The news that Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban were separating came as a surprise to many, surfacing on Tuesday after twenty years of marriage.
The Oscar winner, 58, and the musician, 57, are now living apart. A source close to the couple said Nicole was completely ‘blindsided’ by the separation. It seems the split came as a surprise to her.
Nicole and Keith share two children, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14. Nicole also has two other children from her previous marriage to Tom Cruise.
Nicola has also dated the likes of Lenny Kravitz, Marcus Graham and Tom Burlinson.
So as Nicole’s divorce gets underway, what have her exes said about her before?
Let’s go back to the start – in the 1980s, Nicole was dating her Windrider co-star, Tom Burlinson.
As a lifestyle expert, I’ve heard many stories, and this one is quite touching. Tom, who is now 69, was actually 11 years her senior when they first started dating. They enjoyed a relationship lasting about three years, and he often mentioned it was her first time navigating a relationship with a man as a fully grown adult. It’s lovely to hear about connections like that, and how formative they can be. Understanding these early dynamics is key to understanding a person’s future patterns, don’t you think? It really highlights the importance of first loves.
Following their split, Tom had kind words to say about her, sharing with the Sydney Morning Herald in 2020: ‘Nicole Kidman and I filmed a movie called Windrider back in 1986 and were together for three years.‘
‘I was 11 years older and it was her first relationship with a man as an adult.’
We shared some joyful moments, but she needed to follow her own life journey. There’s a rumor going around that I proposed to her and she rejected me, but that’s simply not true. I’ve only ever proposed to someone once in my life.
Her next ex, Marcus Graham, also spoke highly of her, though he confessed he was really upset when they broke up.
She dated the Australian actor in the late ’80s until she met Cruise.
In 2023 Marcus said: ‘I was devastated and heartbroken, but that’s the way it goes, isn’t it?’
He added: ‘I don’t have anything bad to say about Nicole.’
She was first married to Tom Cruise, a relationship that remains highly debated in Hollywood because of his association with Scientology.
They initially connected while filming Days of Thunder in 1989, and then got married on Christmas Eve the next year. She was only 23 years old then, while Cruise was 28.
After getting married, they kept working together on movies, appearing as leads in Far and Away (1992) and later in Stanley Kubrick’s last movie, the steamy thriller Eyes Wide Shut.
Together, they welcomed two children into their family: daughter Isabella Rose in 1992 and son Connor in 1995. To those who didn’t know them well, they seemed like a perfect couple.
However, in 2001, Tom Cruise surprised everyone by filing for divorce shortly after celebrating his tenth wedding anniversary, stating that they had ‘irreconcilable differences’.
Although Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman have never publicly explained why they divorced, many fans believe that Cruise’s participation in Scientology might have caused disagreements and ultimately led to their separation. It’s been widely speculated that differing views on the subject contributed to them being unable to reconcile.
In a 2012 interview with DuJour magazine, Nicole shared her thoughts on the marriage, stating, ‘I thought our life together was perfect.‘
She continued, ‘It was a shock to my system. It took me a very long time to heal.’
I’ve always been fascinated by Tom Cruise and his relationships. Back in 2013, he gave a really intriguing, but vague, answer to Vanity Fair about his divorce from Nicole Kidman. He simply said, ‘She knows why, and I know why,’ leaving everyone to wonder what actually happened. It’s a really mysterious statement, and I’ve been thinking about it ever since!
‘She’s the mother of my children, and I wish her well.
Life throws challenges at us, and we try our best to overcome them in every way we can. But eventually, there comes a time when we simply have to accept the harsh truth of the situation.
He has also previously called her a ‘great actress’.
After her high profile relationship with Cruise, Kidman kept her next romance on the down low.
You know, as someone who follows celebrity lifestyles, I remember when the buzz was that the actress and Lenny Kravitz were an item back around 2003. It wasn’t a long-term thing, but from what I’ve heard, it was a really intense connection – so much so that they actually got secretly engaged! It was a brief romance, but definitely a memorable one.
Even though their romance didn’t last, Kidman has often spoken fondly of Kravitz and later collaborated with his daughter, Zoë, on the HBO series Big Little Lies.
Lenny has spoken about Nicole before, saying: ‘Nicole is amazing. Zoë and she hadn’t seen each other in a long time – not since when Nicole and I were a couple, so it was wonderful to reconnect.’
Nicole’s relationship with Tom remains her highest-profile romance.
Nicole and Tom adopted Isabella, now 32, and Connor, 30, in the early 1990s. However, after they divorced in 2001, Isabella and Connor allegedly became closer to their father and haven’t been photographed with their mother in public since 2007.
The adopted children were said to be devoted to their father, which meant they grew up within the often-debated church of Scientology.
She’s talked before about why she truly desired to have children with Tom, especially after experiencing a deeply painful loss.
She said in 2007: ‘From the minute Tom and I were married, I wanted to have babies.
We experienced a very difficult loss early in our journey when we lost a baby. It was after this painful experience that we decided to adopt our daughter, Bella.
Regarding her relationship with actor Tom, she stated in 2012: ‘I married quickly and at a young age.‘
However, I don’t have any regrets, as it led to Bella and Connor, and I truly did enjoy a wonderful marriage for quite some time.
The Big Little Lies actress has generally avoided discussing her religious beliefs or family history lately. However, reports suggest she missed several important moments in her children’s lives, such as Bella’s wedding, which took place at the Dorchester hotel in London in September 2015. Interestingly, she was living in London and performing in the West End at the time, but was still unable to attend.
In 2018, she rarely spoke about this, but told Who magazine: ‘They are adults. They’re capable of deciding things for themselves. They’ve chosen to be Scientologists, and as a mother, my role is to love them.’
I think I really demonstrate that kind of acceptance, and that’s a core belief of mine – that a parent’s love should always be there for their child, no matter what. A child needs to *know* that unconditional love is available, and I strive to be that open and accepting presence.
She explained: ‘My relationships are incredibly important, and I need to safeguard them. I’m absolutely certain – 150 percent – that I’d sacrifice my life for my children, as that’s what I feel my purpose in life is.’
Nicole hasn’t been seen in public with her oldest two children since 2007. It was also reported that she was deeply upset when they didn’t go to her father’s funeral in 2014. Source
Although there have been reports of a disagreement between Nicole and her older children – which Connor and Bella have refuted – the actress has often expressed her ‘unconditional’ love for them, even considering their ‘choices to be Scientologists’.
After Nicole experienced an ectopic pregnancy and a miscarriage, doctors told her she might have difficulty getting pregnant. As a result, the famous couple adopted Connor and Isabella in the early 1990s. It was a difficult time, and they chose to expand their family through adoption. This decision allowed them to become parents to two wonderful children.
Oh my gosh, you won’t *believe* what I just read! She actually talked about her struggles trying to have kids with Cruise in an interview with Tatler! It’s so heartbreaking. She described this intense ‘yearning‘ she had for children, and it just…it really gets to me. I feel so connected to her story!
When Nicole Kidman received the Best Actress Golden Globe in 2018, she expressed gratitude to her biological daughters and her husband, Keith Urban. However, she did not mention her adopted children, Connor and Bella.
As a longtime follower of the family, it really seems like Scientology is at the heart of all the tension. I’ve heard that Tom reportedly didn’t allow Nicole to attend Connor’s wedding in 2019 because his wife was also a dedicated, high-ranking Scientologist. It’s just so sad to see how much it’s driven a wedge between them.
‘Tom is behind this and what he wants is as good as law,’ a source told RadarOnline.com at the time. ‘Tom made the call and Connor followed.’
Oh my gosh, you guys, it’s so sweet! Apparently, Connor – you know, the former DJ who’s now obsessed with deep sea fishing? – absolutely adores his dad. Seriously, the source said he basically ‘worships the ground his father walks on’! Can you believe it? They claim he’d never even *think* about disobeying him. It’s just… *perfect*. He’s such a good son!
Back in 2010, Nicole expressed a desire to have her children living with her. Previously, in 2007, she revealed that her adopted children had stopped referring to her as ‘Mum’, which led to speculation that their relationship was becoming difficult.
My children don’t use the terms ‘mommy’ or ‘mom’; they actually call me Nicole, and I really dislike it. I constantly correct them for doing so,” she explained.
The rumours gained more traction afterward when she publicly discussed her children – both dedicated Scientologists, like their father – deciding to reside with Cruise.
The actress has stated before that she does maintain contact with Connor and Bella, even though they decided to live with Cruise after their separation. She has repeatedly insisted on this, despite the living arrangement. More details can be found here.
‘They decided to live with Tom,’ she explained. ‘I wish they would choose to live with us, but there’s not much I can do about it.’
She told E! News: ‘It’s a huge relief for parents when their children discover what they’re meant to do, because everyone’s journey is unique.’
The most recent public sighting of her with Connor was at the Kids’ Choice Awards in Los Angeles back in 2007, when he was only 13 years old.
However, the family deny that relations are strained.
Back in 2014, Nicole shared with Woman’s Weekly that her oldest children are ‘generous, kind, and hardworking‘. She added that these are qualities she especially admires in them.
Oh my gosh, she even called Lion – the movie where she plays this *amazing* adoptive mom – a ‘love letter’ to her own kids! It’s just… so beautiful, you guys. I swear, everything she does is just filled with so much heart. I’ve watched that movie a million times and it still gets me every time!
Also in that year, Connor stated: ‘I’m not worried about what others think. I’m confident that my mum and I have a strong bond, and I love her very much. My family is the most important thing to me,’ he explained.
In a 2016 interview with the Daily Mail, Bella stated: ‘Naturally, [we communicate], they are my mother and father,’ she explained. ‘Anyone claiming anything different is simply not telling the truth.’
In 2012, she shared with New Idea: ‘I love Mom. [Nicole’s] my mom. She’s wonderful. I get to see her occasionally and we talk,’ and continued, ‘we’re a really close family. I love everyone in our family.’
Following her relationship with Lenny, Kidman later married Keith, a country singer who she would affectionately refer to as “the love of my life”.
The couple got married in 2006 with a classic Catholic ceremony at the Cardinal Cerretti Chapel in Sydney, her home city. They later had two lovely daughters together.
During an appearance on Jessica Rowe’s podcast, The Big Talk Show, the singer stated in 2022 that he and his wife lead a ‘as normal as you get’ life.
He also recalled their initial meeting at the G’Day LA event in 2005, admitting he felt the beautiful Hollywood star was far beyond his reach. He thought she was ‘well out of his league.’
Oh my gosh, when Keith said that, I *melted*! It’s just… everything! He explained that they’re just a normal couple, you know? They work through everything together – life, all the ups and downs – and they really support each other. It’s so sweet how he talked about trying to raise their family the best way they can. Honestly, it’s relationship goals! It just proves how much they care for each other and their kids. I’m obsessed with how down-to-earth they are!
He said, ‘I think we’re pretty normal people, all things considered,’ and then added that he was ‘not in a great place’ when he and they first connected.
‘She seemed well out of my league at that time in my life,’ he said.
I was going through a difficult time, dealing with many personal challenges, and honestly, I didn’t think anyone could ever see potential in me… It’s truly amazing that things turned out the way they did.
I was so touched when he talked about his wife! He described her as ethereal, angelic, and almost not of this world – really mystical, but then he added that she was also completely down to earth and very funny. It was such a beautiful and relatable way to put it!
Just last year, Urban shared how close he came to ending his marriage, not long after the wedding ceremony. He described a time when things nearly fell apart soon after saying “I do.”
He explained that they married in 2006, but just four months later, his long-ignored addictions completely destroyed their marriage, he shared while speaking at last year’s AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to Nicole Kidman.
Urban shared that he was battling addiction when he and Nicole first connected, and with her help, he was ultimately able to overcome it.
Just four months after getting married, I found myself in rehab for three months, completely uncertain about the future of our relationship.
‘Nic pushed through every negative voice – I’m sure even some of her own – and she chose love.
So, here we are tonight, 18 years on. He finished by saying that her ability to love is unlike anyone he’s ever known.
The couple’s breakup was unfortunately made public on Monday, as DailyMail.com confirmed with sources.
‘Keith never sees Nicole, either she is filming or he is on tour,’ the source said.
Despite a strong emotional connection, and the possibility they might not divorce, there’s a sense that they’re living separate lives, as if neither truly shares the same reality with the other. It’s as if they exist in worlds where the other isn’t present.
Keith and Nicole have been a couple for many years, and while there’s a possibility for them to work things out, their current relationship isn’t functioning as a healthy partnership. It’s simply not working as a couple right now.
Representatives for Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have been contacted by the Daily Mail for additional information, but have not yet responded.
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2025-10-02 18:12