Nicole Kidman is basically Hollywood royalty at this point. You see her at the Oscars, or in those AMC commercials, or maybe you're still thinking about that wild wig she wore in Lion. But for a lot of people, her filmography isn't the first thing that pops into their head. It's the guys. Specifically, the two very different men who shared her life for decades.
When people ask who was married to Nicole Kidman, they usually expect a quick name or two. But the reality of those relationships—one a high-profile, tabloid-fodder explosion and the other a steady, Nashville-based slow burn—tells you more about her than any IMDB page ever could.
The Tom Cruise Era: A Decade in the Eye of the Storm
It started on the set of Days of Thunder in 1989. She was a young, relatively unknown Australian actress with a cloud of red curls; he was already the biggest movie star on the planet. They married on Christmas Eve in 1990.
For the next ten years, they were the couple. Honestly, it's hard to explain to someone who wasn't around then just how much space they took up in the culture. They adopted two children, Isabella and Connor. They starred in three movies together, including the famously grueling, years-long production of Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut.
But things weren't as perfect as the paparazzi photos suggested.
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The pressure of being half of "Tom and Nic" was immense. Kidman has since spoken about how she felt she became a star by association rather than merit during those years. She was the tall, elegant woman on his arm, often overshadowing her own growing talent. Then, in 2001, it just... ended. Cruise filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences." The world was shocked. You probably remember that famous photo of her leaving her attorney's office, arms outstretched, looking like she’d finally taken a breath of fresh air for the first time in a decade.
The Scientology Factor
You can't talk about who was married to Nicole Kidman without mentioning the elephant in the room: the Church of Scientology. While Kidman has always been incredibly private and respectful regarding her children's beliefs, many biographers, including Andrew Morton in his unauthorized biography of Cruise, have pointed to the religious divide as a major friction point.
Kidman was raised Catholic. Cruise was—and is—the face of Scientology. When the marriage dissolved, the kids stayed with Cruise and were raised within the church. This created a distance that the media has picked at for twenty years, though Kidman herself remains fiercely protective of her children's privacy. She doesn't do "tell-all" interviews. She doesn't bash her ex. She just moves on.
Keith Urban: Finding a Different Kind of Rhythm
If the Cruise years were about the blinding lights of Hollywood, the Keith Urban era is about the quiet woods of Tennessee.
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They met at G'Day LA in 2005. He’s a country music superstar, she’s an Oscar winner. They married in 2006. But if you think it was all sunshine and rainbows from the jump, you’d be wrong. Just four months into their marriage, Kidman had to stage an intervention.
Urban has been very open about his struggles with addiction. He checked into the Betty Ford Center shortly after their wedding. Most new marriages would have crumbled under that kind of weight. Imagine being married for less than half a year and having to navigate rehab. But she stayed. He got sober. They’ve been together for nearly two decades now.
They have two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret. Unlike her first marriage, this one feels grounded. You’ll see them at the CMAs looking genuinely obsessed with each other. They live in Nashville. They share a dry, Australian sense of humor. It’s a completely different vibe.
Comparing the Two Chapters
It's fascinating to look at how different these two partnerships are. With Cruise, it felt like a production. Everything was glossy, controlled, and intensely public. With Urban, it feels like a partnership.
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- The Career Impact: During her first marriage, Kidman’s career often felt secondary. After the divorce, she won an Oscar for The Hours. With Urban, she’s reached a new peak with projects like Big Little Lies, seemingly fueled by the stability of her home life.
- The Lifestyle: From private jets and Scientology centers to a farm in Australia and a home in Tennessee.
- The Longevity: Her marriage to Keith Urban has now officially surpassed her marriage to Tom Cruise in length.
Why We Are Still Obsessed
Why do we care so much about who was married to Nicole Kidman? Because her life mirrors a transformation many people go through. There’s the "first life"—the one where you’re young, maybe a bit overwhelmed, trying to fit into someone else's world. Then there's the "second life," where you know who you are and you find someone who actually fits your world.
Kidman has navigated both with a level of grace that’s frankly annoying. She doesn't leak stories to the press. She doesn't post "cryptic" Instagram stories. She just shows up, does the work, and goes home to her husband.
Key Takeaways for the Curious
If you're looking for the "actionable" part of this celebrity deep dive, it's about the evolution of personal identity within a relationship.
- Longevity requires resilience: The Urban/Kidman marriage survived a rehab stint in the first year. That’s a testament to commitment over convenience.
- Privacy is a choice: Even the most famous person on earth can keep their private life relatively quiet if they are disciplined about it.
- Different stages, different needs: What worked for Kidman at 23 (a global superstar mentor/husband) wasn't what she needed at 38 (a partner to build a quiet life with).
The next time you see her on screen, remember that the woman you’re watching has lived through two of the most scrutinized marriages in modern history. She’s survived the "Top Gun" whirlwind and the "Nashville" recovery, emerging as perhaps the most respected actress of her generation.
Next Steps for the Fan
If you want to understand Kidman’s journey better, stop reading the old tabloids and watch her performances in The Hours (post-Cruise breakthrough) and Big Little Lies (the Urban era). You can clearly see the shift from an actress finding her voice to one who has found her power. Check out Keith Urban’s album Ripcord if you want to hear the songs inspired by their life together; "The Fighter" is basically a love letter to her support during his recovery.