Antonia Kidman’s lookalike daughter Lucia Hawley is all grown up

In their first-ever interview and photo shoot together, Antonia Kidman and her lookalike daughter Lucia Hawley discuss returning to Aus, falling in love and what they’re up to in 2021.

It was perhaps a twist of fate that saw Antonia Kidman and her family move home to Australia from Singapore in late 2019, mere months before the pandemic hit full force and international borders closed.

The family, including Kidman’s husband, businessman Craig Marran, their two sons Nicholas, 10, and Alexander, 8, and two of her children with her late ex-husband Angus Hawley, James, 18, and Sybella, 14, had been living in Singapore for the past 10 years.

Her two older children with Hawley, Lucia, 22, and Hamish, 20, had been back in Australia for a few years by then, and welcomed the rest of the family back with open arms.

Antonia, how has it been for you and the family being back in Australia after a decade in Singapore?

Antonia Kidman: It has been a vast and wonderful change. I love Australia. As a family, we were very ready to move home. The thing I noticed most [on our return] is the space, the nature, and the lifestyle, which I love. I like gardening and stuff like that; I didn’t do that in Singapore because it’s just a different lifestyle.

I love Singapore, too, but it has been so nice to be back here with the older children, and my mum [Janelle Kidman] and Craig’s family. I managed to stay very connected even while I was away. I’d come back a lot, so I still have a strong core of friends here.

“Life is about growth. I’ll never be complacent. I need the variety and to keep pushing myself and getting out of my comfort zone.” (Picture: Damian Bennett)

You returned a few months before COVID hit here. How was 2020 for you?

AK: For the first half of the year, we stayed up on [Sydney’s] northern beaches, so we were there during that whole [early 2020] lockdown. It was strange being restricted and it challenged me in terms of, you know, conforming – and obviously I did – and realising that you need to behave in a certain way for the community good.

As far as the day-to-day, we had a home, a garden and access to an environment that was open and spacious; we didn’t have toddlers; we were all in good health; my husband had a job, so we had an income. I can’t imagine what it would have been like to be cooped up with young children in a small space or with all those pressures. It’s unimaginable. We’re very lucky.

Lucia, what was last year like for you?

Lucia Hawley: It was tough in a sense because I’ve moved out of home. Thank God I don’t live by myself – I live with two of my friends.

Would you have gone stir-crazy alone?

LH: Yeah, 100 per cent. I would have become so lonely. I was so grateful to have both of my friends. I also had uni, so I wasn’t working then. But that also meant that I could focus quite a bit on my studies, which was good.

AK: And you fell in love. [Both laugh].

LH: That probably made it the easiest! I remember saying that 2020, for me, wasn’t that hard because I met my boyfriend. We met in February last year, two weeks before COVID [really took hold in Australia]. I was pretty lucky. The timing was impeccable. If it had been two weeks later, the party where I met him would have been cancelled.

AK: Oh gosh, yeah... OK.

Antonia Kidman with husband Craig Marran, their sons, (centre, from left) Alexander and Nicholas, and her children from her first marriage (from top), Lucia, Hamish, James and Sybella, in December 2019. (Picture: Supplied)

LH: When things did go back to normal, especially around October last year, seeing the family again was that much sweeter. And you really appreciated it. I had my 22nd birthday at home with my friends and family, and I just remember thinking it was so unreal because everyone was back together. I don’t think I’d really appreciated it on that level, ever.

AK: We planned on having Christmas [last year] at our place [on Sydney’s lower north shore] with the whole family, but I was a close contact [during the Northern Beaches outbreak last December], so I had to stay at home for two weeks. [During that time] I’d race to watch that 11am press conference. You really look to people for leadership in this situation.

Did you have a belated gathering instead?

AK: I did go into it thinking, oh, don’t worry, we’ll do [a Christmas get-together] on Australia Day. But even then there was still [a Sydney household restriction of five] people, so we didn’t.

LH: But we had Craig’s mum’s birthday. We do get together quite a lot.

AK: And my mum had an 81st [this March]. And I was thinking I might have a 51st [this July].

LH: You definitely should!

So it’s been a pretty good year so far?

AK: Pretty good. One year into work.

LH: Same, first year of work for me.

A family snap with big sister Nicole and their mother Janelle, which the Hollywood star shared to mark International Women’s Day 2020. (Picture: Supplied)

What do you do for work, Lucia?

LH: I’m working for a production company on a documentary, which is really cool – and currently confidential, so I can’t discuss too much about that. It’s been interesting working in a full-time capacity, compared to studying. And just kind of going, “OK, I’ve got to dedicate myself to this because this is the real deal.”

It’s fun and kind of daunting at the same time.

Antonia, you’ve worked in journalism, as a TV presenter and as a writer of parenting books. When you last spoke to Stellar in 2018, you had pivoted and were studying law.

How is that going?

AK: I’ve finished my studies and I’m now one year into work at a boutique family law firm, De Saxe O’Neill Family Lawyers. It’s a small practice focused on alternative ways to solve disputes or family law matters. It’s a really nice place to work.

I do a seven-day fortnight, so it’s manageable. It’s a big learning curve. I love [interacting] with clients; that’s what drew me to family law. I find it satisfying; connecting with people at that time in their life when they’re feeling quite vulnerable. It’s just growth, isn’t it?

Life is about growth. I’ll never be complacent. I need the variety and I need to keep pushing myself and getting out of my comfort zone, I think.

Antonia Kidman and Lucia Hawley feature in this Sunday’s Stellar.

What do you two like to do together?

LH: Horse riding.

AK: Also we walk and talk. Lu works near where we live so she’ll go “meet me for lunch” on a Friday and I’ll pop up. It’s easy hanging out. And we do a bit of shopping. You’re the only person I shop with.

LH: I’m an enabler. I’ll be like, “Yes, you must have it.” She’s like, “Should I?” And I just go, “YES.” [Both laugh].

Lucia, do you share your mum’s passion for gardening?

LH: Nah.

AK: Not yet. I think she’ll grow into it.

LH: “Yet” being the operative word!