‘I Cannot Work Pregnant’: Nicole Kidman On Putting Family Before Her Career


by Alison Coldridge |
Published on

The award-winning actress reveals she turned down a top film role to put her unborn child first

Nicole Kidman has revealed that she turned down the lead in Holocaust film The Reader because she was worried about the effect it would have on her unborn baby. As it was, fellow mum and actress Kate Winslet won the role and won at Oscar for her performance.

Nicole was pregnant with her daughter Sunday Rose, by husband Keith Urban, at the time and admits that she was concerned about the film’s upsetting theme on her baby. 

'The way I work, it would penetrate my baby,' Nicole told Mail On Sunday. ‘I got pregnant and I was meant to do The Reader. And they said, “Oh can you still do it?” But I cannot work pregnant.

‘I know now what I probably didn't know in my 20s. I would absolutely know now that I would always choose the sanctity and sacredness of my family, and if that was ever in jeopardy, no question.’

The actress continued to say that she would always put her family first – even walking away from her successful acting career if that’s what her family wanted to.

Speaking about her latest role in Grace of Monaco, Nicole explains that she wouldn’t have accepted the part if Keith hadn’t wanted her to.

'If he said no, I wouldn't have done it,’ says Nicole. ‘That's how we are. I know this sounds old-fashioned, but I do put it on the table. Because if it won't work for us, then I'm not doing it.'

How do you juggle your career and motherhood? Let us know in the comments box below.

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