Serving the entertainment industry for decades, Nicole Kidman has not only earned the title of a talented actress and an elite member of Hollywood but has also managed to secure a place as a producer.
Now, obviously, with big titles and responsibilities, Kidman has been top-tier famous for decades, helping her command a ginormous salary for her role in the industry.
While her titular appearance in projects is expected to earn her an eye-watering sum, it’s Nicole Kidman’s minor roles in movies like Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom that sparked our curiosity. So, how much do you think she bagged from reprising her role in the DC sequel? Well, let’s check it out.
How much did Nicole Kidman earn from Aquaman 2?
With a career spanning multiple genres, blockbuster hits, and critically acclaimed performances, Nicole Kidman has been a Hollywood staple for decades. And now, given her status and immense talent, it’s no surprise that she commands huge paychecks for her work. But while her leading roles bring her massive salaries, it’s her smaller roles that often spark curiosity.
One such role is her part in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, where she reprised her character, Queen Atlanna. Considering her limited screen time and the movie’s box office performance, it made us wonder about Kidman’s earnings from the DC sequel. Well, in simple words, the actress earned nothing short of impressive for playing a crucial part in the story as Queen Atlanna, the mother of Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry aka Aquaman.
Although Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom struggled massively at the box office, merely earning $439M worldwide, compared to its $1B predecessor, Kidman’s salary seemed to have no effect. Despite limited screen time in both Aquaman films, Kidman’s paycheck was anything but small. According to reports from The Richest, the actress’ stellar performance in the sequel reportedly earned her $5M.
While her previous paycheck for Aquaman remains unknown, Kidman is expected to earn a staggering sum for the 2018 film as well, given her staggering $250M net worth as of 2025 (via Parade).
How much does the actress usually earn from her films?
While you might get easily impressed with Nicole Kidman’s earnings from Aquaman 2, we would suggest you hold onto your horses. While the actress’ $5M paycheck might seem staggering, in reality, it’s on the lower end of what she typically makes from her movies. As an A-list actress with an Oscar-winning career, her usual film salaries are significantly higher.
So much so that Kidman has earned around $22M between September 2019 and September 2020, for her various acting endeavors—thanks to her reported $10M upfront salary for Netflix’s The Prom (via Forbes). Therefore, on average, Kidman earns anywhere between $10M to $15M per film when she is in a leading role.
Now, this wasn’t the case, when the Australian actress initially began her career in the industry. During her years of inception, Kidman earned somewhere between 200K to 500K for her roles. But it changed in 1995, when the actress bagged $2M for To Die For, and $2.5M for Batman Forever. Soon becoming the leading actress in Hollywood, Kidman started earning between $5M to $7M for her roles.
Eventually, as per Cosmopolitan, Nicole Kidman transitioned into the happy land of $10+ million per project from the early 2000s onwards. That’s when she bagged $15M for Cold Mountain and allegedly made $17.5M for Bewitched in 2005. Now that might make you gasp for air. But over the years, the actress has proven that she is worth every penny, as most of her films perform well both critically and commercially.
Nicole Kidman’s salary from TV and endorsements
While Nicole Kidman is best known for her film career, she has also made a major impact on television. In fact, in recent years, TV has become one of her biggest sources of income. Dominating the world of prestige television, Kidman has appeared in shows like The Undoing, Hulu’s Big Little Lies, and Nine Perfect Strangers.
With streaming platforms willing to pay top dollar for big-name actors, Kidman has capitalized on this shift in the industry. Therefore, appearing in the HBO show, the actress made $1M per episode of The Undoing. Later on, as per THR, Kidman made $250,000 per season 1 episode of Big Little Lies before getting a raise of $1M per episode for season 2.
As per Variety, the Oscar winner took home $1M per episode of Hulu’s Nine Perfect Strangers. So while these TV projects have proven to be critically successful, it has also been extremely lucrative for the actress. Now, aside from acting, Kidman also earns a fortune from brand endorsements. Over the years, she has collaborated with some of the biggest luxury brands, making millions from those deals.
Back in 2004, when Kidman appeared in the Chanel No. 5 campaign, she reportedly earned a seven-figure sum for her role. Considering it was one of the world’s most expensive ad campaigns, with a budget of $33M, the actress apparently earned $6M per minute (via Sydney Morning Herald).
Becoming a prominent face for Chanel, Kidman bagged yet another ad campaign deal with the brand. In 2012, she was reportedly paid $3M to appear in a Chanel No. 5 ad campaign. Further, in late 2021, the actress starred in a much-tweeted-about ad campaign for AMC theaters, which reportedly cost $25M to make the ad (via Fox). So it’s easy to assume how much Kidman might have approximately made from the ad.
Further, the Australian actress has also endorsed products, including Neutrogena and Omega watches. Therefore, these endorsements, combined with her film and TV salaries, made Nicole Kidman one of the highest-paid actresses in Hollywood. So, alongside her countless accolades and long-standing career, the actress has also earned her place among the Forbes list of the highest-paid actresses in 2020.
Nicole Kidman’s career is nothing short of legendary. From winning Oscars to starring in blockbuster films and critically acclaimed TV shows, she has done it all. Not to mention her Aquaman 2 salary proved that even a small role can bring in a massive payday if you’re a Hollywood icon. So, in the end, with staggering paychecks for her acting career and multi-million-dollar endorsement deals, it’s clear why she has an estimated net worth of $250 million as of 2025.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
