So, What Does Nicole Kidman Get Out Of This Deal Anyway?

Keith Urban may have needed to up his profile to garner more success in his home country, Australia. What better way to do that than to marry their “Queen?”

But what did Nicole Kidman have to gain from a contract marriage? Wasn’t she already at the top of her game? An Oscar-winning, A-List actress who seems far from out-of-work by Hollywood’s standards. It would appear, on the surface, that Nicole Kidman had it all. And she did. Up until 2001.

Beginning in 1991, Nicole’s life became the stuff dreams are made of. Her marriage to A-Lister Tom Cruise made her one-half of one of Hollywood’s hottest couples. A marriage that was happy, successful, with two beautiful children. She was young, naturally beautiful, rich, powerful, part of Hollywood’s elite. Had hit after hit at the box office. Was consistently nominated for various awards, even won a few. Became high in demand, as did the salaries she began commanding.

You see ladies and gentlemen, Keith Urban is not Nicole’s first fairytale. The problem with fairytales, however, is that they usually turn out to be too good to be true. And then they end.

And hers did. In 2001 Tom Cruise divorced Nicole Kidman. And her life hasn’t been the stuff dreams are made of since.

Because you see, image is everything in Hollywood. There is a reason it is often referred to as LaLa Land. It is a superficial place full of superficial people. So, image, or, what the public perceives, is as crucial to a celebrity as the box office bottom line. We live in a society that puts celebrities up on a pedestal. The higher the pedestal, the more important the celebrity. The more important the celebrity, the better for the celebrity. And we seem much, much more concerned with the person behind the celebrity, than their talent or work. For this reason, we have an insatiable need to know. And the celebrity’s personal and private life becomes the topic of many more conversations than their latest hit. Therefore, the person (image) that a celebrity projects is critical for their success. They have to look good. They have to be talked about. They have to keep their names and faces out there. Or they will be forgotten. And Hollywood is fickle. Aside from her Oscar win for The Hours, Nicole wasn’t looking so good.

October 2002 - Nicole and Naomi Frequenting Strip Joints
November 2002 - Breakup Was My Fault Reveals Kidman
December 2002 - Kidman Still In Love With Tom Cruise
December 2002 - Kidman Still Holding Out For Tom?
January 2003 - Legal Blonde Tops Poll - Sweet Home Alabama star Reese Witherspoon is the most popular actress in Hollywood.
January 2003 - Friends Concerned For Workaholic Kidman - "Nicole's gone from strength to strength since she split from Tom Cruise, but there's a great pressure to maintain her success. She's been working tirelessly to promote her movie The Hours and there's a worry that if she doesn't get the recognition she deserves.....she will take it very badly." Kidman herself admitted that she feared directors would forget all about her after ending her marriage to the Minority Report star.
January 2003 - Kidman Caught Red-Handed - Onlookers at this years Golden Globes were stunned by the appearance of Nicole Kidman’s bright red hands
March 2003 - Nicole Kidman Banned From Russell Crowe’s Wedding
May 2003 - Kidman’s Puffing Has Anti-Smokers Fuming
July 2003 - Kidman and Nicholson’s Hotel Complaints
August 2003 - Nicole Kidman’s Wild Night Out
August 2003 - Cameron Diaz Looks To Stay On As Top Earner
August 2003 - Shock Over Thin Nicole
December 2003 - Nicole Faces Heartbreak As Lenny Affair Is Confirmed
January 2004 - Nicole’s Controversial Gift - Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman is at the centre of an advertising storm, after she was photographed with rival products to the Chanel brand she endorses.
January 2004 - Nicole Kidman Annoys Chanel Bosses For Third Time
February 2004 - Glamorous Kidman Stopped Cold Mountain Oscars? - Nicole Kidman’s glamorous appearance in American Civil War film Cold Mountain has been blamed for the movie's lack of Oscar success.
February 2004 - Kidman Too Old For Movie
May 2004 - Stepford Wives Hits More Trouble
June 2004 - Kidman and Midler Deny Diva Antics
June 2004 - Kidman Slams Eating Disorder Rumors
June 2004 - Broderick Admits Stepford Tension
June 2004 - Kidman’s Kissing Scene With Boy Sparks Outrage
August 2004 - Cruise Says No To Nicole Reunion, But They’ll Always Be Close
August 2004 - Zeta-Jones and Kidman Snub Red Carpet Job
September 2004 - Bacall Disses Kidman’s Legend Tag - During an interview on British TV show GMTV yesterday morning, Bacall, 79, became irritated when the 37-year-old Oscar winner was described as "a legend". Cutting off interviewer Jenni Falconer in mid-sentence, Bacall blurted, "She's not a legend. She's a beginner.”
December 2004 - Roberts Is Still Highest Paid Actress
December 2004 - Kidman Quits The Producers
January 2005 - Kidman Takes Minimum Wage For Eucalyptus - When asked about her salary for Eucalyptus, she snapped, "(Salary stories are) intrusive. Do you ask your neighbor what are they earning for their job? Why should I have to put up with it?"
January 2005 - Kidman’s Dad Goes Public About His Daughter’s Privacy Hell
February 2005 - Kidman Blasts Lagerfeld Comments - Hollywood beauty Nicole Kidman has laughed off fashion guru Karl Lagerfeld’s harsh comments about her looks as "impossible". The acclaimed designer was quoted in the British press claiming Kidman wears "bizarre body make-up" and is a false beauty.”
March 2005 - Kidman’s Stepford Wives Hell
April 2005 - Kidman Loses Her Rich Crown
June 2005 - Kidman Attacks Snapper On Red Carpet
July 2005 - Kidman Ditched From Fleiss Movie

January 2006 - Nanny Exposes Cruise and Kidman Family Secrets
May 2006 - $25-Million Stars Taking Salary Cuts - Salaries paid to top movie stars are coming down, according to Entertainment Weekly magazine, which cites a number of prominent studio execs. Among those who now find it difficult getting producers to consider their $25-million asking price is Jim Arrey, Nicole Kidman and Will Ferrell and Eddie Murphy the magazine reported. Those salaries can not be justified by the box-office performances of their recent films, the magazine observed.
May 2006 - Kidman: I Still Love Cruise

So, what is a perpetually unlucky-in-love, aging, over-botoxed, box office bomb actress in fear of losing her career (life) to do? How about create another fairytale? It worked before right?

Enter Keith Urban. Gorgeous, top-of-his-game, fast approaching super country music stardom. Respected and admired for his incredible guitar playing talent, lusted after by women everywhere.

May 2006 - Kidman Announces Engagement
June 2006 - Kidman & Urban confirm Marriage Plans

What did this do for Nicole? She got herself back in the tabloids. She got people interested and talking about her again. She got back out into the spotlight with some GOOD press. And it worked like a charm. The Aussie Power Couple gave back to Nicole the very thing that she had lost when her first fairytale Prince dumped her. She was once again someone to be envied, someone who was seen as desirable, lovable, and in demand.

Google hits for Nicole have never been higher. Her presence in the all the tabloids worldwide has been consistent on a weekly basis. From pregnancy rumors, to her UN Ambassador role, front row seats at Hollywood’s most esteemed events, movie deals lined up for the next two years. Why, even her husband’s cheating scandals and 3 month stint in rehab just a mere 4 months after their marriage didn’t stop her on a dime as she proclaimed to the press that she was “standing by her man”. Aw, that Nicole. So in love, so determined to make this work, so strong, so brave.

Why, she is just extraordinary isn’t she?