Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly in Grace of Monaco: first look The first official images of Nicole Kidman as Grace Kelly have been released. The Australian actress is playing Kelly for the film Grace of Monaco, directed by Olivier Dahan. Kelly became famous for her performances in Dial M for Murder and Alfred Hitchcock film Rear Window, but gave up her acting career when she married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, in 1956. Kidman, 45, plays Kelly when she is in her early 30s. The film is set in 1962, and follows the personal life of the former actress during a dispute between France and Monaco over tax laws. The film has been criticised by Kelly's children, Prince Albert II, Princess Caroline and Princess Stéphanie, who said that the script was historically inaccurate and "needlessly glamourised" their mother. The Monaco royal family has requested changes to the film, but these have been ignored. Dahan, who also directed La Vie En Rose, about Edith Piaf, said that the film was a character study, rather than a biopic. He responded to the royal family saying: "I am not a journalist or historian. I am an artist. I have not made a biopic. I hate biopics in general. I have done, in any subjectivity, a human portrait of a modern woman who wants to reconcile her family, her husband, her career. But who will give up her career and invent another role. And it will be painful. Last week Kidman spoke about the role at a London screening of her new film Stoker. She said, "I wanted to be respectful of her, her story and her essence so hopefully that will all come through." Grace of Monaco is due to be released in 2014.