Nicole Kidman opens about relying on her teenage daughters and mom for honest feedback

“But I do think it's important not to have sycophants [around you],” says Nicole Kidman.

When Nicole Kidman is looking for unfiltered feedback, she relies on her mom — and her teen daughters — to cut to the chase.

“They’re very supportive,” says Kidman of daughters Sunday Rose, 15, and Faith Margaret, 13, who she shares with husband Keith Urban. “But they're also like, ‘OK, calm down,’ ” grins the actress, who stars in Netflix’s new rom-com, A Family Affair. “But I do think it's important not to have sycophants [around you].”

Kidman adds: “And it's not also seeking out really horrible criticism… We're all a work in progress, as they say.”

In A Family Affair, Kidman, 57, finds romance with Zac Efron, 36, who plays an egocentric movie star drawn to the mother of his long-suffering personal assistant (Joey King, 24).

In the May-December rom-com, it’s King’s no-nonsense character who gives it to her famous boss straight. In real life, “family is always best” for constructive feedback, says Efron, citing his parents. “Sometimes I'm my own worst critic, so it's hard,” he says. “I'm already thinking that for the most part, so it's nice to have some positive encouragement.”

Accolades were abundant at Kidman’s recent American Film Institute Life Achievement Award ceremony in Los Angeles, where the Oscar winner was joined by her extended family and toasted by stars including Meryl Streep, Naomi Watts and Mike Myers.  

A Family Affair is now streaming on Netflix.