Nicole Kidman became tearful as she was honored by her peers on Saturday night at the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award gala in Los Angeles.

The Big Little Lies star, 56, looked statuesque in a sparkling gold Balenciaga gown as she was presented with the prestigious award by 2004 winner Meryl Streep.

Kidman was accompanied by her husband Keith Urban, who also made a speech in her honour, and shared an Instagram post ahead the ceremony, admitting she was ‘deeply moved’.

She looked sensational at the event in the sequinned gown that hugged her slender figure and boasted a five-foot train that draped behind her on the red carpet.

Sharing a photo of the stage, she wrote: ‘Deeply moved by all of the support around the world that I’ve been seeing and hearing.

Nicole Kidman became tearful as she was honored by her peers on Saturday night at the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award gala in Los Angeles

Kidman was accompanied by her husband Keith Urban, who also made a speech in her honour, and shared an Instagram post ahead the ceremony, admitting she was ‘deeply moved’

Nicole Kidman poses with family at AFI Life Achievement Awards
‘Thank you to all of you and to the @AmericanFilmInstitute for including me in this illustrious group of honorees – now let’s have some fun!’

Kidman’s The Hours co-star Streep, 74, brought her to tears as she praised the the Moulin Rouge star’s talents and explained what she thought motivated her.

She said: ‘People call it bravery when an actress bares all and leaps off into the unknown and she dives deep into the darker parts of what it is to be a human being. But I don’t think it’s bravery. I think it’s love. I think she just loves it.’

Kidman broke down once again when her husband took to the stage with a moving speech, saying she showed him ‘what love in action really looks like’ when his drug abuse problems emerged after they tied the knot in 2006.

Looking at his wife sat with their two daughters and family, the singer, 56, recalled: ‘Four months into our marriage, I’m in rehab for three months.

‘Nic pushed through every negative voice, I’m sure even some of her own, and she chose love. And here we are 18 years later’, causing Kidman to wipe a tear away from her face.

Urban also took to his Instagram to pay tribute to Nicole before the gala, sharing a photo of her and writing: ‘In a career that’s still very much in full flight, tonight the @americanfilminstitute will honor my wife as the newest member in this extraordinary fraternity.

‘Babygirl – I’m so proud of you, and as much as I could come off sounding like the biased husband, I’ll let the list of previous honorees do all of the talking for me. What a list!’