Inside Nicole Kidman's Friendship With Hugh Jackman

Powerhouses of talent, "The Others" actor Nicole Kidman and fellow Aussie actor Hugh Jackman, have a beautiful friendship spanning across decades. Even though they've only appeared on screen together in one film, Baz Luhrmann's "Australia," as of this writing, the dynamic duo has been helping each other out behind the scenes for longer than most are aware. In fact, if it wasn't for Hugh Jackman and his now ex-wife Deborra-Lee Furness, Kidman might not have her celebrated career.

The "Cold Mountain" actress was already friends with Furness, so it made sense that the couple would open their home to a then-unknown Kidman. According to the "Practical Magic" star, Jackman and Furness let her stay on their couch when she first got to Los Angeles. "She gave me the chance to stay there and we could go and audition. Both of them were so influential in helping me get started in the States," she told Huffington Post. It's a good thing they did, as Kidman's career has come full circle, and their friendship continues to grow in meaningful ways.

Not only did former married couple Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness let Nicole Kidman crash on their couch, but they also helped her through her 2011 divorce from Tom Cruise. "When I got divorced, Hugh and Deb were so much a part of my healing. They were some of my best friends through that period," she told Australian outlet Now to Love.

Luckily, she's been able to pay them back in big ways. No stranger to a musical production, the "Moulin Rouge" actress attended a performance of "The Music Man" when Jackman was playing the lead. After the show, the "The Prestige" actor was auctioning off parts of his costume to raise funds for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Kidman took the opportunity to pay $100,000 for the famous straw hat, stunning the audience and Jackman alike. "I've known Nic for almost 30 years. I've worked with her, I can tell you this is not a surprise. She's one of the most generous souls I know," he said at the time (per Huffington Post).

The two still have wonderful things to say about each other and a natural habit of supporting one another. When Kidman received an American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award — the first Australian to do so — Jackman was quick to take to social media to sing her praises. According to the Daily Mail, Jackman posted on his Instagram stories "Massive congrats Nic!! So richly deserved."