At 3:30 p.m. on Monday, USC students began to line up outside Bing Theatre, hoping to sit as close as possible to a special guest for an installment of Spotlight@SDA.

The guest was none other than Oscar-winning actor Nicole Kidman.

Dean of the School of Dramatic Arts Emily Roxworthy introduced the star of “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) by sharing her accomplishments, most famed roles and her 2021 AMC advertisement with the beloved line, “Somehow, heartbreak feels good in a place like this.”

Roxworthy opened the conversation by asking Kidman how it felt to be so iconic, referencing popstar ADÉLA’s 2026 hit song “Nicole Kidman,” which has spent six weeks on the Billboard Hot 100.

“I don’t feel iconic at all. I feel like I’m a working actor. It’s that simple. I love the work,” Kidman said. “Which is why I wanted to be here with you. … I’m 59 years old, and I love [the work] passionately.”

Kidman shared her acting origins, which began at a young age in Sydney, Australia, where she spent her weekends at a small theater school that her father had found. There, she said she found her people and connected with teachers and film students. Kidman expressed the importance of being around film and directing students as an actor because they can go on to put actors in their projects.

“[Kidman] was really generous with the way she shared about her acting journey,” said attendee Lara Botha, a senior majoring in acting for stage and screen. “You can tell she has a real affinity for the work and a real appreciation for the craft itself, not all the glitz and glamour around it.”

Despite her extensive filmography and career spanning over four decades, Kidman was honest about low moments in her career that eventually pushed her to become a film producer.

“It’s very, very painful when [something] doesn’t [work]. Get on with it, … you don’t want to get mired in the failures. Keep moving forward,” Kidman said.

By keeping on pushing, she became a producer on the 2010 film “Rabbit Hole.” She also starred in the film and was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress.

Working with women has long been a priority for Kidman throughout her career and has championed women directors for years, Roxworthy said.

“It’s so important that [women] are heard,” Kidman said. “We have an enormous amount to give, and if [stories are] only told through the lens of a male, then you’re not actually getting access to [women].”

Kidman also critiqued the film industry’s rejection of women as they age while acknowledging sisterhood and support among her coworkers, which included the three-time-Oscar-winning actor Meryl Streep.

“[Women are] told that by 40 it’s over pretty much, and it’s not true, and it needed to be changed. It was a horrible feeling,” Kidman said.

Elizabeth Flemmer, a junior majoring in business administration, said that hearing Kidman discuss how women are represented in film and in real life was her favorite part of the talk.

“The more that we embrace how powerful it can be to surround yourself with such genuine female friendships, the more we’re able to feel comfortable in our own skin,” Flemmer said. “There’s a lot more work to do.”

Toward the end of the event, there was an opportunity for students to ask questions, something Kidman said there “must” be time for. When asked about her personal life, she was vulnerable about heartbreak amid her “devastating divorce.”

“I don’t feel that [heartbreak] has been explored enough on camera [with] regard to women now at a particular age and getting divorced,” Kidman said. “There’s not enough places for me to go find the salve and the balm in that area and connect.”

Although she did not shy away from discussing personal struggles, Kidman also offered advice specifically to actors in attendance, sharing techniques as well as tips on advocating for themselves.

“A lot of people who make it far in [the acting] industry are the ones who are willing to work hard, willing to put in the hours and be prepared,” said William DePorto, a sophomore majoring in musical theatre. “Professionalism overall is super important, and I think that [Kidman] exemplified that.”

Kidman emphasized many times that getting to work was a privilege and that actors should explore as many mediums as possible, as she herself has experience in theater, film and television.

“Don’t be an artistic snob,” Kidman said. “The more I worked, the more doors opened. So every opportunity leads you to the next opportunity, and it’s really important because if you get stuck just going, ‘I only want the best role; I only want the best thing,’ it’s not going to happen.”

Her most important piece of advice for the audience was something she wished she had listened to when she was younger.

“Don’t let anyone break your spirit, and protect your talent vigilantly,” Kidman said. “Make sure that you protect yourself … so that when you show up for the work, you are completely capable and able. … You are being given an opportunity. It is so important that you know that it is a gift.”