Nicole Kidman has officially initiated divorce proceedings from Keith Urban after nearly two decades of marriage. The legal petition was submitted on a recent Tuesday in a Nashville court, citing “irreconcilable differences” as the reason for the dissolution.
The couple, aged 58 and 57 respectively, both hailing from Australia, first crossed paths in 2005 at an event in Los Angeles celebrating Australians. They exchanged vows in Sydney the following year and share two teenage daughters.
This marriage marked Urban’s first and Kidman’s second, having previously been married to Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001 and having two children with him. Despite public perception, Kidman dismissed the notion of being a “perfect couple” during an interview at the premiere of The Perfect Couple series last year, emphasizing her disbelief in perfection.
Urban expressed his deep admiration for Kidman at the AFI Life Achievement Award ceremony, acknowledging her unwavering support during his struggle with substance abuse early in their marriage. Following a rehab stint just months after their 2006 wedding, Urban credited Kidman for choosing love and standing by him through the challenges.
Kidman’s illustrious film career includes acclaimed roles in movies such as Days of Thunder, Eyes Wide Shut, Moulin Rouge, and The Hours, which earned her an Academy Award for portraying Virginia Woolf. In recent years, she has transitioned to successful television projects like Nine Perfect Strangers and Big Little Lies, winning Emmy Awards for acting and producing.
Urban, a prominent country music star since the 1990s, is known for hits like Somebody Like You and Blue Ain’t Your Color. He recently concluded the Canadian segment of his High and Alive World Tour, performing in cities including Ottawa, Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, and Montreal, among others. With multiple Grammy Awards and numerous Academy of Country Music Awards to his name, Urban continues to be a celebrated figure in the music industry.
News of their separation was first reported by TMZ, marking the end of a long-standing union that captivated fans and followers over the years.