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Jimmy Fallon and Nicole Kidman© Getty Images

Jimmy Fallon reveals shockingly embarrassing detail about romance with Nicole Kidman

The Tonight Show host recounted his date with the Babygirl actress

Maria Sarabi
Junior Writer
May 22, 2025
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Jimmy Fallon opened up about a date he shared with Nicole Kidman over a decade ago on Tuesday's installment of The Tonight Show

The host revealed that he attempted to impress the actress with a game of Mario Kart on Nintendo during their romantic evening. The 50-year-old was joined on the show by The Last Of Us actress Isabela Merced, who teased the host over his embarrassing admission. 

Isabela Merced and Jimmy Fallon on The Tonight Show© NBC
Isabela Merced appeared on The Tonight Show

Jimmy explained that The Last Of Us "was one of the scariest computer games" that he had ever played. "Was that the game you were playing when you bombed your date with Nicole Kidman?," asked Isabela. 

Seemingly embarrassed, the talk show host hesitated before he responded, "It's a pleasure meeting you. We're out of time."

Jimmy proceeded to reveal that the game he had played with Nicole was in fact Mario Kart on Nintendo. The audience erupted into laughter and Jimmy said to Isabela, "Thanks for bringing it up."

Nicole Kidman in black dress© Getty Images
The actress attempted to pursue the comedian

The actress admitted that her "favourite clip on the show" was when Nicole recounted the awkward date when she appeared as a guest back in 2015. At the time, the Oscar-winning actress revealed that she had a crush on Jimmy back in the day. "So I go over there, and you're there in a baseball cap and nothing, and you wouldn't talk. You didn't say anything," she said.

"And then you put a video game on or something, and I'm like, 'This is so bad.' And you didn't talk at all."

"So after about an hour and a half I thought, 'He has no interest, this is so embarrassing.' And I left and went, 'Okay, no chemistry,' and I went, 'Maybe he's gay,'" she added.

Jimmy appeared shocked as he shared he was unaware that the meeting had been a date. "I am in shock right now. I can't believe I dated Nicole Kidman. This is fantastic," he said.

Nicole Kidman Visits "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" at Rockefeller Center on January 6, 2015 in New York City.© Getty Images
Nicole addressed the date on the show

The comedian opened up to Variety about the encounter back in 2015. "I did not know that was going to happen. It was not scripted. It did not go through a pre-interview," he shared.

"It was a legitimate moment, a real awkward moment. I was embarrassed, and she was embarrassed."

Nicole appeared as a guest again on The Tonight Show the following year in 2016. The star explained how Jimmy had also rejected her attempt to date him a second time. The pair attended David Fincher's house party and Nicole had eagerly waited for Jimmy to ask for her number. 

"It was when Brad [Pitt] and Jen [Aniston] were still together, so it was a long time ago, and you could have asked for my number then… and you still didn't ask for it," she said.

Jimmy with his family in new rare photo© Instagram
Jimmy with his family

"We were lurking in the kitchen after everyone went out and I'm like waiting and waiting and waiting. This is so true and you know it!," Nicole added.

Jimmy revealed his reasons behind rejecting Nicole's romance during an appearance on The Howard Stern radio show. "She walks in, and I'm nervous. She's gorgeous. By far, the most beautiful person who's ever walked into my apartment. 

"But I'm trying to be professional - to be someone you'd want to be in a movie with for three months," he shared.

Jimmy tied the knot to Nancy Juvonen in 2007 and the couple share two children, Winnie, 11, and Frances, ten.

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