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Nicole Kidman has long been one of the biggest movie stars in the world. The Australian superstar has been a mainstay in movies since the 1980s. Although she has often made headlines for her relationships (including her controversial marriage to actor Tom Cruise), Kidman has always preferred to keep the focus on her work. It might seem hard to remember a time when Kidman wasn’t famous, but when she first started out in the business, money was tight. In a 2018 interview, Kidman opened up about the unique way she opted to spend her very first sizable paycheck.

When did Nicole Kidman become famous?

Nicole Kidman was born in Hawaii in 1967 but spent her formative years in Australia. She started acting in the 1980s, appearing in movies like Bush Christmas and BMX Bandits, according to IMDb. However, it wasn’t until the later part of the decade that she started to rise to prominence, acting in the thriller Dead Calm and the action flick Days of Thunder, where she appeared opposite Tom Cruise. The two would later get married in a whirlwind romance that captured the attention of the entire world.

By the early 1990s, Kidman had transitioned to roles in big-budget Hollywood movies. A few of her early hits included Far and Away, Batman Forever, and Eyes Wide Shut. In 2002, Kidman won her first Academy Award, thanks to her work in the hit drama The Hours. Ever since, Kidman has been one of Hollywood’s premier superstars.

What did Nicole Kidman buy with her first big paycheck?

Nicole Kidman with her mother (L) Janelle Ann Kidman and niece (R) Lucia Hawley at the 2018 AACTA Awards
Nicole Kidman with her mother (L) Janelle Ann Kidman and niece (R) Lucia Hawley | James D. Morgan/Getty Images

Even as Nicole Kidman worked hard to make a name for herself, she struggled to make ends meet, just as many aspiring actors do. Still, as she revealed in a 2018 interview with Time on YouTube, most of her first big paycheck went to fund a purchase for her parents. “I bought my mom and dad a washing machine. Later on, I bought some boots for myself that were, like, the coolest boots I had ever seen in my life,” Kidman revealed, according to BuzzFeed.

Kidman has discussed being very close with her parents – and when her father, Antony Kidman, died in 2014, she relied heavily on the support of her husband, Keith Urban. “He has been so good to me, for, you know, nine years, but for the last month, which has been a really tough time for me, when you have your partner who literally carries you through a tough time … he’s been amazing to me,” Kidman told Ellen DeGeneres in 2014. “To have my husband step up in that way, it makes me cry. He’s amazing.”

What is Kidman’s net worth today?

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These days, Nicole Kidman is a very successful movie star who has the funds to buy as many washing machines as she wants for her family and friends. According to Celebrity Net Worth, Kidman’s net worth is around $250 million. Although she’s extremely wealthy, Kidman doesn’t often make headlines due to her extravagant spending. In fact, she seems to spend most of her time at home with her husband and children rather than jetting away on lavish vacations.

She’s also as hardworking as ever before, regularly acting in new projects and stunning critics and viewers alike with her impressive acting range. Most recently, she played Lucille Ball in the acclaimed movie Being the Ricardos, a film that reminded everyone just why Kidman was able to rise to the top of her chosen profession.