Nicole Kidman stuns in her newest Vogue shoot and talks adoption and acting

KIDMAN’S most recent interview with Vogue sees her sitting down with the real-life woman she plays in her new film Lion.

IMAGINE reading a book that changed your life then being given the opportunity to star in a movie as the character who had inspired you the most.

Australia’s best export Nicole Kidman was given this chance after being cast in the film Lion, an emotional true story on how an Indian boy adopted into an Australian family painstakingly searched for his hometown 25 years later.

Saroo, the film’s main character, eventually found his birth mother in 2012 after an extensive (and very creative) search using Google Earth.

In a recent sit-down with Vogue Australia, Kidman and the film’s real life mother Sue Brierley discuss everything from adoption to Tasmania to family.

Kidman was photographed in her adopted hometown Nashville for her newest Vogue Australia shoot. Photo: Will Davidson

As soon as the role became known to the actress, Kidman said she felt a “pull towards it” and a “pull towards Sue”, the woman who actually lived the story.

The 49-year old actress has had incomparable success throughout her career and has the awards to back it up but Kidman insists that isn’t her favourite part of acting.

“Acting has given me the most extraordinary opportunities to meet certain people in my

life, who I stay connected to forever: that’s probably the greatest thing that acting has

given me,” she says.

And, for Kidman and Brierley their connection was always going to be a strong one — both are adoptive mothers.

Kidman adopted Isabella, now 24, and Connor, 21 with her first husband Tom Cruise while Brierley adopted Saroo and Mantosh from India.

The two Australian women recount plenty of times people have said “we feel so bad that you couldn’t have your own children” which Kidman admits, still offends her.

Brierley agrees “They look at you as if you’ve endured a tragedy. And you’re over the moon! You’re so happy!”

As soon as Kidman signed on for the role, the actress said the first thing she wanted to do was meet Sue.

Kidman stars in Lion as Sue Brierley whose adopted son is played by Dev Patel.

They did eventually meet in Sydney with Nicole remembering barely five minutes had passed until the two women were crying and “talking about really deep stuff.”

Sue said it was like they were “connected at the soul” and Nicole describes them as “soul sisters.”

The two Australian women are champions of changing public perception on adoption and their bond is evidence of that.

Kidman tells Vogue she always knew she’d adopt. Photo: Will Davidson

While plenty of women go through life never considering adoption, Kidman said she “always knew [she’d] adopt” and that she just “always wanted a child.”

Sue hopes a film like Lion, where adoption is portrayed in such a heartwarming way will encourage people to consider the option.

“I’m hoping that the film might reawaken women thinking about adoption, and give them the freedom to say: ‘Yes, I would be a great mother’, or maybe: ‘No, I won’t’, so they can make these decisions about the child they wish for,” Sue says.

While Kidman isn’t a huge fan of watching herself on screen, the Lion star revealed she did watch the movie with her sister Antonia Kidman.

“It was fantastic, because she’s got six children,” says Nicole.

“And she said: ‘This isn’t a film, this is an experience.’ She was enraptured, she’s a massive champion of the film. Let’s change the perception of adoption, Sue!”

Thankfully and not surprisingly, Brierley was thrilled with the film and called it an emotional experience.

“I was blown away. We were almost shocked ... we couldn’t believe our own lives being portrayed so accurately. I had to get someone to get me a glass of water ... I couldn’t walk very well.”

Nicole and Sue’s full interview is in the newest Vogue Australia which goes on sale Monday 19 December.

Nicole Kidman is Vogue’s next cover. Photo: Will Davidson.