Nicole Kidman All About Family At ‘Paddington’ Premiere In Australia

Nicole Kidman brought a very special guest to the Australian premiere of her new film Paddington over the weekend: her mom, Janelle. Kidman, styled elegantly in a full-length floral dress, held hands with her mom as they entered the cinema. As the Daily Mail reported, it was Kidman’s first trip back home to Australia since the sudden death of her father in September.

Kidman told media she knew her dad would have responded well to Paddington.

“My papa would have loved this movie. But my papa was so generous he would have loved… he pretty much loved all the things I did, he was biased.”

The red-haired bombshell also revealed she will be taking her mother back home to the U.S. to spend Christmas with her family. She was Down Under only for two days while her husband and young children remained Stateside. Kidman is married to musician Keith Urban, and they have two daughters, Sunday Rose, 6, and Faith Margaret, 3.

The Sydney Morning Herald reports Sunday and Faith were behind the scenes with their mom, and are excited for the movie. Kidman even revealed they got an inside peek into movie-making.

“They were on the set, so they always saw me get ready and they understand the make-believe of it, which they find absolutely intoxicating. But they were in love with the bear, they’ve watched the trailer a hundred times.”

As for why she chose to appear in Paddington, the Guardian reported Nicole wanted to tell a kid-friendly tale, even if she plays the film’s villain.

“I hadn’t made a film that had made people feel good for a long time. I’d made films that are darker in tone. So, it’s really nice to be able to make a film where you can say: ‘yeah, bring your kids’.”

Kidman has a difficult year both professionally and personally. In addition to the unexpected loss of her father, the biopic Grace of Monaco, in which Kidman starred, was met with negative reaction. Paddington may signal that her box-office success is on the upswing, as the movie has been well-received by the public and critics in the U.K. The film opens in Australia later this month and the U.S. in January.

Speaking directly to her ups and downs, Kidman made it clear she looks at the positive.

“Personally [it’s been] really really really hard. My family underwent a massive tragedy. So not my favourite year. But I try not to be ungrateful – I’m grateful to be alive.”

[Nicole Kidman Image: AAP via 3News]