Baz Luhrmann thinks Nicole Kidman is "great" at dealing with criticism.

Baz Luhrmann has heaped praise on Nicole Kidman

Baz Luhrmann has heaped praise on Nicole Kidman

The Oscar-winning actress remains one of the biggest names in the movie industry, and Baz claims that she's also "great in a crisis".

The acclaimed filmmaker - who directed Nicole in the 2008 movie 'Australia' - explained: "She's at her absolute best on a set when things are really not very good.

"She's great in a crisis, and at taking criticism. She takes it on the chin and she's really wise. Every time when make a movie together, something really big happens.

"The first day of 'Moulin Rouge!', I lost my dad. On the last day, her husband left her. Everything we've ever made has been a high-wire act."

Baz also feels that Nicole, 55, has a distinctive "star power".

He told Empire magazine: "She's a fantastic technical actor, but there's a heightened screen presence. Some would say it's star power. I would agree.

"Acting is an unusually strange thing. Because if you're good at it, you get paid a lot of money to pretend that you're in love, to pretend you've lost somebody in your life, to pretend you're capable of murder. If you're a heart surgeon, you know exactly what your contribution to the universe is.

"But if you do it really well like Nicole does, an actor's contribution to the universe is that they reflect us back to us."

Meanwhile, Nicole previously insisted she hasn't got the voice to star in a Broadway musical.

The acclaimed actress is one of the most sought-after talents in Hollywood, but Nicole would feel "insecure" on Broadway.

Asked about the possibility, she replied: "I don't think my voice is strong enough. It's not strong enough. I mean, Broadway is like … and also I just would feel so insecure."