BEHIND THE SMILES ON OSCAR NIGHT!

THE THRILL OF VICTORY ISN'T ALWAYS WHAT IT APPEARS TO BE. A NEW BOOK REVEALS THE RELATABLE STRUGGLES OF SOME OF OUR FAVORITE STARS DURING THEIR WINNING MOMENTS

Winning an Oscar at the end of an intense, whirlwind awards season is supposed to be the unparalleled height of a film career. But life can be as messy as movies. As the new book 50 Oscar Nights (out Jan. 23) and the excerpts that follow reveal, when stars grasp their golden statuettes, they're often grappling with all-too-human problems, whether it's crushing romantic heartbreak or a nasty case of the flu. "The surprise of putting this book together was to learn that for many people, winning an Academy Award is not necessarily an entirely positive experience," says author and Turner Classic Movies host Dave Karger. "You'd think that reaching the pinnacle of this high-profile profession would simply feel euphoric, but a lot of these interviews showed me that for many people, it carries with it much more complex emotions than I had ever imagined."

A recently divorced Nicole Kidman felt lonely on her big night.