Nicole Kidman has opened up about the moment she won her first Academy Award in 2003, following her divorce from Tom Cruise.
The 56-year-old won her Oscar in 2003 for her role as Virginia Woolf in The Hours, just months after her divorce from the Top Gun actor was finalised.
The Australian actress was married to the American actor for 11 years before calling it quits in August 2003.
Nicole opened up about that night to author Dave Karger for his new book 50 Oscar Nights, and said: “I was struggling with things in my personal life, yet my professional life was going so well, that’s what happens, right?”
“I went home and ended up ordering takeout and eating it on the floor of the Beverly Hills Hotel.
“I sat on the floor of the hotel eating French fries and a burger with my family and went to bed. That’s when it hit me. I went, I need to find my love; I need a love in my life. Because this is supposed to be when you go, ‘This is ours.’
“I went to bed alone; I was in bed before midnight. If I ever won again, I’m telling you, I’d be out for 24 hours,” she concluded.
During her acceptance speech at the 2003 Oscars, the actress broke down in tears and said: “Russell Crowe said don’t cry when you get up there and now I’m crying.”
She also opened up to the author of 50 Oscar Nights about her decision to leave the night early, and explained: “I’m not a big party girl, so I was going to skip the Vanity Fair party, and everyone was like, ‘You’ve got to go. You’ve got to walk through the party carrying your Academy Award.’
Nicole recalled thinking:”‘That just feels like gloating, and it doesn’t feel humble.’ Like, what? You can’t walk through carrying the award! That feels really inappropriate. They’re like, ‘That’s what you do.'”
The actress ended up attending the glitzy after-party, but admitted she didn’t enjoy the event as she found it “overwhelming.”
“I literally walked in, carried it around, was completely overwhelmed, emotional, shaking, and I didn’t enjoy it. I was almost apologetic, which is so stupid. I wish I could have enjoyed it more.”
Nicole, 56, and Tom, 61 wed in 1990 and adopted two kids together daughter Isabella, 31, and son Connor, 28.
