The second after I saw The Hours —a masterful new movie that connects the lives of three women living at different times in the 20th century—I called Nicole Kidman to congratulate her on one of the most brilliant performances I'd seen in years. Soon after, I invited Nicole and her costars—Meryl Streep, who's inspired a generation of actresses, and the incredibly talented Julianne Moore, whose range spans everything from The Lost World to Anton Chekhov—to join me for tea. Nearly two years after they started shooting the film (based on Michael Cunningham's Pulitzer Prize– winning novel), we talked about the way The Hours affected them, why one of them almost backed out of her role, how they balance motherhood and filmmaking—and the truth about aging in Hollywood.

Start reading Oprah's interview with Julianne Moore, Meryl Streep and Nicole Kidman

Note: This interview appeared in the January 2003 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine.