• Nicole Kidman said she considered giving up on acting after the birth of her third child in 2008.
• Her mom, however, encouraged her not to give it up completely.
• Kidman said she's inspired by other working moms who "keep going."

Nicole Kidman once almost gave up on acting.

In an extended interview with CBS posted on Sunday, the "Babygirl" actor reflected on moments when she thought of leaving her career.

"When I gave birth to Sunday, I was like, well, I think I'm pretty much done now," said Kidman, 57, who gave birth in 2008. At that time, she had moved to Nashville and was living on a farm.

But it was her mom who encouraged her to reconsider. "My mom actually said, 'I wouldn't give up completely. Keep a finger sort of, in it,' and I said, 'No, no, no, I'm done now.'"

Her mom had responded, "Just listen to me. I think, keep moving forward. Not saying that you have to do it to the level you've been doing it, but I wouldn't give it up completely," she recalled.

"And that came from a woman who obviously was from a generation that didn't have the opportunities that I had, but she had helped create for her daughters," she said. Her mom probably wished she had that advice when she was little, so she could give it to her and her sister, she added.

Kidman's sister became a lawyer in her 40s and has six kids, she said.

"It's fascinating to me that we both, and there are only two of us, just keep going. We're inspired when we look around at other women in the world who, at a particular age, do keep going," she said. "They are still raising their children, doing the things they love, but also have careers and not apologize for it."

Kidman shares two kids, whom she adopted with her ex-husband, Tom Cruise, and two daughters, who are 16 and 13, with Keith Urban.

In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kidman said she thought her career was over when she turned 40.

"Things are changing now, don't you think? Doors are opening. People are living longer and there's more to be said, and more stories to be told," she said.

Returning to work after having kids

Allison Venditti, the founder of Moms at Work, an organization for working moms, previously told Business Insider that work can give moms meaning and provide structure to their day.

"Work is a familiar space — and for many women who have worked hard and studied hard, they don't want to not work," she said.

The most important thing, however, is for women to have the choice, she said. "Choice in how they approach work and family, choice to go back to work early, choice to take more time off," she added. In the US, paid parental leave is not guaranteed.

Katie Alexander previously wrote for BI that she felt judged when she chose to return to work eight months after giving birth. But doing so allowed her to be a better parent, she said.

"My daughter comes first, full stop. Shaming working mothers who have no other option — for whatever reason — helps no one," she said.

A representative for Kidman did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent outside regular business hours.

• Nicole Kidman is one of the busiest working actors in Hollywood.
• But when she turned 40, she wasn't sure how much longer she'd have a career.
• Kidman recalled her agent convincing her that 40 wasn't the end for her.

Nicole Kidman has reached new heights in her career over the last decade. It's not something she expected — in fact, when she was 40, she thought her career might be winding down for good.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter published Wednesday, Kidman reflected on her prolific acting career and her eventual foray into producing. She recalled being in her early 40s, after producing and starring in the 2010 film "Rabbit Hole," and feeling like her days in the industry were numbered.

"It was at that crossroads, actually, where you go, 'Oh, I'm either going to drift away now or things will solidify,'" Kidman, now 57, told THR. "You were told to retire at a certain age."

Kidman said her agent convinced her she had plenty of work still ahead of her.

"My agent, Kevin Huvane, when I was 40, was like, 'It's not over, Nicole. It's going to begin now.' And I was like, "What? No, I think it's over,' and he's like, 'Uh-uh,'" she said.

Huvane, who is also Meryl Streep's agent, turned out to be right. Kidman is more in demand than ever, toplining six separate projects this year alone, including the Taylor Sheridan spy thriller "Lioness," the hit Netflix series "The Perfect Couple," and the upcoming A24 erotic drama "Babygirl." The latter is already being lauded as Kidman's most interesting and daring role in years.

Kidman credited her support system, including her producing partner, her husband Keith Urban, and their two daughters, Sunday Rose, 16, and Faith, 13, with keeping her career thriving. She also noted that things seem to be changing in the industry for the better.

"People are living longer and there's more to be said, and more stories to be told," Kidman said.

"It's about whether you still feel vibrant and alive. And that has a lot to do with nourishing your soul and staying in a place of curiosity and not sleepy," she added. "Dreamy is good, but not sleepy."