Nicole Kidman name "Hōkūlani". The inspiration for the name came from a baby elephant born around the same time at the Honolulu Zoo, but the name is also a commonly used Hawaiian name for girls, Hokulani meaning "Heavenly Star". At the time of Kidman's birth, her father was a graduate student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa. He became a visiting fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health of the United States. Opposed to the war in Vietnam, Kidman's parents participated in anti-war protests while living in Washington, D.C. The family returned to Australia when Kidman was four and her
Nicole Kidman Kidman next starred with Sam Neill in "Dead Calm" (1989) as Rae Ingram, playing the wife of a naval officer. The thriller brought Kidman to international recognition; "Variety" commented: "Throughout the film, Kidman is excellent. She gives the character of Rae real tenacity and energy." Meanwhile, critic Roger Ebert noted the excellent chemistry between the leads, stating, "Kidman and Zane do generate real, palpable hatred in their scenes together." She followed that up with the Australian miniseries "Bangkok Hilton". She next moved on to star alongside her then-boyfriend and future husband, Tom Cruise, in the 1990 auto racing film "Days