Nicole Kidman: 'Every role takes a toll on my health'

Nicole Kidman has described how each role she plays takes a toll on her mental health.

The Oscar-winning actress insists on getting under the skin of her characters, like the abused Celeste Wright in TV series Big Little Lies and the depressed Virginia Woolf in The Hours, which she finds can have a negative impact on her real-life.

"Certain things penetrate psychologically in a really deep way," Nicole told the Wall Street Journal. "There is just no getting around that, and I wish there was. I haven't been taught it. I have tried to learn it. I don't have the ability. It does take a toll on my health, and it takes a toll on my spirit... I'm always trying to dig in."

And she credited her husband of almost 14 years, Keith Urban, for his understanding of her acting methods.

"The unfortunate part of it is that the feelings are intense. I wish I could be the kind of person that's like, 'Meh.' I have an unbelievably understanding husband and children - the little ones who are going like, 'Why are you looking like that, mummy?' (But) their ability to understand artistically is very deep already," the 52-year-old explained.

Nicole also revealed that she's passed on movie roles in order to stay at home with her children if musician Keith is on tour.

"We have a system worked out to keep the family together. When Keith's not touring, it's much easier. He'll be on tour next year, and then I just don't work as much. Literally - it will become imbalanced, and we will change it. We don't have the answers, but the one thing we do know is that we will not jeopardise us," she noted.

And Nicole said she wouldn't stand in the way of her daughters, Sunday, 11, and nine-year-old Faith, if they wanted to pursue a career in acting.

"I'd get out of their way," she joked.