It’s been 20 years since Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise divorced, but the fascination over their relationship continues to linger. The couple, who tied the knot in 1990, were once the epitome of Hollywood romance. They share two adopted children, 28-year-old Isabella and 26-year-old Connor. However, in February 2001, their “amicable separation” shocked fans after a decade of marriage. The reasons given were the challenges of their divergent careers. But behind closed doors, the truth remained a mystery that fans were eager to uncover.
Nicole, now 54, recently opened up about her marriage to Tom in an interview with Harper’s Bazaar. She reflects on their younger days and the scrutiny they faced as a couple. “I was young. I think I offered it up,” she says candidly. “Maybe I’ve become more cautious over time, but I always strive to be open. I prefer to live in a world that way. I may be wary at times and have been hurt, but I always choose warmth over aloofness. My husband, Keith [Urban], says that when he met me, he asked, ‘How’s your heart?’ And I responded, ‘Open.’”
After the dissolution of her marriage to Tom, Nicole found love again with Australian crooner Keith Urban. They married in 2006 and have two children together, 13-year-old Sunday Rose and 10-year-old Faith Margaret.
Nicole’s Reflections on Her Marriage to Tom
Nicole has been quite evasive when it comes to discussing her ex-husband, Tom. However, she has shared some details over the years. The couple met on the set of their 1990 film, “Days of Thunder.” Tom was captivated by Nicole’s talent in the 1989 thriller, “Dead Calm,” and cast her as his love interest. “He swept me off my feet,” she says of that time. “I fell madly, passionately in love. And as happens when you fall in love, my whole plan for my life – I was like, ‘Forget it. This is it.’ I was consumed by it, willingly. I was desperate to have a baby with him. I didn’t care if we were married.”
They wasted no time in making their union official, marrying just six months after the release of their film. Nicole acknowledges that their marriage may have been rushed, as she was quite young at the time. But she also expresses that Tom worked hard to keep their love alive. “In a relationship, you have to work at keeping your partner in love with you. You can’t just take it for granted. And he wouldn’t take that for granted. He was amazingly creative and put so much work into us,” she shares.
Despite the ups and downs of their relationship, Nicole felt overshadowed by Tom’s fame. “I felt I became a star only by association. We would go to the Oscars, and I would think, ‘I’m here to support him’. I felt it was my job to put on a beautiful dress and be seen but not heard.”
Nicole also recognizes the protective nature of being married to a powerful man, especially in a time when the #MeToo movement was not yet prevalent. “I got married very young, but it wasn’t about power for me – it was about protection. I married for love, but being married to an extremely powerful man kept me from being sexually harassed. I would work, but I was still very much cocooned.”
Their marriage continued to seem strong on the surface, even as they portrayed a couple dealing with infidelity in the movie “Eyes Wide Shut.” According to Nicole, they were happily married during filming, indulging in go-kart racing and creating joyful memories together.
The announcement of their divorce in 2001 shocked not only their fans but also Nicole herself. “I thought our life together was perfect,” she confesses. “It took me a very long time to heal. It was a shock to my system.” Tom refused counseling and reconciliation, and her court filings revealed that she was pregnant at the time of the divorce but tragically suffered a miscarriage.
Tom was granted full custody of Isabella and Connor, leaving many wondering about their relationship with their mother. Nicole addressed this during an interview with Who magazine, affirming that their children are adults who can make their own decisions. “As a mother, it’s my job to love them. I am an example of tolerance, and I believe that no matter what your child does, they should always have love and know that love is available. I’m open here. I think that’s so important because if that is taken away from a child, it’s wrong. So, it’s our job as parents to always offer unconditional love.”
Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise’s love story may have come to an end, but their names remain intertwined in Hollywood history. The fascination with their relationship endures, leaving fans to wonder about the complexities that led to their separation. Through all the ups and downs, Nicole Kidman continues to cherish the memories and lessons of her past, while remaining focused on the love she has found in her life today.
