Actress Nicole Kidman is embracing her 40s - because she is braver now than she has ever been.

The Oscar winner faced a tough time as she took on her role in Baz Luhrmann's epic Australia - in which she had to live and shoot in the harsh conditions of the Aussie outback. But the 41-year-old is adamant being a mature woman helped her cope with the extreme conditions - insisting she gains more courage with age.

She tells Britain's The Independent newspaper, "The older I get, the more I feel like I'm on a roller-coaster when I do a film... I'm much more brave, and kind of throw myself into it and try not to worry if I fall flat on my face. It's easy to become frightened of making a fool of yourself, particularly if, like mine, your nature is a bit reticent and shy to begin with. But I'm getting over it."

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(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)