Family is messy. Even when you’re an Oscar winner with a resume that spans decades and a wardrobe that most of us would sell a kidney for, the reality of raising humans is rarely as polished as a red carpet appearance. For Nicole Kidman, motherhood has been a journey of extreme contrasts—defined by high-profile adoptions, a very public "miracle" pregnancy, a quiet surrogacy, and the complicated shadow of a certain controversial religion.
If you’ve followed her career, you know she’s fiercely protective. She doesn't post photos of her kids' faces every five minutes for "clout." Honestly, for a long time, it felt like there were two completely different versions of her life: the "Scientology era" with her older children and the "Nashville era" with her younger daughters.
But lately, the walls between those worlds have started to crumble. With her recent divorce from Keith Urban finalized in early 2026, the dynamics of nicole kidmans kids are shifting again. It’s not just about who lives with whom anymore; it’s about a mother trying to bridge a gap that’s existed for over twenty years.
The Cruise Years: Isabella and Connor
When Nicole married Tom Cruise in 1990, she was barely in her twenties. They were the "it" couple of the decade, but behind the scenes, they faced private struggles with fertility. After a heartbreaking ectopic pregnancy and a miscarriage later on, the couple turned to adoption.
Isabella "Bella" Jane Cruise arrived in 1992, followed by Connor Anthony Cruise in 1995.
For a while, they were a unit. You’d see the grainy paparazzi shots of Nicole carrying a toddler Bella through an airport or Tom holding Connor at a baseball game. But when the marriage imploded in 2001, everything changed. Bella and Connor were young, but they weren't shielded from the fallout.
The Scientology Factor
This is where things get tricky. It’s no secret that both Bella and Connor were raised in the Church of Scientology. When the divorce happened, the kids chose to live with their father. Nicole has rarely spoken about this, and when she does, she’s incredibly careful. She once told Who magazine that she has to protect those relationships and that they are "adults who are able to make their own decisions."
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There’s been endless speculation about a "rift." Did they stop talking? Were they "Suppressive Persons" in the eyes of the church?
Rumors have persisted for years that the relationship was strained, especially after Nicole was noticeably absent from both of their weddings—Bella’s in 2015 and Connor’s in 2019. But life isn't always a tabloid headline. Bella, who is now 33 and living a relatively quiet life in London as an artist and fashion designer, has been seen liking her mother’s Instagram posts. Connor, now 31 and living in Florida where he runs a grilling business called "Connor’s Meatshack," has also kept things cordial.
Interestingly, insiders have suggested that during Nicole's recent split from Keith Urban, Bella was actually a pillar of support for her mother. It seems that as they've entered their thirties, the "kids" have found a way to reconnect with their mom outside of the Hollywood (and religious) glare.
The Urban Era: Sunday and Faith
After her "lonely" years following the Cruise divorce, Nicole met country star Keith Urban in 2005. Their marriage in 2006 marked a total shift in her lifestyle. They moved to Nashville, traded the spotlight for a farm, and focused on starting a family.
Sunday Rose Kidman Urban was born in 2008. Nicole has called her the "miracle" of her life because she had spent so long believing she might never carry a child to term.
Two years later, in 2010, Faith Margaret Kidman Urban arrived via a gestational surrogate. The name "Faith" wasn't accidental; Nicole and Keith famously said they never gave up faith that they would have another child together.
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Growing Up in the Spotlight (Sorta)
Unlike Bella and Connor, who grew up in the peak of the 90s tabloid frenzy, Sunday and Faith were raised in a sort of protective bubble. They lived in Tennessee. They went to school like "normal" kids.
But you can’t keep that much talent bottled up forever. In the last year or two, the girls have started stepping out.
- Sunday Rose (17): She’s officially a runway model. She made her debut for Miu Miu in late 2024 and has since become a face for Dior and Omega. She’s tall, striking, and clearly has her mother’s poise.
- Faith Margaret (15): Faith is leaning more toward the acting side of things. Both girls had tiny cameos in Big Little Lies and The Undoing, but Faith seems particularly drawn to the film industry.
The 2026 Shift: A New Family Dynamic
As of January 2026, Nicole and Keith have finalized their divorce. It was a shock to many—they were the "gold standard" of celebrity marriages for 19 years. But the settlement reveals a lot about where Nicole’s head is at.
She has primary custody of Sunday and Faith, who live with her 306 days a year. Keith gets every other weekend. The court documents emphasize "co-parenting civility," but the reality is that Sunday and Faith are now Nicole's primary focus as she navigates this new chapter.
What’s most fascinating is how this has brought the "four" kids closer together. Sources close to the family say that Sunday and Faith have developed a relationship with their older half-siblings. In a world where families are often fractured by distance and history, Nicole seems determined to keep hers as whole as possible.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception about nicole kidmans kids is that they are two separate families that never touch. People assume she "lost" the first two and "started over" with the second two.
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That’s a pretty cynical way to look at it.
The truth is much more nuanced. Motherhood for Nicole hasn't been a straight line. It’s been a series of redirections. She’s navigated adoption, biological birth, and surrogacy. She’s handled the complexities of a high-control religion and the typical teenage drama of two girls growing up in the social media age.
Actionable Takeaways from Nicole’s Parenting Journey
If there's anything we can learn from how Nicole handles her family, it's these three things:
- Privacy is a Choice: You don't owe the world your children's lives. Nicole kept her younger daughters out of the press for nearly 16 years. When they finally stepped out, it was on their own terms, not as "accessories" to her fame.
- Unconditional Love is Hard: It's easy to love your kids when they agree with you. It's much harder when they choose a path—religious, political, or lifestyle—that you don't understand. Nicole's "open door" policy with Bella and Connor is a masterclass in parental patience.
- Names Have Meaning: From Sunday (named after a famous Australian arts patron) to Faith (a testament to her struggle), she’s always infused her children’s identities with intention.
Nicole Kidman’s life has been a series of very public "acts," but her role as a mother is clearly the one she takes most seriously. Whether she’s sitting front row at a Dior show with Sunday Rose or taking a quiet call from Bella in London, she’s proving that "family" is whatever you make of it—even if it takes a few decades to get the recipe right.
To keep up with the latest on the Kidman-Urban family transitions, you can follow verified entertainment updates or check out the girls' recent fashion campaigns, which are currently taking the industry by storm.