NICOLE KIDMAN - KIDMAN'S BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE TO DAD

KIDMAN'S BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE TO DAD

NICOLE KIDMAN marked her 42nd birthday on Saturday (20Jun09) by paying tribute to her dad.
The actress turned a year older a day before Father's Day (21Jun09) and decided to use the occasion to honour her dad, Anthony, who she credited for his "wonderful" help after her split from ex-husband Tom Cruise in 2001.
She told Britain's Daily Mail, "Dad's a psychiatrist and when I was younger he was always trying to give me advice that I wouldn't listen to.
"Now that I'm older, I really value his insight. When I was younger, I always felt closer to my mother than to my father. It wasn't until I was older that I really realised how special my father is, too.
"When my marriage to Tom Cruise fell apart, I really needed to reach out to my dad, and he was wonderful. He stood by me, comforted me; showed me, at a time when I really needed to see it, the way that a man can be strong, dignified and loving.
"I'm very grateful that I had such a good father to see me through that time because it put me in good stead for trusting again the next time I fell in love. My father... is a very good and decent man."