Quote Of The Day By Nicole Kidman: 'I've Always Wanted To Live A Well-Examined Life, So What Does That Entail...'

Nicole Kidman is always booked and busy while also using her platform to bring visibility to female directors and women-led stories. At the 2017 Cannes Film Festival, the actor made a vow to work with a female director every 18 months. She has overdelivered on that promise, working with 19 female directors in the past eight years across different mediums. From partnering with Lulu Wang on the series "Expats" to collaborating with Halina Reijn on her second English-language feature film "Babygirl," Kidman continues to further female representation in Hollywood while taking bold swings. 

This year alone, she played the titular forensic pathologist in Prime Video's "Scarpetta," she put the badge back on to play CIA supervisor Kaitlyn Meade in "Lioness" Season 3, and she will soon reprise her role as Gillian Owens in "Practical Magic 2," which premieres 28 years after the original film's debut. 

With such a stacked resume and multiple awards in the bag (including an Academy Award, a BAFTA, six Golden Globes, and two Emmys), Kidman has become a notable figure in her field. After the loss of her mother and enduring a public divorce, the actor never loses hope and is quick to adapt when things don't necessarily go her way — that's why she is today's quote of the day.

"I've always wanted to live a well-examined life, so what does that entail? Trying things, making mistakes, failing, getting back up, moving on, embracing love, staying open, keeping the heart open and the possibilities."

Nicole Kidman's quote above comes from an interview with British Vogue for the magazine's September 2026 issue. In it, she shared more about how she's coping since filing for divorce. Kidman said that she is handling her personal and professional life in the same way she always has: "feelings first."

The Australian actor, who has navigated both film and TV with ease, has learned to meet every obstacle with confidence, knowing that there is always something to look forward to. Staying open to new possibilities has allowed her to take on roles that are outside of her comfort zone, including singing and dancing in "Moulin Rouge" and embodying iconic literary figure Virginia Woolf in "The Hours," a performance that earned her an Oscar.

Nicole Kidman's quote teaches us that when life takes a turn, there is nothing wrong with adapting and opening yourself up to new possibilities. A well-examined life is one where you are allowed to fail and carry on without hesitation. "I had a different view of what my life was going to be," Kidman shared later in the aforementioned British Vogue interview. "I can either really not confront it and just curl up, or I can just go forward with an enormous amount of hope." 

The actor doesn't let her mistakes or setbacks define her, and her career serves as proof. She has a lot on her plate in the near future, including returning to set for "Big Little Lies" Season 3, which is based on Lianne Moriarty's latest novel, as well as starring in "Discretion," a new legal drama produced by A24. If Kidman can keep calm and let her heart lead the way, so can we.

• "That was one of the greatest pieces of advice I was ever given once: Don't think ahead to something bad happening. Stay in the moment when it's good... You will have the fortitude to ride out when it's not. If you're already not allowing in the nourishment of the joy and the good times, that's the wrong way to live." — from a 2024 interview with Vanity Fair

• "There's something to knowing that no matter how painful, or how difficult, or how devastating something is, there is a way through. You're going to have to feel it ... You're going to feel like you're broken, but if you move gently and slowly — and it can take an enormous amount of time — it does pass." — from a 2025 interview with Harper's Bazaar

• "I'm always going to be moving toward what's good. What I'm grateful for is my family and keeping them as is and moving forward." — from a 2026 interview with Variety