Jr., Ty Burrell, Harris Yulin
  • Rating: R

In this moving film, Kidman plays Diane Arbus, an unsatisfied housewife and mom who works as her husband’s assistant. However, her life and career take a turn when she meets and falls for her new neighbor, Lionel, who has hypertrichosis. Great chemistry, smart writing and compelling characters are just a few reasons you’ll want to add this to your list

48. Bush Christmas (1983)

  • Cast: John Ewart, John Howard, Mark Spain
  • Rating: NR

Kidman took on her first-ever film role as Helen in this Australian holiday flick. Bush Christmas follows a poor family who tries to save their farm from foreclosure by entering their horse into an annual contest. When two thieves steal their prized horse, the Thompson kids must step up and save the day.

49. Grace of Monaco (2014)

  • Cast: Parker Posey, Tim Roth, Frank Langella
  • Rating: NR

The biographical drama follows actress Grace Kelly as she struggles with her transition from mega Hollywood star to Princess of Monaco. After being married to the prince for a few years, Grace considers returning to the entertainment world, but her husband isn’t too supportive.

50. BMX Bandits (1984)

  • Cast: David Argue, John Ley, Angelo D'Angelo
  • Rating: PG

When two BMX bikers and their new friend stumble upon a box of walkie-talkies, they decide to make a few extra bucks by selling the devices. The only problem? Those walkie-talkies belonged to a group of criminals who intended to use them for a bank robbery—and they’re determined to get them back.

51. Special Ops: Lioness (2023)

  • Cast: Zoe Saldaña, Laysla De Oliveira, Dave Annable, Jill Wagner
  • Rating: TV-MA

In this spy thriller, a young Force Recon Marine joins the Lioness Engagement Team to help take down a terrorist by infiltrating their organization. Kidman delivers a memorable performance as Kaitlyn, a high-ranking CIA official.

52. Before I Go to Sleep (2014)

  • Cast: Mark Strong, Colin Firth, Anne-Marie Duff
  • Rating: R

When Christine wakes up each day, she has no memory of the traumatic accident she had in the past, resulting in a severe brain injury. But when new details about her life emerge, she questions everything (and everyone) around her.

53. Trespass (2011)

  • Cast: Nicolas Cage, Ben Mendelsohn, Cam Gigandet, Liana Liberato
  • Rating: R

A rich diamond dealer and his wife are living the dream in a lavish, secluded home. But it quickly becomes a nightmare when their home is invaded by a violent group of robbers disguised as police officers.

54. Nine(2009)

  • Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard, Penélope Cruz, Kate Hudson
  • Rating: PG-13

Inspired by the life of nFederico Fellini, Nine follows famed film director Guido Contini, who struggles with writer's block after celebrating a milestone birthday. For inspiration, he turns to all the women he's been involved with romantically.

55. Billy Bathgate (1991)

  • Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Steven Hill, Loren Dean, Bruce Willis
  • Rating: R

Based on the life of real-life gangster Dutch Schultz, Billy Bathgate follows an Irish teen named Billy, who gets taken in by a wealthy Jewish mobster named Dutch. Seeing him as a father figure, Billy decides that he wants to follow in his footsteps—but he quickly realizes that life in the mob isn't an easy one.

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