Nicole Kidman was honored with the Life Achievement Award on Saturday, making history as the first Australian to earn the top honor from the American Film Institute.
The 56-year-old Being the Ricardos actress becomes the 49th person to be awarded this accolade by the AFI, which honors an individual for their contribution to the advancement of the American culture through motion pictures and television.
Nicole Kidman’s Supportive Family
Nicole celebrated her new accomplishment with her husband, Keith Urban, and their two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, turning the event into a family affair—a glamorous one, if I may add. Her sister Antonia was also at the event with her husband, Craig Marran, and their daughter, Sybella Hawley.
Sunday and Faith, who made their red carpet debut at the event, looked lovely in Monique Lhuillier. Sunday, 16, donned a white floral-printed gown with a sweetheart neckline, while Faith, 13, wore a strapless coral trumpet gown.
Nicole Kidman is joined by her family, including her husband, Keith Urban, and their daughters, Sunday and Faith, who are both wearing Monique Lhuillier gowns, at the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony at The Dolby Theater on April 27, 2024 (Credit: Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Shimmering in a Classic Gold Evening Gown
Nicole, the star of the evening, looked the part, just as I had anticipated. She went for a gilded appearance, donning a gold Balenciaga gown that shimmered under the bright lights.
I’m not really a fan of shiny gold dresses; I find them tacky. But I think Nicole did a great job pulling hers off with such grace and flair.
Nicole Kidman, AFI Life Achievement Award recipient, shimmers in a gold sequin-embellished evening gown custom-made by Balenciaga (Credit: Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
The Peacemaker star’s bespoke Balenciaga evening gown exuded timeless elegance that matched the occasion and her ageless beauty. It draped her body flawlessly like fluid, highlighting her slender figure—which, at 56, is incredible.
The shimmering gold dress, covered entirely with gold sequins, fit snugly around the bodice and hips before flowing into a column skirt with a dramatic floor-sweeping train.
Mix and Match Accessories
Jason Bolden, whose celebrity clients include Alicia Keys, Sabrina Carpenter, Storm Reid, Cynthia Erivo, and Vanessa Hudgens, curated Nicole Kidman’s evening look.
While I commend Bolden for keeping Kidman’s neck bare, I have reservations about the way he mixed and matched gold and silver accessories. I know that gold goes well with anything, from silver and gold to white and black, and that mixing and matching metals can enhance the overall impact of the ensemble. Still, I would have loved a more unified look.
Nicole Kidman styles her gold gown with diamond hoop earrings, a gold Omega watch, and a few Roberto Coin rings (Credit: Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
He styled the actress with silver and diamond hoop earrings, a gold Omega watch, and two gold rings from Roberto Coin. These include the Love in Verona 18k yellow gold ring with 1.80ct. round brilliant diamonds and the Domino ring in 18k rose gold with 0.13ct. diamonds.
Bolden teamed Kidman’s ensemble with black pointed-toe pumps by Gianvito Rossi, which surprised me as I thought a pair of gold heels would look perfect with the gold dress.
Nicole Kidman completes her gilded look with black pointed-toe pumps by Gianvito Rossi (Credit: Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Classic Glam to Match the Classic Gown
I love how Adir Abergel matched Kidman’s hairstyle with her classic gown. He parted her blown-out blonde tresses to the side and let them fall freely around her shoulders.
Gucci Westman, meanwhile, glammed up the actress with products from her Westman-Atelier cosmetics line. She used the Skin Activator and Suprême C serums to prepare her skin and then the Complexion Drops to maintain the moisture balance.
The Vital Skin Foundation in the shade N served as the makeup base before applying the Baby Cheeks Blush in Poppet, the Liquid Super Loaded in Peau de Rosé, the Face Trace Contour in Biscuit, and the Vital Pressed Skincare Powder in Translucent.
Highlighting her blue eyes, Westman used Dior Beauty’s Matte Eyeshadow with Too Faced Black Liquid Waterproof Eyeliner and her Eye Want You Mascara. She rounded out her glam with the Lip Suede Matte Lipstick in Je Rêve and Squeaky Clean Lip Balm in Chou Chou.
Nicole Kidman wears a classic glam, pairing her side-parted blonde tresses with soft pink makeup using Westman-Atelier products (Credit: Abaca Press / INSTARimages)
Nicole Kidman Expresses Gratitude Toward Directors She Has Worked With
Taking to the stage to receive her honor, Nicole Kidman thanked her colleagues and directors, “who allowed [her] to run wild and be free and play all of these unconventional women.”
“Thank you for making me better at my craft and giving me a place, however temporary, in this world.”
She added, “I like to think that I’m just getting started, but it’s not true because, really, let’s just hope I’m in the middle. I’ve got my fingers crossed. There’s so many more exciting young directors and voices that are completely original and need to be heard, and they have a lot to say. We need to give them a chance to say it and to hear them, and I am here, I am ready to roll up my sleeves. I am here always to support those voices.”
Nicole Kidman gives her directors and colleagues a shoutout during her AFI Life Achievement Award speech (Credit: Media Punch / INSTARimages)