Nicole Kidman’s name should never be absent from any conversation about the greatest actresses of all time. The Hollywood A-lister has consistently made critically acclaimed movies and television shows ever since she debuted in the early 1980s. For her work, she has received an Oscar, two Emmys, a British Academy Film Award, a Volpi Cup, and six Golden Globe Awards. She is also the first Australian performer to receive the AFI Life Achievement Award honor.
Kidman is as versatile as an actor can be. Whether it’s a superhero movie or a drama, she can handle it. However, she tends to be even better when working onthrillers. Over the years, the actor has kept audiences in a fingers-crossed position, either rooting for her character, or against her, as the stakes keep rising.
The following are 10 Nicole Kidman thrillers guaranteed to keep you on the edge of your seat until the final credits start rolling.
10’Malice' (1993)
In the early minutes ofMalice, Andy (Bill Pullman), an Associate Dean at a women’s college, appears to be happily married to Tracy (Nicole Kidman). Things get complicated when Tracy is forced to undergo an emergency abortion, and Andydiscovers that the baby isn’t his because he has been sterile all along. Worse still, Tracy has a hidden career as a criminal.
Twist Galore
Malice’snumerous red herringswill make you dizzy, but the movie wouldn’t be as good as it is without them. Before audiences have the chance to process a new revelation, another one gets thrown at them. The actors do an incredible job, too.Kidman has no bad moments,nor do Pullman or Alec Baldwin. Beyond that, the topics of fertility and abortion are analyzed to near-academic levels.
9’Birthday Girl' (2001)
Birthday Girl
InBirthday Girl, John (Ben Chaplin),a reclusive banker, grows tired of trying to find love the traditional way and opts for a Russian mail-order bride via the Internet. His new wife is the enigmatic Nadia (Nicole Kidman), and everything seems good until her cousin’s friend kidnaps her on her birthday.
Worst Birthday
As timeless family thrillers go,Birthday Girlis solid gold and a must for all couples, whether they like Kidman or not. Events move quickly, withthe interchanging of English and Russian giving the film an authentic feel. There is a comedy element too, often stemming from linguistic misunderstandings and cultural differences. Most importantly, the performances remain sharp throughout the 90 minutes.
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8’Holland' (2025)
Hollandstars Nicole Kidman as Nancy Vandergroot, a teacher and homemaker living in Holland, Michigan. Bothered by her husband’s frequent absences, she requests a colleague to help her uncover the truth. Soon,she realizes her spouse is a serial killer.
Married to a Monster
The exhilarating second feature byFreshdirector Mimi Cave is a masterpiece about an issue very much on the minds of couples today: the true nature of their spouses. Borrowing its dread style from popularserial killer movies, the filmworks even better by pitting the villain against his wife rather than the police. Great cinematography and an absorbing finale make this a thriller worth sparing time for.
7’Stoker' (2013)
Stokerfollows India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska), whose life takes a turn for the worse when her father dies in a car accident. Suddenly, Charlie (Matthew Goode),an uncle she never knew she had, arrives and moves in with her and her unstable mother (Nicole Kidman). India begins to suspect the charming man has ulterior motives, yet she can’t help but fall for him.
Harboring Secrets
Director Park Chan-wook sends out a loving ode to Tennessee, shooting in dull color that suggests the gray smudginess of a sad day. Mia Wasikowska gives an excellent, fearless performance as a teenager peering into her adult years, whileKidman turns in a gentle, naive portrayal of a mother who isn’t fully aware of the danger that looms in her household. The family chaos is dissected with the utmost pathos, so prepare yourself for bewilderment.
6’The Killing of a Sacred Deer' (2017)
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
InThe Killing of a Sacred Deer, cardiothoracic surgeon, Dr. Steven Murphy (Colin Farrell)befriends a mysterious teenage boy named Martin (Barry Keoghan) whose father died after surgery years earlier. This turns out to be a bad move on his part, asMartin soon becomes psychotic and keeps demanding his attention. How will Stephen and his wife Anna (Nicole Kidman) cope?
Boy Versus Adults
Keoghan steals the show here. No surprise that he won Best Supporting Actor at the Irish Film & Television Awards. Kidman should have been given more material to work with, but she still impresses as the archetypal movie wife. Things get really weird as the clock ticks by, but don’t jump off the train. Those who stay until the very end shall be sufficiently rewarded.
5’Babygirl' (2024)
Babygirlis aboutRomy Mathis (Kidman), an influential CEO of a New York robotics firm, who gets seduced by her younger intern, Samuel (Harris Dickinson). Their affair takesa dominant-submissive dynamic, and, as expected, things soon get out of hand. Even worse, Romy’s husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas) learns about the affair.
Submissive Boss
The A24 production isa sweet yet never-cloying examination of the complexity of lust. The detailed depiction of a sexual relationship between an older woman and a younger man is extensively and believably drawn. Once again, Kidman is excellent with her dancing eyes (she won a Volpi Cup for Best Actress), and Dickinson inserts a touch of darkness into his performance that takes his daring character beyond cliché. Check out this low-key masterwork fora captivating reflection on the mysteries of human attraction.
Dead CalmhasRae Ingram (Nicole Kidman) and her husband, John (Sam Neill), struggling to cope with the death of their young son. To boost their mental health, they take their yacht out for an extended vacation trip and, while they are far out in the waters,they encounter a sinking schooner and rescue its sole survivor. Rae is empathetic, but John begins wondering if the man is hiding something.
Trouble on Top of Grief
This devastating, disturbing psychological thriller about loss and new threats still has a lot to say 36 years after release.Events never stray too far from the 1963 novel of the same nameby Charles Williams, which is a good thing, considering the source material was so great that it was coveted by the great Orson Welles, who made an unfinished adaptation.The twists and the cinematography are the film’s strongest balusters, but the acting doesn’t lag far behind either. Thanks to the great work, four wins came from the Australian Film Institute Awards.
3’Eyes Wide Shut' (1999)
Eyes Wide Shut
InEyes Wide Shut,Dr. Bill Harford (Tom Cruise) heads on a journey of sexual discovery after his wife Alice (Nicole Kidman) confesses that she fantasized about another man. He soonfinds himself in a secret society where New York’s elite engage in weird sexual practices. Will he sink deep, or will he get out before it’s too late?
Kubrick’s Final Film
As is the case with most Stanley Kubrick films, the meticulousness can be easily seen inEyes Wide Shut. The directorfashioned this buoyant, flavorful erotic thriller around the chemistry between Cruise and real-life wife Kidman, and scored a direct hit. The film, which holdsthe record for the longest continuous movie shoot, took a strain on the actors, but the lead actors fared just fine.
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2’To Die For' (1995)
To Die For
Talk of extreme measures. Suzanne Stone (Nicole Kidman) fromTo Die Forisn’t content with being a weather reporter at her small-town cable station.She wants to be a big-time news anchor, but she believes her hubby is holding her back. Suzanne thustasks Jimmy (Joaquin Phoenix), a high school boy who has a crush on her, with murdering the man.
‘90s Magic
Phoenix, in a star-making role, really turns on the psycho, makingTo Die Fora dreadful, bona fide ‘90s delight.Kidman’s direct-to-camera monologues also boost the film’s appeal, and so does the satire of media practices, the allure of fame, and the true crime genre. Several Oscars should have poured in here, but the Golden Globes can be considered appropriate consolations.
1’The Beguiled' (2017)
The Beguiled
The Beguiledrevolves aroundthe staff and students of a girls’ boarding school who become infatuated with a wounded Union corporal after finding him lying in the woods. They decide against handing him over to Confederate forces and keep him until he heals, but this decision causes conflicts between them as each strives to get the man’s attention.
Lust in the Civil War
Here’sa modestly budgeted movie that makes quite an outsize impact. Adapted from Thomas P. Cullinan’s novel of the same name, theSouthern Gothic thrillerbenefits from excellent work by Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman.Director Sofia Coppola goes for a gritty realism in her shooting style, shoving us deeper into the characters’ emotions. Thanks to her great work, she became the second woman to win Best Director at Cannes.
