Nicole Kidman Reveals She Lied About Her Height To Get Projects: ‘I Was Like a Giraffe’ At Red Carpets

Nicole Kidman revealed she lied about her height to get offers in Hollywood. Not because she had issues with how tall she was, but because others teased her and called her “Stalky.” Casting members also rejected her being too tall. The news that the 6-time Golden Globes award winner has such insecurities is something that came out recently.

Developed a Clever Ruse

Nicole Kidman never hid the fact that she was tall, 5’11” to be exact. But after getting multiple rejections for being too lanky and tall, she started lying about her height. She told people that she was 179 cm, not 180 cm, which put her modified height at 5’10 ½”. Not too much of a deviation at all! But that seems to have done the trick and she is featured in several hit films that are also critically acclaimed.

In an interview for “The Radio Times Podcast,” she dropped some insights on how the industry treated her. The 56-year-old was teased a lot, and got asked, “How’s the air up there, Stalky?” She had to lose out on many roles because she told them her real height. Even after all this time, this matter “bothers” her when acting. 

Managing People’s Expectations Is Difficult

Her colleagues, especially men, had so many opinions about how she should behave. “They told me how high my heels should be,” Nicole complained. For red carpet events, she got sent shoes with high heels from her stylists. “I’m like, ‘Do they have a kitten heel? I’m going to be the tallest person – a giraffe!’”

When Nicole Kidman met someone new, they used to say, “You’re so much taller than I thought.” Incidents like these got ingrained in her mind and she feels bad in the knees to date. But she also discusses the power of resilience in such times, “What matters is how you allow other people to either say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to you, and whether you accept that.”

Leading by Example

Kidman believes in teaching this “inner superpower” to her children through leading by example. She has 2 adopted kids with her ex-husband Tom Cruise, and 2 teen daughters with her husband Keith Urban, a country music singer. Nicole Kidman prefers to work with female directors or chooses to with a female-rich cast in TV shows and movies. 

With Blossom Films, her production company, she aims to provide the perfect platform for women creators in Hollywood. Nicole says, “There was a time when roles for women were lacking and hopefully that’s being redirected now.” She also emphasized that having intimacy coordinators during sex scenes can help maintain a professional atmosphere. 

Nicole Kidman and Alexander Skarsgard in Big Little Lies HBO

Nicole Kidman Is Grateful to Still Walk

Although her height and other stuff causes her to act insecure from time to time, she is grateful she is still walking. “I am healthy now and simply grateful to be walking around,” the Australian performer said. Nicole Kidman has 6 Golden Globes, 1 BAFTA, 1 Emmy, and 1 Oscar to her credit and is famous for “The Hours,” “Aquaman,” “Big Little Lies,” and “Australia.”