by Mark Brinkerhoff
Australian Gold Rush. La Femme Nicole. Thoroughbred. The Lioness. Beguiling. Intoxicating. Spellbinding. Legend. Star.
Since first appearing in the pages of Vanity Fair as a newly-arrived, 23-year-old, soon-to-be breakout Hollywood star (circa July 1990, pictured above), Kidman has become one of the magazine’s favorite cover girls. In fact, the June 2019 issue marks the 10th time Kidman has graced the cover—seven solo and three as part of an ensemble (i.e. the annual Hollywood Issue)—not to mention assorted V.F. Hollywood portfolios over the years.
To commemorate Kidman’s milestone, let’s count down to the finest of our Vanity Fairest — a Tuesday Top 10...
10. Then newly (and lamentably) bottled blonde and heavily, heavily spray-tanned, a post-Cruise, pre-Oscared Kidman was perhaps peak-movie star by her fourth cover. Photographed by Mario Testino for the December 2002 issue.
09. A regrettable Grace Kelly manqué, Kidman graced her eighth cover, appearing washed out and as wan as the film she was promoting the D.O.A. Grace of Monaco. Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier for the December 2013 issue.
08. Imperfect 10. Though oddly wet-haired (?) and puffy-looking, Kidman is nevertheless, now and forever, a bonafide acting legend. Photographed, already quite polarizingly, by Collier Schorr for the May 2019 issue.
07. Sex on a stick-thin star. A va-va-voom Kidman sailed onto her sixth cover, this time promoting Margot at the Wedding, a year after wedding Keith Urban. Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier for the October 2007 issue.
06. Boosted by Big Little Lies (and Lion), Kidman got plum placement with co-star Reese Witherspoon, both sitting around Oprah like she’s Santa. Photographed by Annie Leibovitz for 2018’s Hollywood Issue.
05. Famously flame-haired and coolly, creamily complected, the towering Aussie was on the cusp of commercial (Batman Returns) and critical (To Die For) success. Photographed by Herb Ritts for the July 1995 issue.
04. Bewitching, channeling Grace Kelly beautifully years before the ignominious Grace of Monaco. Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier for the July 2005 issue.
03. Regal and red-headed, just the way God intended (and we prefer it). Photographed by Annie Leibovitz for the October 1997 issue.
02. From zeitgeist starlet to (perhaps premature) legend, all in the span of six years! Kidman flanked two bonafide legends, Les Deneuve et Streep, for the grandest of all Hollywood Issues, in April 2001. Photographed by Annie Leibovitz.
01. Instantly iconic alongside fellow Amazonian, Uma Thurman, and a crouching Jennifer (nearly hidden) Jason Leigh, Kidman got top tier on the front fold of V.F.’s very first Hollywood Issue, in April 1995. Photographed by (you guessed it) Annie Leibovitz.
Would your ranking be similar?