Nicole Kidman Missing Her Co-Actor Brandon Walters Already

Staring into those big brown eyes for nine months, it is easy to see how Nicole Kidman had her heart stolen by 11-year-old Brandon Walters.

Brandon is a young actor from Broome who was plucked from obscurity to play what has been described as the most pivotal role in Baz Luhrmann's epic $100 million blockbuster Australia.

As filming entered its final stages at Fox Studios last week he told Luhrmann he would miss making movies. And it is no secret Kidman will miss Brandon, too.

Details of his character, Nullah, are scant, but PS understands Nullah lives on the outback cattle property of Kidman's character, Lady Sarah Ashley, and becomes a central figure in the relationship between Lady Ashley and a local drover (Hugh Jackman). Lady Ashley takes a maternal role in the boy's life.

Evidently Kidman and Brandon have established a relationship similar to the one on screen, with visitors to the set revealing the Oscar winner and the young actor have developed a sign language to communicate secret messages during the drawn-out shoot, which has taken them across Australia. On Thursday Kidman was peppering Brandon's brow with motherly kisses between takes.

Last Sunday Kidman invited Brandon and his extended family, including his mother, Janie Wright, to the red-carpet premiere of The Golden Compass. Surrounded by VIPs in the State Theatre, Wright beamed with pride when revealing to PS the family had been "specially invited" by Kidman, who had established a strong bond with her son.

"Nicole is a great woman … She has really looked after Brandon, and he thinks she's great," she said.

Kidman and Luhrmann are also acutely aware of the dangers of celebrity and have both been protective of the boy, with talk they intend to set up a scholarship for him to ensure he continues his education beyond the hype of movie-making.

No doubt Brandon helped to partially fill the void Kidman has felt having to be away from her children, Connor and Isabella, for so many months. They will not be joining her in Sydney for Christmas, instead spending the festive period with their father, Tom Cruise, in the United States.