Nicole Kidman Bravely Opens Up About Childhood & How a Speech Disorder Impacted Her Life

Nicole Kidman is one of the most celebrated actresses of her time, and her phenomenal career shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. She is immensely talented, and while promoting her film, 'Practical Magic 2,' in which she stars alongside Sandra Bullock, Kidman bravely reflected on a time in her childhood when she struggled with a stutter. Nicole Kidman Opens Up About Her Childhood Speech Disorder A stutter is a speech disorder that can affect an individual in different ways, but most commonly through repetition, prolongations, or blocks. In an interview with Attitude, published on Monday, September 7, Kidman said: 'I used to stutter when I was little.' She continued, 'Everyone would always say, 'Stop, pause, think about what you want to say and then say it.'So I'd always… because I would try to speak and then it wouldn't come out.' Kidman has given hundreds of interviews throughout her career, and she speaks well, but she admitted in the interview that her stutter can still reappear on rare occasions. 'Sometimes I'll have like a second or two of it,' she admitted. 'But I've learned a technique, and I've learned how to manage it. And it is probably why I speak softly.' A clip from the interview was shared on Instagram, giving fans the opportunity to react. Many have praised the interviewer for the question, and Kidman for being so candid in her response. 'What an insightful question and answer. As a former (kinda) stutterer myself, it's always inspiring to hear other people's experiences,' a fan wrote. 'How interesting! What a great question,' another person shared. Other reactions include, 'This is wonderful!,' 'Nice interview. Kudos,' and 'Wow, absolutely no idea, you are both inspiring.' Nicole Kidman Shares Details About Her Stutter Attitude also notes that this is not the first time Kidman has discussed her stutter. She told the Stuttering Foundation how she was 'shy' growing up and reflected on her challenges of trying to speak. 'I remember when I was little just being so excited to get it out, and I couldn't get it out,' she said, the publication reports. For Newsweek's Oscar Roundtable, Kidman again reflected on her childhood, saying, 'I just remember everyone always saying to me, 'Calm down, think about what you're going to say.' I remember when I was little, just being so excited to get it out, and I couldn't.' A childhood stutter is more common than many people realize; the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports that around three million Americans stutter. 'Approximately 5 to 10 percent of all children will stutter for some period in their life, lasting from a few weeks to several years,' they report. Kidman is not the only star to speak about a childhood stutter. Kendrick Lamar told The New York Times Magazine in June 2014 that he had a stutter. 'As a kid, I used to stutter,' he said. 'I think that's why I put my energy into making music. That's how I get my thoughts out, instead of being crazy all the time.' Golf icon Tiger Woods also discussed a childhood stutter in a heartfelt letter to a fan. 'I know what it's like to be different and sometimes not fit in,' he said, CNN reports. 'I also stuttered as a child, and I would talk to my dog, and he would sit there and listen until he fell asleep.'