OSCAR winner Nicole Kidman has struck up a bizarre new friendship with 67-year-old multi-millionaire LORD JACOB ROTHSCHILD - which is conducted via text messages.

The Cold Mountain beauty, 36, met Rothschild - a British banker - through mutual pal FIONA FOX, who produced Kidman's ACADEMY AWARD-winning drama THE HOURS.

According to British newspaper the DAILY MAIL, Kidman calls Rothschild by his nickname FOSSIL, while he refers to her by the moniker NIC.

And the pair's favourite topic of conversation is flowers, which they were overheard discussing at London's Royal Opera House during a party for ANTHONY MINGHELLA's civil war epic last year (03).

One source comments, "They share a love of flowers and text each other all the time. Fossil likes people to know he's still cool."

17/03/2004 13:52