"I'd like to be wise. You have to go through a lot to get there, but I'm willing to go through a lot"
About this Quote
The subtext lands especially hard coming from a performer whose public image has been built under bright, sometimes punitive scrutiny. For celebrities, “wisdom” isn’t just inner growth; it’s survival under a microscope, learning what not to internalize, what to protect, what to ignore. Kidman also subtly rejects the fantasy that expertise arrives via talent alone. In acting, you can be gifted and still be naive. Wisdom means pattern recognition: reading people, power dynamics, and your own impulses, then choosing differently next time.
The line’s second pivot - “but I’m willing” - is the tell. It’s a declaration of appetite for the difficult parts, a refusal to let comfort be the organizing principle. In a culture addicted to shortcuts and branding, Kidman is pitching a slower, more expensive ambition: not to be adored, but to be durable.
Quote Details
| Topic | Wisdom |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Kidman, Nicole. (2026, January 15). I'd like to be wise. You have to go through a lot to get there, but I'm willing to go through a lot. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/id-like-to-be-wise-you-have-to-go-through-a-lot-153922/
Chicago Style
Kidman, Nicole. "I'd like to be wise. You have to go through a lot to get there, but I'm willing to go through a lot." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/id-like-to-be-wise-you-have-to-go-through-a-lot-153922/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I'd like to be wise. You have to go through a lot to get there, but I'm willing to go through a lot." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/id-like-to-be-wise-you-have-to-go-through-a-lot-153922/. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.












