A-lister Nicole Kidman is known for her memorable, lustrous hair, which she’s worn in everything from strawberry blond looks to her natural red hair. The public has been discussing Kidman’s hair since she first rose to fame. Back when she was still with Tom Cruise, she was known for her red ringlet curls. Today, she rocks a straighter and blonder look. Here’s a deeper dive into Nicole Kidman’s stunning hair transformation over the years.
Nicole Kidman hates being asked about wigs
When it comes to hair, Kidman is a shapeshifter. There’s been a podcast about her called the “Kidmanifesto” that tackled the hot topic of whether this star wears wigs, and this was brought up recently for her role in Netflix’s “The Perfect Couple.” But this actress doesn’t like being asked about her wigs. The host of “The Kidmanifesto” asked her to rank her wigs, to which she responded, “That’s an awful question. I am shutting that question down.” She then said on “The Kyle & Jackie O Show” that her favorite hairdo is when she can wear her own hair.
She regrets straightening her hair
In the 80s and 90s, Nicole Kidman’s hair was a messy mop of gorgeous, tightly wound curls. But as time went on, she started to straighten her hair into flowing waves for a more elegant and refined look. However, she told Aussie magazine Who that she wished she had her curls back and “tortured them to death” with constant straightening.
Australian actress Nicole Kidman, 1990.
A slicked-back look for her first Oscar win
When Kidman won her first Academy Award for her role in “The Hours,” she wore her hair in a tight, slicked-back bun. This classy look complemented her black gown, and the golden hue of her hair matched the statue she took home that night. She doesn’t wear it like this often since this was a reminder of a tough time in her life, when her divorce from Tom Cruise was finalized, and she was forced to go to the show without a date.
In the 2000s, they said Nicole Kidman was too blonde
Some people thought the actress went too light in the 2000s with a shade that washed her out. Blogger Alexandra Seuthe guessed that she was overcompensating for gray hairs, leading to a bad color match, since gray hair doesn’t hold onto red dye well. After that, Kidman stuck with warmer shades that didn’t wash her out as much.
Her Cannes 2013 hairstyle was mocked
Sometimes, celebs are ripped apart for their red carpet looks, and Nicole Kidman is no exception. When she walked the Cannes Film Festival red carpet as a member of the jury, she wore a combed-back ponytail that sat high on her head, creating a bold layer on top of her pulled-back hair. It resembled a sky-high faux hawk, and the unusual look was mocked by many.
She redeemed herself at Cannes with a cinnamon-roll braid
At the same event, Kidman took the bad reviews in stride and followed them up with an intricate braid. It was messy chic yet detailed, and her ‘cinnamon-roll braid’ was total #hairgoals. It received rave reviews, with Huff Post’s Style & Beauty section saying it had “totally convinced us that braids aren’t just for milkmaids anymore.”
Nicole Kidman’s natural curls made a comeback in 2021
Now cemented as an icon, Kidman started to explore her roots again by exploring her old school curls. At the 2021 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, she stood by her husband’s side wearing a leather-filled look with a choker and 80s strawberry blond curls that paid homage to her past.
A futuristic jellyfish cut on Perfect Magazine
In 2022, Nicole Kidman entered a new era of experimentation with an eye-popping “jellyfish” haircut. Her hair was ultra-red and fell to her waist, but was also cut at the chin to create face-framing bangs. The playful, youthful look was serving “The Fifth Element” meets mod style, and people were obsessed!
She rocked an eye-catching blonde lob in 2024
Though she had spent years trying to find the right blond color, she may have finally done it with this vanilla blond, styled in a long, shaggy bob that cascaded over her shoulders. The look was paired with a pale pink lip.
A bouffant ponytail at the 2025 Golden Globes
Nicole Kidman’s hair made headlines once again in 2024 for her role in “Babygirl” and the red carpet look that followed. To celebrate her Golden Globe nomination, she showed up on the red carpet in a bouffant ponytail that blended elegance with volume. The ponytail’s swoop framed her face, and the color matched her look beautifully.
Edgy, darker locks for the 2025 Met Gala — explained by a hairstylist
This star was in the spotlight with her black Balenciaga gown and jaw-dropping hairstyle. It was fully slicked back except for a piece of bang which covered part of her face, and the dark undertones showed off the fact that her hair was layered over darker roots. The question remains: was this her real hair in a total revamp, or was it a wig? Answering a curious hairdresser on Instagram, Kidman didn’t directly answer the question, instead replying, ”thank you, baby. I am truly touched.”