NICOLE KIDMAN: Oh, wow. Yikes. I'm crying. Means

a lot to me. I've been working since I was 14 years old.

Thank you SAG-AFTRA for giving me this. I'm incredibly nervous

because this is reality colliding with fantasy right now.

I was working until 1:00 a.m. -- which is a fantastic

blessing -- last night. But I had the flu, and I'm playing a

pretty "out there role" character right now, so I've had a

little trouble shedding it. But I'm here. And I'm incredibly

grateful.

To receive this at this stage in my life is

extraordinary. And at this time in the industry when these

things are going on, and for this role.

I would like to acknowledge the other actresses in

this category. Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, my girlfriends

first and foremost, but my beyond-talented acting partners. I

share this with you.

And also, I wanted to say Susan Sarandon and -- and

Jessica Lange, I revere you. I've watched you, and I've

learned from you. And there's others. Meryl Streep, Jane

Fonda, Judy Davis, Isabelle Huppert, Judy Dench. The list is

so long, and I would love to say so many more names, but I

can't right now. But I want to thank you all for your

trailblazing performances you've given over your career, and

how wonderful it is that our careers today can go beyond 40

years old. Because 20 years ago, we were pretty washed-up by

this stage in our lives. So that's not the case now. We've

proven, and these actresses and so many more are proving that

we are potent and powerful and viable.

I just beg that the industry stays behind us, because

our stories are finally being told. It's only the beginning.

And I'm so proud to be a part of a community that -- that is

instigating this change. But I implore the writers, directors,

studios and fanciers to put passion and money behind our

stories.

We have proven that we can do this. We can continue

to do this, but only with the support of this industry and that

money and passion.

So also, I do have trailblazers in my life. Susan

Batson, you give me so much. Kevin Persari [phonetic

spelling], Chris Leslie [phonetic spelling], Michelle Katie

[phonetic spelling], Miranda Lizzy [phonetic spelling], Wendy

Allen [phonetic spelling], I love you.

And to my family: I am nothing without you.

What a blessing, and thank you to all the actors that

gave me the chance to say this.