Nicole Kidman, 50, wrote a touching open letter for Porter magazine in which she spoke out against domestic violence after her Emmy win for her portrayal of a woman who is abused in HBO’s Big Little Lies, reports People.com.
“It never occurred to me that I should be at a disadvantage because I was born a girl,” Kidman wrote in the letter. “The idea that women and men are equal is part of my DNA. I was raised by a strong feminist mother and a fully supportive father.”
She continued, “My feminist roots have also led me to the UN Women and my work as its Goodwill Ambassador. It is in this role that I come to fully understand the barriers that women around the world are facing. I have focused on lending my voice to women who are survivors of violence. The stories I have heard from them have shaken me to the core and changed me forever.”
The Lion actress also explained how she witnessed survivors of domestic violence “reclaim their lives” and understood how crucial that was.
The Australian actress called on women to face challenges head on and, most of all, support one another and help others to know they are not alone.
“More than ever, I am aware of the need to support and celebrate each other,” Kidman wrote. “I like to believe I am part of a global support group network of 3.4 billion.”
“Each of us, in ways big or small, will come across challenges, often arising out of the fact that we are women in a still unequal world. It has happened to me; I am sure it has to you. In those moments, I like to think of those who have my back, who lifted me up and encouraged me to believe in myself.
“Imagine: if you can fall back on the 3.5 billion sisters, and the many good men who are with us, what could we possibly not achieve?”
After winning the Emmy for outstanding lead actress in a limited series or movie for Big Little Lies, the actress dedicated her award to her family and their incredible support.
“I also am a mother and a wife,” she said. “I have two little girls — Sunny and Faith — and my darling [husband] Keith [Urban], whom I asked to help me pursue this artistic path, and they have to sacrifice so much for it. So, this is yours. I want my little girls to have this on their shelf and look at it and go, ‘Every time my mama didn’t put me to bed, it’s because of this. I got something!’”
