Lisa Wilkinson reveals she has Nicole Kidman to thank for a life-changing milestone in her early media career during a revealing interview on Anh’s Brush with Fame
Lisa Wilkinson has revealed she has Nicole Kidman to thank for her decade-spanning career in the Australian media.
In a teaser ahead of her interview on Anh’s Brush with Fame on Tuesday, the 60-year-old revealed she was eternally grateful to the Oscar-winning actress.
Lisa said she was editing teen magazine, Dolly, back in 1983, when she decided to take a chance on an unknown redhead.
Life-changing: Lisa Wilkinson (left) has revealed she has Nicole Kidman (right) to thank for her decade-spanning career in the Australian media
‘In 1983, I was really starting to feel like, I can try things here. And so, that month, I put on the cover a red-haired, corkscrew-curled 15-year-old by the name of Nicole Kidman,’ she explained to host Anh Do.
She added: ‘Of course, blonde-haired, blue-eyed surfie chicks ruled in Australia at that time.’
Before signing off on the cover, Lisa said she went to show it to her boss ‘as a courtesy’, but he had some reservations.
Before she was famous: Lisa said she was editing teen magazine, Dolly, back in 1983, when she decided to take a chance on an unknown redhead
‘In 1983, I was really starting to feel like, I can try things here. And so, that month, I put on the cover a red-haired, corkscrew-curled 15-year-old by the name of Nicole Kidman,’ she explained
‘I went and showed it to my boss, and he said to me, “She’s got freckles.” And I said, “I know, isn’t it fantastic?”‘ she recounted.
‘And he said, “But she’s got red hair.” I said, “I know! Isn’t it brilliant?” And he said, “I don’t think you can run that, that’s not going to sell.”‘
But Lisa said the cover proved to be a huge hit, and in a post on Instagram on Tuesday, admitted she’ll ‘always be so grateful’ to the 53-year-old actress.
Taking chances: Before signing off on the cover, Lisa told host Anh Do (pictured) that she went to show it to her boss ‘as a courtesy’, but he had some reservations
‘It was my first ever complete sellout. And young women embraced it and thought, “Great! She looks like me!” Change is a great thing,’ added Lisa.
In a post on Instagram Stories on Tuesday, Lisa acknowledged: ‘In 1983, an unknown 15-year-old called Nicole Kidman changed my life forever.’
Anh’s Brush with Fame airs Tuesday at 8pm on ABC
Friends in high places: Lisa said the cover proved to be a huge hit, and in a post on Instagram on Tuesday, admitted she’ll ‘always be so grateful’ to the 53-year-old actress. Pictured with Nicole and Keith Urban