Nicole Kidman's Oscar win came with painful reality

Nicole Kidman had the Oscar, the career high and a room full of Hollywood’s biggest names — but somehow, she still went home feeling completely alone.

The Practical Magic 2 star opened up about the painful reality behind her 2003 Academy Award win during recent episode of Jake Shane’s Therapuss podcast, revealing that her biggest professional moment came at a surprisingly lonely point in her personal life.

“I had the pinnacle of my success, and I went home and was so lonely,” Kidman said.

She had split from Tom Cruise in 2001, and despite having her parents with her that night, something — or someone — was missing.

“So, yeah, crazy, though, that sort of the confluence of events where you go, ‘I wish…’ I had my mom with me and my dad, but I was like, ‘Where’s my partner, someone that I can share this with?’”

The realisation hit hard while she was holding the very statue most actors dream about.

“It was one of the most profound moments where I went, ‘I’ve got to get a life,’ and at the same time, I’m holding this gold statue where you go, ‘This is, this is it. This is the highest sort of prize you can get in our industry.’ And so grateful and yet so lonely.”

Kidman also admitted she wished she could simply be held and feel grounded in her real life.

“I’d love to be able to just, you know, be wrapped in somebody’s arms right now,” she added. “I’d love to be around now, something that feels really, ‘Oh, OK, this is my real life.’ ”

She previously shared the same complicated feelings in 2024, saying her personal life was struggling while her career was soaring.

And even the Vanity Fair Oscar party didn’t help. Kidman said she felt “completely overwhelmed, emotional, shaking” and ultimately didn’t enjoy the celebration.

Ironically, the woman holding Hollywood’s biggest prize that night was already wishing for something far simpler: someone to share it with.