Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman has opened up about the unique challenges of raising children in the public eye, revealing that her teenage daughters have cultivated a protective 'armour' to shield themselves from scrutiny.
Parenting in the Public Fishbowl
In a candid conversation with pop superstar Ariana Grande for Interview Magazine, Kidman reflected on the intense dissection that accompanies fame. The Australian star, who shares four children, acknowledged the profound impact this exposure can have, particularly on the younger generation.
Kidman's family includes her two eldest children, Bella, 32, and Connor, 30, from her previous marriage to Tom Cruise, and two younger daughters, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14, with her former husband Keith Urban.
During the discussion, Grande, who is promoting her new blockbuster Wicked: For Good, expressed gratitude for her career but confessed she hadn't been prepared for all aspects of her chart-topping fame. She described how her life changed 'in a very drastic way' after rising to international stardom with hits like 'Thank U, Next' and 'Dangerous Woman'.
The Social Media Generation's Resilience
Kidman responded with empathy, drawing from her own decades-long experience in the spotlight. 'Well, you're very young, and then suddenly you're put into this fishbowl and everything is dissected,' she told Grande.
The Moulin Rouge! star detailed the emotional toll this examination can take, leading to overthinking, fear, and eventually a reluctance to engage with the world. However, Kidman noted a significant generational difference in how her teenage daughters approach this challenge.
'I'm raising teenage girls right now, and it's fascinating,' Kidman revealed. 'I think they have an armour that we didn't get or that I certainly didn't get, because there was no social media.'
She observed that today's youth appear better equipped to handle public scrutiny, noting that 'The very, very young now have already gone, 'We know exactly how to handle this.''
Shrugging Off the Spotlight
Speaking specifically about her daughters Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, Kidman described their ability to remain detached from criticism. 'They don't take a lot of things personally. They shrug it off,' she shared.
While Grande admitted she would like 'a dose of that' resilience, she also questioned whether such emotional distancing should be necessary for artists. The singer reflected on her own attempts to develop thicker skin, which she found exhausting and questioned as a requirement for artistic expression.
The conversation then turned to coping mechanisms, with Kidman advocating for what she called 'the spiritually enlightened route', while Grande humorously suggested she'd sometimes prefer 'the cool young person route' of speaking her mind, before resorting to meditation to find balance.
The interview comes as Kidman's daughter Sunday Rose continues to make her own mark in the public eye, having recently walked the runway for Miu Miu during Paris Fashion Week, her second appearance for the brand following her viral debut in October 2023.
