Hugh Jackman’s wife Deborra Lee-Furness and his Australia co-star Nicole Kidman goes back a long way. So when it came time for Hugh to film a kissing scene with Kidman, he admitted it was pretty awkward.
Nicole Kidman lived with Hugh Jackman’s wife in Hollywood early in her career
When Kidman first came to Hollywood, she was a struggling actor looking for her big break. Staying at hotels could be expensive. So she often crashed at her friends’ homes.
Furness, a fellow Australian actor and Kidman’s friend, had her own place in LA. And she let Kidman sleep over whenever she needed.
‘[Deborra-Lee] was one of my best friends,” Kidman told the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia. “[I slept on the couch] at the house that Deborra-Lee rented and she gave me a chance to stay there and we were able to go and audition.”
“It was expensive, we couldn’t afford hotels,” she added.” So the idea of being out of one house together was really, I mean, my God.”
Hugh Jackman admits kissing Nicole Kidman was awkward because of her friendship with his wife
In 1990, Kidman landed her breakout role in Days of Thunder opposite Tom Cruise. And a year later, she earned her first Golden Globe nomination for Billy Bathgate.
By the time Jackman married Furness in 1996, Kidman was a big Hollywood star. But she remained close to Furness and became good friends with Jackman.
In 2008, Jackman and Kidman were cast in the drama Australia. And as Jackman recalled to BAFTAhis kissing scenes with Kidman felt awkward because of how close she was with his wife.
“Nicole lived with my wife Deb when she first came to Hollywood, so they’re best of friends,” The Greatest Showman star said. “Needless to say Deb wasn’t on set when we had our kissing scenes, that would have been awkward, but we talked about it. I said ‘let’s talk about it,’ and we just sort of, we both loved the project and created an atmosphere, which was safe.”
Hugh Jackman says Nicole Kidman gave him the best career advice
Jackman is a Tony, Grammy, Emmy, and Golden Globe Award-winning actor who’s been in several popular projects over the years. When talking about his career and his longevity, the actor credited Kidman for giving him crucial advice.
“The ability to say yes or the courage to give things a go has really helped me,” Jackman said in his chat with BAFTA. “It was Nicole Kidman who taught me that… I’ve been friends with her for a long time — she said ‘always director, director, director. And always push yourself, go for directors.’”
“’Go for movies that you think wow, even if it’s ones you find difficult to watch,’” he continued. “’Even if there’s something challenging in it, work with them and they will — a great director will make you a better actor.”
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