Family

Nicole Kidman shares rare glimpse into family life with a moving tribute to her late father on his birthday

Antony Kidman died tragically in 2014. Nicole has always referred to her Papa as a great man.

In a rare glimpse into her private life Nicole Kidman has paid tribute to her late father Antony Kidman on what would have been his 81st birthday.

The Australian actress only rarely posts about her family on social media, but took to Instagram on Wednesday to share a sweet throwback photo of herself with her father, who passed away in 2014, with the simple and heartfelt caption: “Today would have been my Papa’s 81st birthday ❤️ I love and remember him every day xx.”

Nicole’s post was met with many messages of support.

“They never really leave us, we can still hear them guiding us. I miss mine too💕,” wrote one.

Another said simply, “I understand that.”

Gwyneth Paltrow responded with a broken heart emoji and Channel Ten’s entertainment reporter Angela Bishop, who lost her husband Peter Baike in 2017 wrote, “Birthdays can be the toughest. Sending lots of love.”

Antony Kidman, a well-respected Sydney psychologist, died in September 2014 at the age of 75 after suffering a tragic fall while he was in Singapore visiting Nicole’s younger sister, Antonia, who lived there at the time.

Alongside his work as a psychologist, for which he was awarded the Order of Australia in 2005, Dr Kidman conducted research into the psycho-social implications posed by sufferers of breast cancer and other diseases. He frequently appeared on Australian television and radio shows to talk about psychological health-related issues, and he wrote for academic journals.

The family had last been pictured together in Sydney in January 2014, as Antony and his wife Janelle celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

Speaking on The Ellen DeGeneres Show a month after her father’s death, Nicole said that she found great comfort in having others acknowledge her loss and reach out to her.

“Everybody loses their parents and it’s awful. I’m sorry to bring everybody down but at the same time I’m trying to navigate through something right now and I’m amazed when people reach out because it’s an awkward thing at times but to have people go ‘I’m so sorry for your loss,’ the power of that, even a note or anything, I’ve gotten so much love from people.”

“There’s something about when you realise someone else has gone through a similar thing or is going through a similar thing, it really connects you.”

In September the Big Little Lies actress, who has often referred to her dad as a “great” man, also took to Instagram to express her sense of loss.

She wrote simply, “My Papa. Always missing you ♥️

While Nicole was born in Hawaii, she moved with her parents to Australia at the age of four. She and her sister Antonia were raised in Melbourne and while Nicole went on to pursue an acting career, Antonia found success as a journalist and a television presenter.

Their upbringing was religious, with Nicole revealing earlier this year to Vanity Fair that she has continued her Catholic faith in her own parenting and regularly takes daughters Sunday Rose, 11, and Faith Margaret, eight, to church with husband Keith Urban.

“That’s how we are raising our children,” Nicole explained.

“Keith has his own beliefs but he comes, too. I had a very Catholic grandmother, and I was raised praying, so that had massive impact.

“I wouldn’t say it’s absolutism, there’s constant questioning – I’m a willful, feisty girl. For me it’s very important that I don’t have judgment.

“My dad would always say, ‘Tolerance is the most important thing.'”

Below: Nicole recently took to Instagram to share an image of herself taking a Sunday stroll with her daughter Sunday Rose.

Nicole’s adopted children with Tom Cruise are both adults now. Son Connor is in the music industry and living in Miami. Daughter, Bella, is married and lives near London.

In an incredibly raw interview with The Sun in September, Nicole said that Connor and Bella’s decision to continue their faith in Scientology alongside Tom Cruise after she and Tom divorced was painful for her.

She rationalised, “They have made choices to be Scientologists. It’s our job as a parent to always offer unconditional love.”

In a previous interview she revealed that she’d come to understand that a big part of parenting is accepting the choices your children make.

She said, “Parenting is about learning who they are, not making them what you want them to be – letting them find their way then supporting them…”

No doubt her father’s words – ‘Tolerance is the most important thing’ – had some influence in helping her come to that understanding and acceptance.

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