Oscar-Winning actress Nicole Kidman has been honoured with the American Cinematheque Award for her work on such films as Dogville and The Hours.
Surrounded by a roll-call of her Hollywood peers, the 36-year-old remained characteristically humble at the glitzy Los Angeles event. "I am proud of one thing," she said. "It is that I have been searched out by visionaries, and I've surrendered whatever I have to them."
A group of the directors she was referring to, including Stephen Daldry (The Hours), Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge) and Anthony Minghella (Cold Mountain), applauded enthusiastically as she received the gong.
"You make audiences absorb and feel," enthused her old friend Naomi Watts. "You make actors watch, learn and steal and you have directors duelling over you."
There was also a brief moment of embarrassment, however, as an emotionally charged scene from the film Eyes Wide Shut, involving herself and ex-husband Tom Cruise, was used to showcase her talent. As the angry onscreen exchange heated up, Nicole opted to hastily escort her two children out of the Beverly Hilton ballroom.
Other big names who offered words of praise included Lauren Bacall, Adrien Brody, Matt Dillon, Natalie Portman and Chloe Sevigny. Miramax Films' boss Harvey Weinstein meanwhile described her as "a force of great integrity in my life".
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
