Nicole fought to save it — Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman's story from first date to divorce
The high-profile romance between Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman was regarded as one of the entertainment industry's most enduring love stories. The Australian power couple was married for nearly two decades, from June 2006 until September 2025, before suddenly separating. Their divorce was finalised in January 2026, and they share two teenage daughters.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key takeaways
- Profile summary
- Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman: The full relationship timeline
- January 2005: Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman unexpectedly meet
- June 2005: Urban surprises Kidman with romantic birthday gesture
- May 2006: The couple gets engaged
- June 2006: Keith and Nicole hold a fairy-tale wedding
- October 2006: Keith Urban checks into rehab
- 2008–2010: The couple grows a family in Nashville
- June 2016: Keith Urban celebrates their 10th wedding anniversary
- May 2025: The couple attends the ACM Awards
- June 2025: Nicole Kidman celebrates their 19th wedding anniversary
- September 2025: The couple separates and files for divorce
- January 2026: Urban and Kidman's divorce is finalised
- What happened between Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban?
- Why couldn't Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban make it work?
- What fans can take away from Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's relationship?
- FAQs
Key takeaways
- Urban and Nicole first met at an Australian-centric gala in Los Angeles in 2005, but did not begin dating immediately.
- They got engaged on 15 May 2006 and married on 25 June 2006 during a candlelit ceremony in Sydney, Australia.
- Keith and Kidman share two biological daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret.
- News of their sudden separation broke on 29 September 2025, and the couple finalised their divorce officially on 6 January 2026.
Profile summary
Full name | Keith Lionel Urban | Nicole Mary Kidman |
Gender | Male | Female |
Date of birth | 26 October 1967 | 20 June 1967 |
Age | 58 years old (as of May 2026) | 58 years old (as of May 2026) |
Place of birth | Whangārei, New Zealand | Honolulu, Hawaii, USA |
Current residence | Nashville, Tennessee, USA | Nashville, Tennessee, USA |
Nationality | Australian-New Zealand | Australian-American |
Religion | Christianity | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight | Straight |
Height in feet | 5'10" | 5'11" |
Height in centimetres | 178 | 180 |
Relationship status | Divorced | Divorced |
Children | 2 | 4 |
Profession | Singer, songwriter, guitarist | Actress, producer |
Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman: The full relationship timeline
Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman's relationship won over fans, who admired how down-to-earth they seemed despite their fame. From their fast-moving romance in the early days to their unexpected split, their nearly 20-year love story stayed in the public eye for years.
January 2005: Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman unexpectedly meet
Source: Getty Images
The pair crossed paths for the first time at the G'Day USA Gala in Los Angeles, an event honouring prominent Australians. They were introduced by film producer Kerry Roberts.
While the attraction was instant for Kidman, Urban infamously waited four months before dialling her number. Once he did, the connection was instant.
For one of their earliest dates, the country star took her on a motorcycle ride to Woodstock, New York, complete with a packed picnic. Reflecting on the delay in a later interview, Urban admitted he was struggling with self-doubt:
I kept looking at it, thinking, 'If I call this number, she's going to answer. I don't know what to say.' I'd never have thought she'd see anything in a guy like me.
As per Today, the Big Little Lies star later recalled on The Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2017:
I remember thinking I had such a crush on him and he wasn't interested in me... He didn't call me for four months.
June 2005: Urban surprises Kidman with romantic birthday gesture
Source: Getty Images
The relationship shifted gears dramatically on Kidman's 38th birthday. Urban surprised her on her New York City apartment doorstep at 5:00 a.m., holding a bouquet of gardenias. Speaking to People in 2019, Kidman revealed this moment was her true turning point:
That is when I went, ‘This is the man I hope I get to marry.’ I believed, by that point, that he was the love of my life.
May 2006: The couple gets engaged
The couple got engaged on 15 May 2006. Kidman broke the news to reporters at a United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) gala, stating:
He’s actually my fiancé. I wouldn’t be bringing my boyfriend.
June 2006: Keith and Nicole hold a fairy-tale wedding
Source: Getty Images
The couple tied the knot on 25 June 2006 at the Cardinal Cerretti Memorial Chapel in Manly, a coastal suburb of Sydney. Kidman's children from her previous marriage to American actor Tom Cruise, Isabella Jane and Connor Antony, were part of the big day. Isabella served in the bridal party.
During the reception, Urban serenaded his new bride with an acoustic rendition of his hit Making Memories of Us. The newlyweds jetted off to French Polynesia for their honeymoon.
October 2006: Keith Urban checks into rehab
Just four months into their marriage, the relationship faced its first major test. Recognising that her husband was struggling deeply with alcohol dependency, the Australian-born actress staged an intervention.
Source: Getty Images
According to TODAY, Urban checked into the Betty Ford Clinic for three months. He later credited his wife's swift intervention with saving his life, noting that getting sober ultimately freed him up creatively. He stated:
I was lucky I had a very loving wife. [Getting sober] has freed me up creatively.
2008–2010: The couple grows a family in Nashville
After relocating to a peaceful farm southwest of Nashville, Tennessee, the couple welcomed their first daughter, Sunday Rose, in July 2008. In December 2010, their second daughter, Faith Margaret, was born via a gestational surrogate.
June 2016: Keith Urban celebrates their 10th wedding anniversary
On their 10th wedding anniversary, Urban reminisced about how they met. The Somebody Like You singer shared a nostalgic throwback photo of the two at the G'Day USA Gala on Instagram. He wrote:
Our very first photo together, 2005, minutes after being introduced to each other. HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, BABY. LOOOOOOOOVE YOU!!!!!!!!!
May 2025: The couple attends the ACM Awards
Source: Getty Images
On 8 May 2025, the couple attended the ACM Awards together, where Urban won the prestigious Triple Crown Award. The two appeared entirely in sync, dancing in the audience together during performances. While accepting his award, Keith Urban explicitly thanked his wife, Nicole, from the stage: He said:
My wife, Nicole Mary, is here tonight. I love you, babygirl.
June 2025: Nicole Kidman celebrates their 19th wedding anniversary
Nicole Kidman marked their 19th wedding anniversary on 25 June 2025. She shared a close-up, black-and-white photo on Instagram featuring Urban holding his guitar. She wrote:
Happy Anniversary, Baby @KeithUrban.
The photo was taken when he won the Triple Crown Award at the ACM Awards in May. It would be their final public anniversary celebration before their split.
September 2025: The couple separates and files for divorce
Source: Getty Images
Following a quiet summer spent living apart, sources confirmed on 29 September 2025 that the couple had separated. TMZ reported that the decision to part ways originated primarily from Urban, who had acquired a separate residence in Nashville.
The following day, on 30 September, Kidman officially filed for divorce in the Nashville court, citing irreconcilable differences. According to People, Nicole leaned on her family for support. A source revealed:
Nicole's sister [Antonia] has been a rock, and the entire Kidman family has come together to support one another.
January 2026: Urban and Kidman's divorce is finalised
Keith and Nicole's marriage officially ended on 6 January 2026 when a Nashville judge dissolved it. The final legal documents confirmed that neither party would receive alimony or child support. Additionally, each would be responsible for their own legal fees. Under the finalised parenting plan, Kidman was designated the primary residential parent.
Source: Getty Images
Reports also shed light on their prenuptial terms signed before the wedding. According to TheThings, under Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman's prenup, the actress would pay him $600,000 per year of marriage. However, he had to stay away from drugs and keep his drinking under control amid his ongoing sobriety.
What happened between Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban?
While Kidman's filing cited irreconcilable differences, lifestyle choices and professional demands appear to have driven them apart. According to People, sources stated that Urban had been going through some stuff, stating:
He has just been going through some stuff.
A Kidman source added:
He has been making questionable choices for some time now, and this was not the case of them just drifting apart.
Why couldn't Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban make it work?
Source: Getty Images
Although the Oscar winner was the first to file for divorce, a source claimed she did not want the divorce at first, and wanted to save the marriage. According to the aforementioned article by People, a source close to Urban revealed:
She didn't want this. She has been fighting to save the marriage.
What fans can take away from Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's relationship?
The big takeaway is that a strong relationship requires more than romance: boundaries, emotional responsibility, compatible rhythms, and communication about pressure. Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's story is less a lesson in celebrity glamour and more about how hard it is to keep two intense lives in balance.
FAQs
- Who is Keith Urban? He is an award-winning Australian-New Zealand country singer, songwriter, and guitarist.
- Who is Nicole Kidman? She is an Academy Award-winning Australian-American actress and film producer.
- What happened to Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's marriage? After nearly 20 years together, the couple separated in September 2025 due to irreconcilable differences. Their divorce was finalised in January 2026.
- Did Keith Urban regret leaving Nicole Kidman? Neither party has publicly expressed regret. They are focused on co-parenting their daughters.
- How old was Nicole Kidman when she married Keith Urban? She was 39 years old when she married Keith on 25 June 2006. Nicole was born on 20 June 1967.
- When did Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman get married? They got married on 25 June 2006 in Sydney, Australia.
- How long have Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban been together? The couple was together for roughly 20 years, having met in early 2005 and finalising their divorce in January 2026.
Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman separated in September 2025 after two decades together. Their divorce was finalised in January 2026, and the pair are now focused on co-parenting their teenage daughters.
Legit.ng published an article about Connor and Georgie from Love on the Spectrum. The reality stars from the TV show Love on the Spectrum became one of the most well-known couples on the series. However, things went downhill after a major trip to London when they parted ways.
Connor and Georgie realised that they were too different to stay together. They broke up after the cameras stopped rolling. Discover more about Connor and Georgie's relationship from Love on the Spectrum here.
Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
