Nicole Kidman ‘didn’t want this’—the truth behind the split nobody saw coming

When Hollywood couples survive beyond five years, we start to believe in forever.

When they make it to two decades, they become relationship goals.

That is why the news of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s separation has left fans stunned—it feels like the end of one of entertainment’s most enduring love stories.

Multiple major outlets confirmed the couple had separated after 19 years of marriage.

The announcement broke on 29 September 2025, sending shockwaves through fans who had followed their seemingly rock-solid union since 2005.

There had been little indication of trouble.

Just three months earlier in June 2025, Nicole shared a black and white social media photo of the couple embracing to mark their wedding anniversary, captioning it ‘Happy Anniversary Baby’, with Keith responding with a heart emoji.

Their last public appearance was also in June, when they attended a FIFA Club World Cup match in Nashville, looking every bit the devoted couple.

Even in April, Nicole spoke warmly about Keith in an interview, saying: ‘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.’

Yet, according to sources, the couple had been living apart since the beginning of summer, with Keith moving out of their Nashville home and securing his own residence.

Sources close to the situation revealed that Nicole ‘didn’t want this’ and had been ‘fighting to save the marriage.’

During this period, Nicole reportedly took on the role of primary caregiver for their two daughters, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14.

Family support has also been key, with Nicole’s sister Antonia described as a ‘rock’ as the Kidman family rallied around her.

Their love story began in January 2005, when they first met at the G’Day USA gala in Los Angeles.

They married in Sydney in June 2006, but the early years were not without struggle—Nicole staged an intervention when Keith battled alcohol addiction, leading him to enter rehab, an experience he later credited as life-changing.

Over the years, they became a fixture at red carpets from the Met Gala to the Academy Awards.

Their affectionate displays and whispered exchanges made them appear inseparable.

They also stood out for their unique approach to communication, with Nicole once telling Parade magazine: ‘We don’t text. We call. We’ve done this since the very beginning… We just do voice to voice or skin to skin, as we always say.’

Their careers soared alongside their marriage.

Nicole, who won an Oscar for The Hours in 2003, was named the highest-paid actress in 2024 and has starred in Big Little Lies, Babygirl, and The Perfect Couple.

Keith, with four Grammy Awards and 15 Academy of Country Music Awards, has released 11 studio albums and toured extensively.

This success may have created distance, with their demanding schedules keeping them apart more often than together.

For Nicole, who previously endured a high-profile divorce from Tom Cruise in 2001, the end of her marriage to Keith marks another deeply personal chapter played out under public scrutiny.

Neither Nicole nor Keith has filed for divorce at this stage, and neither has publicly commented on the reports.

At 58 and 57, Nicole and Keith should have been preparing for their empty nest years together.

Instead, they are now navigating the painful process of living apart after nearly two decades of marriage.

For fans, it is the end of a love story once thought unbreakable.

Stories like Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s separation remind us that even the strongest-looking relationships can face unexpected turns.

When a long-term partnership comes to an end, the emotional and practical challenges can feel overwhelming, no matter who you are.

If you’re curious about what separation means later in life and how to navigate it, there’s another story that offers helpful insights.

Read more: Things You Need To Know About Separating In Your 60s

Do you think celebrity couples face more pressure to stay together because of the spotlight, or does fame make lasting love impossible?