Nicole Kidman says that her most recent project–a stage production in London–is about more than it appears to be.

The actress revealed recently that this month marks the one-year anniversary of her father’s death, and the play–about British scientist Rosalind Franklin, who helped discover the double helix in DNA–is a quiet tribute to her scientist dad. Kidman says that although her dad won’t be here to see her in the production, he did know that she had the part.

“This is my way of acknowledging him but also acknowledging the people in science who quietly do things and aren’t acknowledged a lot of the time. He knew I was going to do this. I like to think he’ll still be somewhere offering support,” Nicole said.

Kidman said that being on the stage again–it’s her first time since 1998–was incredible, aside from the nerves. And yes, even Oscar-winning actresses get those.

“I think nerves get more as you get older. I would love to say they get less, but they don’t. My heart was pounding and that rush of adrenaline is an extreme feeling. Getting out there on the stage is the big thing, but once I was out there it was unbelievable,” Nicole said. “I suppose I believe in the play and the actors and that’s so much of what theatre is – you just have to believe in what you’re doing and once you trust that, everything else hopefully falls into place.”

Kidman recently visited her homeland of Australia with her daughters and told Vogue Australia that Uluru, a location where she was photographed, was a very special place.

“I’m enraptured by it. I’ve always been drawn to the landscape, and I do think there’s something… the energy and the light… it’s just a very, very magical, special place,” Kidman said.