Many people paying attention to celebrity relationship news were surprised when Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban announced their 19-year marriage had come to an end. Fans began recontextualizing awkward comments from Urban and recalling the issues they were reportedly always working through to see if there were, indeed, hints of trouble in paradise. Those close to the couple would say so, as the breakup allegedly was not much of a secret.
One big clue that the country music star and the Oscar winner were going their separate ways? They weren’t even living together, as Keith Urban had quietly moved out of the family home. An insider told People:
It really hasn’t been a secret in their circles that Keith and Nicole have been living separately for a while now. People close to Keith felt like the split was kind of inevitable.
The breakup came just three months after Nicole Kidman posted an Instagram tribute to her husband for their 19th anniversary. The Eyes Wide Shut actress reportedly didn’t want to split up and had been fighting for the marriage, according to sources; however, she was the one who ended up filing paperwork.
She was also allegedly “dreading” news of their separation becoming public, which is understandable, especially because now we can see there were so many signs. Nicole Kidman herself may have referenced the split in an interview she gave weeks before she filed for divorce, as she suggested life in her 50s was going in a different direction than she’d expected.
A few months ago she also firmly shut down the idea of working with Keith Urban on a TV show in the future, musing that “our life is a show.” Meanwhile, a radio host struck a nerve with the country music singer, as they asked Urban what it was like to watch his “beautiful wife” do sex scenes with “beautiful younger men like Zac Efron” in reference to A Family Affair (available with a Netflix subscription). Keith Urban seemingly responded by ending the phone call.
It’s fully understandable that he wouldn’t want to discuss that aspect of his wife’s work (not to mention she had intimate scenes in two other recent projects, Holland and Babygirl), but the abruptness of ending the interview may have been another indication their marriage was on the rocks.
There were also their busy schedules, as they were last seen together in June at a FIFA World Cup match. Keith Urban spent the summer on tour (which came after he proved he was a “force to be reckoned with” filming CBS’ The Road), and Nicole Kidman was filming Practical Magic 2 from July to September. Spending time apart due to work isn’t necessarily a relationship-ender, but it likely doesn’t help if you’re already experiencing problems.
Whatever happened — and however obvious it may have been — both parties seem intent on moving forward now. Nicole Kidman got some breakup bangs and is reportedly refusing to feel regret about the end of her marriage, while Keith Urban had a pretty funny reaction to meeting a fan named Nicole at a recent concert.
Hopefully they’re able to eventually maintain a friendship, for the sake of their two teen daughters if nothing else.