After nearly two decades together, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have separated. The couple, who married in 2006, were one of Hollywood’s most enduring partnerships, raising two daughters together while balancing their globe-spanning careers. Now, after 19 years, PEOPLE confirms that they’ve split.
According to the outlet, Nicole, 58, has been leaning heavily on her family in Australia. A source told PEOPLE, “Nicole’s sister [Antonia] has been a rock and the entire Kidman family has come together to support one another.” The source also noted that the actress did not want the marriage to end. “She didn’t want this. She has been fighting to save the marriage.”
The split appears to have been Keith’s decision. TMZ was first to report the news, citing insiders who said the couple has been living apart since early summer. While Nicole wrapped filming on Practical Magic 2 in London, Keith has been out on tour, with upcoming dates that will keep him on the road into October.
The pair, who share daughters Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14, have weathered years of speculation in the spotlight. In April, Nicole described Keith as her anchor, telling PEOPLE: “I’m so lucky that I have Keith, who’s just my love, my deep, deep love. That gives me the ability to go and do whatever I have to do because I know where I can come back to.” That makes news of their separation all the more surprising to fans.
Nicole and Keith marked their wedding anniversary this past June with a cozy Instagram post. Nicole captioned a picture of the two of them: “Happy Anniversary Baby ❤️ @KeithUrban.” Yet just weeks later, she was sharing “summer memories” online that showed time with her daughters, while Keith was spotted touring solo.
The Daily Mail added new claims about why things unraveled. An insider said, “Keith never sees Nicole, either she is filming or he is on tour. There was a lot of love between the two and they might not divorce. They been together for decades so there is a world which they can reconcile, but the way their pairing is now, they are not a couple.”
The same source suggested distance and lack of intimacy became impossible to ignore. “The intimacy isn’t there, they are just going through the motions [of being married]. If this separation gets them back together, that would be amazing, but Keith had to call her out that he isn’t happy. She was blindsided, but we shall see how things go during the holiday season and his upcoming birthday [next month]. They have some work to do.”
