Nicole Kidman's Emmys speech thanked just two of her four children

Australian actress Nicole Kidman has raised eyebrows with a controversial speech after winning her first Emmy Award for her role as Celeste in Big Little Lies.

Accepting her award for Outstanding Lead Actress, 50 year-old Nicole thanked her family, saying she has "two little girls" naming her "Sunny and Faith, and my darling Keith," in her speech.

"I have a huge artistic family who have supported me through all my ups and downs," she said.

"I also am a mother and a wife. I have two little girls, Sunny and Faith, and my darling Keith, who I ask to help me pursue this artistic path. And they have to sacrifice so much for it."

Absent from the list were her two children with her ex-husband Tom Cruise, adopted children Connor, 22, and Isabella, 24.

In her speech, the actress acknowleged balancing her career with raising her daughters, saying, "I want my little girls to have this [trophy] on their shelf, and to look at it and go, 'Every time my mama didn't put me to bed, it's because of this.'"

The mum is married to country singer Keith Urban, with whom she has daughters, Faith, 8, and six-year-old Sunday Rose.

Nic had been tipped to win over her co-star Reese Witherspoon for her stint as Celeste Wright in the hit HBO series.

She was nominated in the same catergory in 2012 for her role in Hemingway & Gellhorn.

Tom Cruise has most recently been filming movie Mission Impossible 6 in Paris, although filming was has been on hold following the actor breaking his ankle performing a stunt.

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Social media users have been quick to comment on her speech.

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