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Kidman Takes Stand Against Paparazzo

Mon., Nov. 19, 2007 9:21 AM PST by Gina Serpe

Nicole Kidman has had her day in court.

The Oscar-winning actress took to the stand Monday in the defamation trial of an Australian paparazzo who has aggressively pursued her over the years.

The case was brought by the cameraman against a Sydney newspaper that he claims tarnished his image by referring to him as the city's "most inventive and disliked freelance photographer" and as someone "determined to wreak havoc on Kidman's private life."

Kidman was called as a witness by Fairfax Media, which publishes the Sun-Herald, to establish that the descriptions of shutterbug Jamie Fawcett weren't so much defamation as accurate accounts of his reputation.

"I have been pursued many times," the 40-year-old star said. "I have had this happen in relation to this particular man...so many times."

During her 45-minute testimony at the New South Wales Supreme Court, Kidman spoke of years spent being shadowed by Fawcett, including one particularly harrowing chase that left her crouched in the backseat of a car while en route to her parents' home on Jan. 23, 2005, an episode that left her "really, really scared."

"[The driver] said they were driving crazy and that they had run red lights and jumped the median strip," Kidman said of Fawcett and another car, full of "people he employs," that had given chase to her vehicle. "I was frightened, and I was worried about a car accident."

She said that by the time she had reached her parents' house, she was "in tears and distressed."

It was earlier that morning that staff at her Sydney harborside home had discovered a listening device planted in the bushes outside her gate, something she alleged at the time had been placed by Fawcett. While on the witness stand, Kidman called the discovery "deeply disturbing."

"I employ people to protect me now," she said. "I employ people 24 hours to protect myself, because I don't feel equipped to handle things."

The actress described how it was not just on her home turf that she was subjected to living under Fawcett's lens, testifying that he also followed her and husband Keith Urban on their honeymoon to Tahiti last year. She also spoke of a third privacy-busting encounter with the lensman shortly after Christmas in Sydney last year.

Last week, Kidman's father, Dr. Antony Kidman, testified in the case, saying his daughter was "highly anxious" when she arrived at his home the night of the car chase and that there had "almost been an accident," but the star's driver was forced to jump a curb to avoid a collision.

Kidman's father also said on the stand that Nicole told him she was concerned about traveling in a car with her children, 14-year-old Isabella and 12-year-old Connor, if Fawcett was in pursuit.

A jury has already found that the paper defamed Fawcett in the article. The Kidmans' testimony is being used by the publisher to establish whether some of the defamatory claims printed in the story hold up and how much, if any, damages they are liable to pay.