It’s easy to buy into the misconception that celebrities are ironclad PR machines incapable of being wounded by words or hurt by name calling.
Of course, celebs are humans just like the rest of us, and once upon a time many of them were, quite literally, like the rest of us. They grew up in simple homes, attended schools, and lived through all the ups and downs one usually encounters before becoming an adult.
Not only that, but cracking the entertainment industry is notoriously difficult, and with showbiz being the unforgiving beast that it is, it’s hardly a surprise that many young actors and actresses have to face harsh criticism and the possibility that any perceived flaws they have can and will be used against them.
ust ask Nicole Kidman, who recently went on record to recall how she was warned she would never make it in Hollywood because of her height.
Speaking to Radio Times, Kidman, whose successful career has seen her pick up numerous awards, including an Oscar, admitted that her road to superstardom wasn’t always a sure thing.
“I was told, ‘You won’t have a career. You’re too tall,” Kidman explained.
“I say I’m 5ft 101/2in but I’m really 5ft 11in. I was teased and called Stalky. People would say, ‘How’s the air up there?’ Now, I get, ‘You’re so much taller than I thought’, or men grappling with how high my heels should be.”
And while being that tall might be perceived as being glamorous in the eyes of some, Kidman also revealed that her height has caused issues with her knees.
“I’m incredibly grateful to be healthy and walking around,” she said. “Having said that, I’ve had knee issues and all sorts of things partly because of my height!”
Recently, the 56-year-old also spoke candidly on the matter of her infamous divorce from Tom Cruise.
Fans of the actress will be all too aware that the finalization of Cruise and Kidman’s divorce came just prior to her winning an Oscar in 2003 for her portrayal of Virginia Woolf in The Hours.
Cruise and Kidman had established themselves as one of Hollywood’s power couples in the preceding decade and their marriage saw them adopt two children – Isabella, 31, and Connor, 28. Sadly, after 11 years it came crashing down.
The pair would eventually divorce, though the completion of the process could hardly have come at a worse time for Kidman. The actress had been nominated for an Academy Award after starring in The Hours, and her divorce from Cruise overshadowed what should have been one of the highlights of her career.
Though she won the Oscar – her first and only to date – Kidman has since claimed that her big night was ruined by what was going on in her personal life.
Speaking to author Dave Karger in his new book 50 Oscar Nights, as relayed by People, she said: “I went home and ended up ordering takeout and eating it on the floor of the Beverly Hills Hotel. I sat on the floor of the hotel eating French fries and a burger with my family and went to bed. That’s when it hit me. I went, I need to find my love; I need a love in my life. Because this is supposed to be when you go, ‘This is ours.”‘
She went on: “I went to bed alone; I was in bed before midnight. If I ever won again, I’m telling you, I’d be out for 24 hours.
