Drastic changes of image for the sake of a film role seem to be de rigueur for today’s top actresses – Gwyneth Paltrow traded her slimline silhouette for a fat suit in Shallow Hal and Cameron Diaz was far from her glamorous self when she donned a frizzy wig in Being John Malkovich. And now the latest superstar to go from dazzling to dowdy all in the name of the craft is Nicole Kidman, who is nearly unrecognisable in her latest role as British writer Virginia Woolf in the upcoming film The Hours.
The gorgeous screen star’s delicate nose has been covered with an oversized prosthetic for the part, and her high glamour Moulin Rouge costumes are just a memory as she dons unflatteringly dull frocks.
To top it all off, her flowing locks – which have gone from curly to straight and everywhere in between – are dyed dark brown and pulled back in a school mistress-style bun.
Nicole is a virtual double of the troubled author in the film, which also stars Julianne Moore, Meryl Streep and Toni Collette. But, though her role in The Hours may bring her the most drastic makeover the Oscar-nominated actress has had in her career, it isn’t the first that has required a change of look.
The naturally curly redhead has sported every style imaginable, including taking on an all-American cheerleader ‘do for To Die For and going dark and mysterious as a Russian mail-order bride in Birthday Girl. And so, it seems, it’s all in a day’s work for one of Hollywood’s most versatile stars.
