Nicole Kidman almost walked away from acting—her mom’s words echo what every working mom needs to hear

Nicole Kidman almost left her Hollywood career behind after becoming a mom—until her own mother gave her the nudge every mom needs to hear: “Keep going.”

During a recent interview with CBS News, Nicole Kidman, 56, shared that after her daughter Sunday Rose’s birth, she felt she was “pretty much done” with acting. “I’d moved to Nashville; we were living on a farm,” she explained. That’s when her mother stepped in.

“My mom actually said, ‘I wouldn’t give up completely. Keep a finger sort of in it,’” Kidman recalled. Her mom’s advice carried weight, not just because it came from a place of love, but because it was rooted in her own experience. Nicole’s mother was of a generation that didn’t have the opportunities her daughter now had.

“She helped create [those opportunities] for her daughters,” Kidman said. And in that moment, her mother’s words served as a gift—not just to her, but to working moms everywhere who are constantly balancing ambition and motherhood.

Kidman and her husband, country music star Keith Urban, are parents to daughters Sunday Rose, 15, and Faith Margaret, 13.

Related: Nicole Kidman gushes about teenage daughters: ‘I marvel at that age group’

“I want to be around for my girls”

Nicole, who describes herself as an older mother, also spoke about the importance of taking care of herself for the sake of her children. She candidly shared that her final words from her late mother before she passed were a reminder to prioritize self-care: “Take care of yourself, Nikki.”

“We tend not to take care of ourselves,” Kidman admitted, reflecting on how women often put everyone else first. “We’ll take care of everybody else, but the last person is always us.”

It’s a sentiment that resonates with so many moms. Whether we’re managing a household, caring for kids, or juggling a career—oftentimes all at once—it’s easy to let our own needs fall to the bottom of the list. Kidman’s reminder to “find balance” may sound aspirational coming from a celebrity, but it’s a struggle that’s universal.

Related: Finding balance as a new mom

The reality for moms: Choices, or lack thereof

Not every mom has the luxury to decide whether or not to return to work. For many, the choice is already made for them. Some families rely on dual incomes to make ends meet. Others choose to stay home, and still others seek balance somewhere in between.

But what Kidman’s late mom said highlights an important truth: Our careers and our passions don’t have to disappear the moment we become mothers. For Kidman, returning to work didn’t mean sacrificing her role as a mom—it meant showing her daughters that dreams, ambition, and motherhood can coexist.

“We’re inspired when we look around at the other women in the world who are of similar age,” Kidman said. “[Women] keep going… they’re still raising their children and doing the things that they love, but also have careers and not apologize for it.”

Nicole Kidman’s next chapter—and what it means for moms watching

Kidman is as busy as ever. She’s starring in Expats, a limited series coming to Prime Video in January, and her latest film Baby Girl has been earning praise for its female-centered storytelling.

And even with her demanding schedule, she prioritizes the simple moments with her family. “We have breakfast together every morning,” Kidman shared. She may be a mega-celebrity, but in those quiet, noisy kitchen mornings with her kids, she sounds a lot like us.

Her late mom’s advice to “keep going” has turned into a gift that Kidman now carries forward. It’s one more reminder that we can make space for our dreams—and teach our kids to do the same.