Nicole Kidman has collaborated with 27 female directors over the past eight years, fulfilling a promise she made to support women in filmmaking. Speaking with journalist Angelique Jackson from Variety, Kidman recalled her public commitment in 2017 to work with at least one female director every 18 months. At the time, she wasn’t sure if it would be achievable, but she was determined—and her record shows she succeeded. Including current projects in development, Kidman has partnered with 27 women directors across various film and television productions.

“I intended to make it happen,” the actress and producer said. “We had a conversation about how there was so much inequality in terms of who gets chosen.” She noted that a common question was: “Could a woman direct this?”

When Kidman first made the pledge in 2017, only 4% of the highest-grossing films of the year were directed by women. That figure has risen over the past eight years. In 2024, women made up 13.6% of the directors behind top-grossing films. Still, Kidman emphasized, this number “still seems incredibly low” and vowed to continue working to raise it. She highlighted the importance of “work, financial backing, and finding mentors—finding financial mentors who are willing to invest money in an unknown female director and take the risk.”

In recognition of her efforts, the Australian actress received the 2025 Women in Motion Award from luxury group Kering at the Cannes Film Festival. Kering has partnered with the festival for the past decade to annually honor a groundbreaking woman in cinema, as part of its Women in Motion program—an initiative that showcases the contributions of women both on- and off-screen to culture and the arts.