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Eyes Wide Shut at 15: Inside the Epic, Secretive Film Shoot that Pushed Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman to Their Limits

By Amy Nicholson

All featured products are independently selected by our editors. However, when you buy something through our retail links, Vanity Fair may earn an affiliate commission.

Kubrick’s obsession with secrecy so infected his cast and crew that no one has ever spoken about it in detail. The day-to-day life on set can only be inferred from facts and hints. The most major fact: Eyes Wide Shut was exhausting. Kubrick had asked Cruise and Kidman to commit to six months. When they landed in London in the fall of 1996, the couple fully expected to return to Hollywood by spring. Instead, they stayed on through the summer, fall, and another Christmas. Filming wrapped in January of 1998, but in May they were summoned back for more months of reshoots. Altogether they’d spend 15 months on Eyes Wide Shut, the Guinness World Record for the longest continual film shoot.

“Stanley had figured out a way to work in England for a fraction of what we pay here,” explained Sydney Pollack, who joined the cast as the corrosive tycoon Victor Ziegler after the extended shooting forced original actor Harvey Keitel to cry uncle and drop out. “While the rest of us poor bastards are able to get 16 weeks of filming for $70 million with a $20 million star, Stanley could get 45 weeks of shooting for $65 million.” Though every six months Cruise spent in London cost him another $20 million film he wasn’t making—plus he had the fledgling Cruise/Wagner production company to oversee—he swore to the press he had no qualms about his extended art house sabbatical.

“I remember talking to Stanley and I said, ‘Look, I don’t care how long it takes, but I have to know: are we going to finish in six months?’” said Cruise. “People were waiting and writers were waiting. I’d say, ‘Stanley, I don’t care—tell me it’s going to be two years.’”

Kubrick is legendary for his perfectionism—to reconstruct Greenwich Village in London, he sent a designer to New York to measure the exact width of the streets and the distance between newspaper vending machines. But his approach to character and performance was the opposite. Instead of knowing what he wanted on the set, he waited for the actors to seize upon it themselves. His process: repeated takes designed to break down the idea of performance altogether. The theory was that once his actors bottomed-out in exhaustion and forgot about the cameras, they could rebuild and discover something that neither he nor they expected. During The Shining, he’d put Jack Nicholson and Shelley Duvall through 50 takes to figure out what he wanted, causing Duvall to have a nervous breakdown. For Eyes Wide Shut, given his stars’ extreme pliancy and eagerness to please, Kubrick went further, once insisting that Cruise do 95 takes of walking through a door.

“In times when we couldn’t get it, it was just like, ‘Fuck!’” admitted Cruise. “I’d bring it upon myself because I demand a lot of myself.” But what he never asked—at least, not openly in the press—was if there was an “it” Kubrick wanted him to get. After all, a director who demands 95 takes could be exacting—or conversely, he could be ill-prepared and uncommunicative. Cruise’s overpreparation had served him well in the past. Not here. He got an ulcer, and tried to keep the news from Kubrick. At its core, the Cruise/Kubrick combination seems cruel: an over-achieving actor desperate to please a never-satisfied auteur. The power balance was firmly shifted to Kubrick, yet to his credit, Cruise has never complained.

Kubrick defenders—Cruise included—insist the legend was fully in command. “He was not indulgent,” Cruise insisted to the press. “You know you are not going to leave that shot until it’s right.” Yet it’s hard not to see indulgence when even small roles demanded prolonged commitment, like starlet Vinessa Shaw’s one-scene cameo as a prostitute, which was meant to take two weeks and ended up wasting two months. Adding to the peril, Kubrick also refused to screen dailies, a practice Cruise relied on. “Making a movie is like stabbing in the dark,” the actor explained. “If I get a sense of the overall picture, then I’m better for the film.” Cruise couldn’t watch and adjust his performance to find his character’s through line—a problem exacerbated by the amount of footage the director filmed. For most of the cast, who appeared only in one or two moments, they had only to match the timbre of their character’s big moment. But Cruise alone is in nearly every scene and had to spend the shoot playing a guessing game. Not knowing which of his mind-melting number of takes would wind up in the film, he still had to figure out how to shape a consistent character from scene to scene. Given Kubrick’s withholding direction and the exponential number of combinations that could be created from his raw footage, it’s understandable if the forever-prepared actor found himself adrift.

Adding to the actor’s peril was the part’s personal and emotional risk. Kubrick decided to find his story through psychoanalyzing his stars, prodding Cruise and Kidman to confess their fears about marriage and commitment to their director in conversations that the three vowed to keep secret. “Tom would hear things that he didn’t want to hear,” admitted Kidman. “It wasn’t like therapy, because you didn’t have anyone to say, ‘And how do you feel about that?’ It was honest, and brutally honest at times.” The line between reality and fiction was deliberately blurred. The couple slept in their characters’ bedroom, chose the colors of the curtains, strewed their clothes on the floor, and even left pocket change on the bedside table just as Cruise did at home.

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By Maureen Ryan

“As an actor, you set up: there’s reality, and there’s pretend,” explained Kidman. “And those lines get crossed, and it happens when you’re working with a director that allows that to happen. It’s a very exciting thing to happen; it’s a very dangerous thing to happen.” Added Cruise, “I wanted this to work, but you’re playing with dynamite when you act. Emotions kick up.” At least the two actors had an auditory cue to distinguish fact from fiction: on camera, Kidman changed her Australian accent to American. But there was also external tension pressing down on their performances as both actors—especially Cruise—were media savvy enough to recognize that audiences would project Bill and Alice’s unhappiness on their own marriage, which was already a source of tabloid fodder. Even during the course of filming, the couple had to successfully sue Star magazine for writing that they hired sex therapists to coach them.

Kubrick’s on-set wall of secrecy even divided Cruise and Kidman. To exaggerate the distrust between their fictional husband and wife, Kubrick would direct each actor separately and forbid them to share notes. In one painful example, for just one minute of final footage where Alice makes love to a handsome naval officer—an imaginary affair that haunts Bill over the course of the film—Kubrick demanded that Kidman shoot six days of naked sex scenes with a male model. Not only did he ask the pair to pose in over 50 erotic positions, he banned Cruise from the set and forbade Kidman to assuage her husband’s tension by telling him what happened during the shoot.

Co-star Vinessa Shaw would eventually admit Kubrick had exhausted the once-indefatigable actor, confessing that compared to Cruise’s “gung ho” first months of shooting, by the end, “He was still into it, but not as energetic.” Still, when gossip columnist Liz Smith wrote that the Eyes Wide Shut set was miserable, Cruise quickly fired back a letter insisting that his and Kidman’s relationship with Kubrick was “impeccable and extraordinary. […] Both Nic and I love him.” Added actor and director Todd Field, on set for six months to play the pivotal role of the piano player Nick Nightingale, “You’ve never seen two actors more completely subservient and prostrate themselves at the feet of a director.” However, Cruise’s devotion to Kubrick’s massive mystery masterpiece would prove damaging to his screen image.

Good vs. Right

It’s hard to love Cruise’s character, Dr. Bill Harford. He’s closed off and slippery, a cipher whose choices don’t make consistent sense. What personal history screenwriter Frederic Raphael had included in the original drafts—Harford’s strained relationship with his father, his guilt over his prurient interest in female anatomy—Kubrick had purged from the script, leaving Cruise to play a shallow voyager who only serves to lead the audience on an odyssey of sexual temptation. Also on the page but deleted from the final film is Bill’s explanatory voice-over that invited the audience to understand his feelings. Worse, Kubrick deliberately shunned including the Tom Cruise charisma fans expected in his performance, raising the question of why he cast Cruise at all. Why ask the biggest star in the world to carry your film and then hide his face under a mask for 20 minutes?

Though this is a story of sexual frustration—an emotion Cruise had played with conviction in Born on the Fourth of July —and jealousy, which is just the darker twin of Cruise’s signature competitive streak, his performance in Eyes Wide Shut feels flat. He’d done vulnerability better in Jerry Maguire and had captured neutered paralysis a decade and a half before in Risky Business. Yet in nearly all of Eyes Wide Shut ’s key emotional moments—his wife confessing to her first and second psychological “betrayals,” his patient’s daughter professing her love over her father’s corpse, nearly kissing a call girl’s corpse in the morgue, being unmasked at the orgy—Cruise’s face is stiff and visibly unfeeling, almost as if he never took the mask off at all.

Cruise’s blankness makes Eyes Wide Shut take on an element of kabuki theater, the art form where emotional perception—not projection—is key. The whole film feels like an exercise in theatricality, as though Dr. Bill is not a person but a prop. This isn’t a movie about a human possessed with distrust and jealousy—it’s a movie about distrust and jealousy that simply uses a human as its conduit. With Cruise hidden in a mask and robe, the intention is to hide his individuality in the service of a larger ritualistic machine. Even in his scene with the impossibly sweet prostitute played by Vinessa Shaw, their conversation about how much cash for which physical acts doesn’t spark with lust but limps along like the characters themselves are merely performers recognizing that this is the negotiation that is supposed to take place. “Do you suppose we should talk about money?” he asks—it’s as if their whole conversation is in air quotes.

To critique Tom Cruise’s performance in Eyes Wide Shut, it’s important to distinguish between good and right. Measured against any of his previous screen roles, his acting reads as terrible. It’s artificial, distant, and unrelatable. However, the terribleness of his performance translates into a tricky logic puzzle. On-screen, we’re given only one take of the 95 attempts that Cruise shot. If Kubrick was a perfectionist who demanded Cruise repeat himself 95 times on the set, and in the editing room rejected 94 of those takes, then the “terrible” take Kubrick chose must be the take that Kubrick wanted. What feels flat to the audience must have felt correct to the director, so even though it’s hard to appreciate Cruise’s performance, at least one person must have thought the chosen take was perfect: Stanley Kubrick. And for Cruise, a perfectionist himself who was determined to make his master happy, we’re forced to defend the “badness” of his performance by recognizing him as an excellent soldier following orders.

Yet critics under the sway of thinking that the great Kubrick could do no wrong and Cruise, the popcorn hero, could do little right, blamed the actor for the director’s choices and groaned that “Our forever boyish star just can’t deliver.” The irony, however, is that in 45 years of filmmaking, Kubrick had never asked his actors to deliver. His films had earned Oscar nominations for their acting only twice: Peter Sellers in Dr. Strangelove (1964) and Peter Ustinov in Spartacus (1960). In his much shorter career, Cruise himself had earned as many Oscar nods. That fact alone speaks to the limited value the director placed on acting—to Kubrick, his cast was merely a tool for his vision and individual performances subservient to his intimidating authorial style. Kubrick’s disinterest in actors is evident even in *Eyes Wide Shut’*s credits, which despite including two directors (Pollack and Field) and two great character actors (Alan Cumming and Rade Serbedzija) filled the rest of its cast with new faces and 10th-billed TV actors. As much as Cruise wanted Eyes Wide Shut to prove, yet again, that he could act, Kubrick clearly had scant interest in giving him the opportunity.

Cruise made himself vulnerable before Kubrick and his devotees, but instead of being rewarded for his emotional and financial sacrifice, audiences dismissed his performance as callow. He couldn’t even ask his by-then dead-and-buried director for support. Eyes Wide Shut ’s fallout wasn’t flattering: he was blamed for the film’s failure, and the tabloids took a savage interest in his marriage, which would last only two more years. Yet Cruise continues to defend his two years of hard work. “I didn’t like playing Dr. Bill. I didn’t like him. It was unpleasant,” admitted Cruise a year later in the only public criticism he’s ever given. “But I would have absolutely kicked myself if I hadn’t done this.”

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Inside Tom Cruise's Relationship With Nicole Kidman

They were the Hollywood "it" couple of the 1990s. When A-list actor Tom Cruise decided to make a movie about a race car driver called "Days of Thunder," the recently divorced star quickly fell in love with his little-known love interest, Australian actress Nicole Kidman. The year was 1990, and both the film and her newfound relationship with Cruise turned Kidman into an instant Hollywood starlet who eventually forged a career in her own right. But, before that, she was Cruise's loving wife and mother of his two adopted children.

By the time 1990 came to a close, Cruise and Kidman were married. This was 28-year-old Cruise's second marriage, as he had previously been wed to actress Mimi Rogers. It was 23-year-old Kidman's first marriage (via Parade ). For a time, Kidman even tried to become a Scientologist like her husband, but grew weary of it and even got her husband to leave the Church of Scientology briefly, according to The Daily Beast . 

However, their marriage wouldn't last much more than a decade, and there's still no real answer to why it suddenly ended.

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman seemed like the perfect couple

During the time they were wed, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman fascinated Hollywood and dominated magazine covers. They even made two more acclaimed movies together: 1992's "Far and Away" and 1999's "Eyes Wide Shut" (via Parade ). In 2002, after their marriage had ended, Kidman described the beginning of her romance with Cruise to Vanity Fair . 

"He basically swept me off my feet. I fell madly, passionately in love," Kidman said. "And as happens when you fall in love, my whole plan in terms of what I wanted for my life — I was like, 'Forget it. This is it.' I was consumed by it, willingly. And I was desperate to have a baby with him. I didn't care if we were married. That's what I wish I'd done."

Although Kidman did marry this man who swept her off her feet, instead of having his babies, the pair chose to adopt. They added Isabella to their family in 1993 and Connor in 1995. 

"I was willing to give up everything," Kidman told Vanity Fair. "I now see that as part of me. I'm willing to do that — I do it when I do a movie too. I'm willing to go, 'Yeah, bring it on, consume me, intoxicate me.' I want to feel alive — I want to reel, basically. I was reeling with Tom and I loved it and I would have walked to the end of the earth."

Nicole Kidman describes one of the happiest times in her marriage to Tom Cruise

When Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman made "Eyes Wide Shut" with legendary director Stanley Kubrick, the couple and their two children moved to England and were there for two years, living in a trailer and making spaghetti dinners with Kubrick as their frequent guest. It was rumored that the problems in the marriage began when they shot that dark film, but, in 2020, Kidman told The New York Times that was the furthest thing from the truth, at least in her eyes.

"That fits the narrative that people came up with, but I definitely didn't see it like that," Kidman said. "We were happily married through that. We would go go-kart racing after those scenes. We'd rent out a place and go racing at 3 in the morning. I don't know what else to say. Maybe I don't have the ability to look back and dissect it. Or I'm not willing to."

Nicole Kidman was stunned when Tom Cruise filed for divorce

In 2001, Tom Cruise shocked the world and his wife when he suddenly filed for divorce. Later that year, Cruise wished Nicole Kidman well in an interview with Vanity Fair  but would not reveal why they split up.

"She knows why, and I know why," he said. "She's the mother of my children, and I wish her well. And I think that you just move on. And I don't say that lightly. I don't say that with anything. Things happen in life, and you do everything you can, and in every possible way, and there's a point at which you just sometimes have to face the brutal reality."

Kidman described that time in her life as tumultuous. She couldn't believe her marriage was over, and she wasn't sure what would happen next, telling Vanity Fair that she was so distraught that she was crying in the fetal position when her parents had to come over and convince her to move on with her life. "At the time, it felt like the work was going to be taken away from me," she said. "I had more things that I wanted to give, do, participate in." 

Luckily, her career has only flourished since then, with Kidman now having an Oscar win and three noms under her belt — as well as a happy 15-year marriage to Keith Urban.

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Nicole Kidman ＆ Tom Cruise: What Movies Were They in Together?

Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were once one of Hollywood’s most iconic couples. Their chemistry on and off the screen captured the hearts of millions of fans worldwide. Throughout their relationship, which lasted from 1990 to 2001, the two talented actors shared the screen in several memorable films. In this article, we will delve into the movies that brought this dynamic duo together .

1. A Love Story that Started on Set

Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise first met on the set of the 1990 film “Days of Thunder.” Directed by Tony Scott, this action-packed romantic drama starred Cruise as a talented race car driver and Kidman as his love interest, a neurosurgeon. Their on-screen chemistry was undeniable, and soon, their love blossomed off-screen as well. The couple’s whirlwind romance took Hollywood by storm, and they became one of the industry’s hottest couples.

2. Far and Away (1992)

The second film that brought Kidman and Cruise together was “Far and Away.” This 1992 epic romantic adventure, directed by Ron Howard, is set in the late 1800s and follows the journey of two Irish immigrants seeking a better life in America. Kidman played Shannon Christie, a wealthy woman escaping her privileged upbringing, while Cruise portrayed Joseph Donnelly, a poor tenant farmer with dreams of land ownership. The film showcased their ability to portray passionate and deeply emotional characters, solidifying their status as a Hollywood power couple.

3. Eyes Wide Shut (1999)

Arguably one of the most controversial and talked-about films in their joint filmography, “Eyes Wide Shut” was directed by the legendary Stanley Kubrick. Released in 1999, this erotic drama delved into the dark and mysterious world of a Manhattan-based doctor (Cruise) who becomes obsessed with a secret society after his wife (Kidman) confesses to having sexual fantasies. The film’s provocative themes and intense performances by the two actors sparked immense media attention and added to their on-screen legacy.

4. The Impact of their Real-life Relationship on Screen

Throughout their collaborations, audiences and critics couldn’t help but speculate about the influence of their real-life relationship on their performances. Many believed that the depth of their connection and the emotions they shared translated seamlessly onto the screen, making their on-screen romances feel authentic and captivating.

Celebrity Status and Media Attention

As two of the most bankable stars in Hollywood, Kidman and Cruise’s personal lives were often under intense scrutiny by the media. Their relationship and subsequent divorce made headlines worldwide, which, in turn, generated significant interest in their movies . While their off-screen drama attracted attention, it also brought more viewers to theaters to witness their chemistry on-screen.

Life After Divorce

After their highly publicized divorce in 2001, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise went on to have successful careers individually. Both actors continued to thrive in Hollywood and received critical acclaim for their diverse roles. Kidman won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in “The Hours” (2002), while Cruise continued to lead blockbuster franchises like “Mission: Impossible.”

Revisiting the Collaborations

As time passed, fans and film enthusiasts revisited their collaborations with a fresh perspective. Some viewed their movies with newfound appreciation, while others pondered how their real-life relationship impacted the narratives of the films they worked on together.

Kidman and Cruise’s Chemistry

One of the defining features of their joint filmography was undoubtedly the undeniable chemistry between Kidman and Cruise. Whether portraying a passionate couple in love or navigating the complexities of troubled relationships, their ability to connect on screen was a testament to their acting prowess.

Speculations and Rumors

Over the years, various rumors and speculations emerged regarding the reasons behind their divorce and the dynamics of their relationship. These rumors often intersected with their work together, further fueling interest in their movies and the behind-the-scenes dynamics.

The movies that Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise starred in together remain timeless classics that showcase their talent and the remarkable chemistry they shared. From “Days of Thunder” to “Eyes Wide Shut,” each film adds a unique chapter to their on-screen legacy. Their collaborations serve as a reminder of the power of love and connection, both on and off the silver screen. As two of Hollywood’s most talented actors, their influence continues to shape the film industry, leaving an indelible mark on cinema history.

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The Ending Of Eyes Wide Shut Explained

1999 was a busy year for a lot of reasons. Facing the centennial, there was a lot to look forward to, and a lot to leave behind. For director Stanley Kubrick, there was one film idea that he just had to finish before the year was over, and that was "Eyes Wide Shut." The movie is based on a German novella from 1926 called "Traumnovelle," or "Dream Story," which focuses on a man in Vienna who finds out his wife has fantasies of other men, and goes on a two-day journey dealing with personal realizations about sex, individualism, and morality.

For Kubrick's film, he transferred the story from early 20th century Vienna to New York City, Greenwich Village specifically, in the 1990s. The director cast Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman , husband and wife at the time, as the main couple in the story named Bill and Alice. The movie began filming in November 1996 and ended in June 1998, holding the Guinness World Records for longest constant movie shoot at over 15 months, with 46 weeks of unbroken shooting.

The film is a confounding story, and even two decades later, fans and critics alike continue to debate the meaning behind "Eyes Wide Shut" and whether the final cut was what Kubrick really wanted.

The themes and meaning of Eyes Wide Shut

While Kubrick's other films explore topics like free will, conformity, and class privilege, "Eyes Wide Shut" takes on society's dehumanization of sex. For Bill and Alice, sex and temptation is all around them, but they only have eyes for each other. But one night Alice admits that she considered having an affair with a handsome naval officer a year earlier, and Bill's whole world is turned upside down. He then begins a night-long journey to explore and possibly give in to his own temptations, stumbling upon a secret society participating in a masked orgy.

The story is strange and winding, adding to the dreamlike quality of filmmaking that takes influence from the original "Dream Story." Throughout the night, Bill meets various strangers who attempt to engage him in sex. While he almost gives in a few times, he makes it through the encounters unscathed until he gets to the main event, the secret society's weird orgy. With this film, Kubrick is taking on "the causes and effects of depersonalized sex." One early review of the film describes the orgy scene as "the fulcrum" of "Eyes Wide Shut," saying, "sex is normally the most intimate means of human interaction, yet here it is reduced to a ritualistic, almost creepy form of gratification ... There is freedom in anonymity, but also isolation and a complete dearth of emotion" ( Reel Views ).

After this encounter, Bill finally realizes the dark side of this world of sex and anonymity, returning to his wife Alice's side. She is still open with him about her past sexual fantasies, but in the end they stay loyal to each other, happy that their marriage and mutual sexual attraction have survived this long.

The crazy process to make Kubrick's last movie

It's safe to say that Kubrick had a reputation for being quite the demanding and unusual filmmaker. Although many people are familiar with his abuse of Shelley Duvall on the set of "The Shining," some might not know just how crazy it was to make "Eyes Wide Shut," the director's last film.

Along with how long it took to film the movie, Kubrick put his main two actors through a lot of intense experiences. The director took take after take of the same scene, but not because he had a detailed vision in mind. According to a  Vanity Fair article detailing the film's production, his "theory was that once his actors bottomed-out in exhaustion and forgot about the cameras, they could rebuild and discover something that neither he nor they expected." Kubrick also never let his actors see any daily footage, and this inability to track his own performance across the film gave Cruise an ulcer, which he hid from Kubrick.

The director also thoroughly blended fact and fiction, creating a feeling of distrust between Cruise and Kidman by choosing to "direct each actor separately and forbid them to share notes. In one painful example, for just one minute of final footage where Alice makes love to a handsome naval officer—an imaginary affair that haunts Bill over the course of the film—Kubrick demanded that Kidman shoot six days of naked sex scenes with a male model ... He banned Cruise from the set and forbade Kidman to assuage her husband's tension by telling him what happened during the shoot." The emotional abuse he put his actors through was apparently worth it for them, but it's up to debate whether or not it improved the final product.

Debate and censorship for Eyes Wide Shut

"Eyes Wide Shut" is Kubrick's final film before his death. According to the documentary "Stanley Kubrick: A Life in Pictures," Kubrick was in the middle of post-production when he showed what Warner Bros. executives claim was a relatively final cut of the film on March 1, 1999. The director died six days later, on March 7, 1999, at the age of 70. "Eyes Wide Shut" opened on July 16, 1999, and did well at the box office and with critics. It currently holds a 75% on Rotten Tomatoes . But that doesn't mean that there isn't any controversy attached to the film's release. 

Firstly, the movie had to be censored to hit the R-rating, with the orgy scene taking a large hit. According to a 1999 New York Times article, "65 seconds of the movie were digitally altered. Essentially, shrouded digital figures were placed in front of couples engaged in sex, partly blocking the audience's view." At the same time, some people argued that "Eyes Wide Shut" was an unfinished film, and the final product was not the one Kubrick intended to release. A frequent collaborator of Kubrick, writer Michael Herr, revealed in a Vanity Fair piece that Kubrick called him shortly before he had to show the Warner Bros. executives a cut the film, saying that "there was looping to be done and the music wasn't finished, lots of small technical fixes on color and sound; would I show work that wasn't finished?" He was forced to show the executives due to contractual reasons but didn't want to, and this was likely the cut that later became the final product.

While there's a lot of interesting history and questions revolving around "Eyes Wide Shut," unfortunately Kubrick isn't around to clarify anything. Still, the director's final film impresses as an unforgettable story about morality and sexuality, no matter what way you look at it.

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A look back at nicole kidman & tom cruise’s 11-year marriage in photos.

by Delilah Gray

Delilah Gray

Trending News Editor

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The 1990s had a lot of great things: the beginning of Friends , unbelievably stylish ensembles, and the birth of iconic “It” couple Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise. They were everywhere, and everyone wanted to know every detail about the shocking couple. Cruise was already one of Hollywood’s elites when they tied the knot in 1990, but everyone wanted to know, who was this gorgeous Australian actress who stole his heart ?

They met on the set of the hit film Days of Thunder and tied the knot a year later on Christmas Eve in 1990. Before Kidman became the superstar she is today , she told Marie Claire per Goalcast that she felt like a trophy at the beginning of their marriage. “I thought, I don’t deserve to be here. We would go to the Oscars, and I would think, I’m here to support [Tom]. I felt it was my job to put on a beautiful dress and to be seen and not heard.”

Then came kids, more films, and a lot of red carpet-appearances. They would frequently say how much they loved one another in interviews, with Cruise calling Kidman his “soulmate.”

They were the faces of ’90s love, and their sudden divorce in 2001 shocked everyone, along with Kidman being the reported reason Cruise skipped the 2023 Oscars over 20 years later.

So let’s throw it back to the 1990s and take a look at Kidman and Cruise’s life in photos.

A version of this article was originally published on Dec 2021.

‘Days of Thunder’

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman met and fell in love on the set of  Days of Thunder back in 1989. 

Pre-Wedding Bliss

After a year together, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman tied the knot in a private ceremony on Christmas Eve in 1990 in Telluride, Colorado.

“It” Couple

Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman quickly become Hollywood’s “It” couple.

Far And Away

Married couple Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise worked together on-screen again for the western film Far and Away.

Hollywood Royalty Meets British Royalty

Back in 1992, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise met Princess Diana of Wales . They became friends and they attended her funeral together in 1997.

Becoming Parents

In 1992, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise adopted a daughter named Isabella Jane and in 1995, they adopted a son named Connor . They were very private about their children’s lives and rarely put them in the spotlight.

Leaving Scientology

Nicole Kidman joined the Church of Scientology for Tom Cruise but decided to leave in 1997 . And at one point, she even got Cruise to leave for a brief period of time, according to The Daily Beast. 

Madly in Love

In a 2002 interview with Vanity Fair , the year after her divorce, Nicole Kidman admitted that she’d been so head over heels she overlooked some things. “I fell madly, passionately in love. And as happens when you fall in love, my whole plan in terms of what I wanted for my life — I was like, ‘Forget it. This is it.’ I was consumed by it, willingly. And I was desperate to have a baby with him. I didn’t care if we were married.”

‘Eyes Wide Shut’

Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise worked together one final time on Stanley Kubrick’s sexy thriller Eyes Wide Shut   in 1999.

Fun After Filming

In a 2020 interview with The New York Times Magazine , Nicole Kidman said that during Eyes Wide Shut , she and Tom Cruise made some amazing memories together. “[We] were happily married through that. We would go go-kart racing after those scenes. We’d rent out a place and go racing at three in the morning. I don’t know what else to say. Maybe I don’t have the ability to look back and dissect it. Or I’m not willing to.”

Shocking Split

Despite officials saying it was an amicable split, Nicole Kidman said she was blindsided when Tom Cruise filed for divorce from her in 2001.

Cruise Moved On Quickly

During Tom Cruise’s divorce to Nicole Kidman, he started a relationship with  Vanilla Sky  co-star Penelope Cruz in 2001. They dated for a few years before splitting up in 2004, then he jumped into marrying his third wife Katie Holmes.

Happy Ending For Kidman

After the sudden divorce, Nicole Kidman threw herself into her acting. She got an Oscar nomination for her iconic role in Moulin Rouge and ended up winning an Oscar for her leading role in the 2003 film The Hours. She re-married to country music star Keith Urban in 2006. They share two daughters born in 2008 and 2010.

2023 Oscars Situation

Despite Cruise’s film  Top Gun: Maverick  receiving multiple nominations, he reportedly skipped the whole ceremony because he didn’t want to have a run-in with Kidman.

Still a Family

Kidman’s relationship with her oldest children, who reportedly lived primarily with Cruise after their divorce, has been a subject of debate. In recent years Bella has proven she’s on good terms with her mom by interacting with her on social media and defending her in interviews.

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The Truth About Nicole Kidman And Tom Cruise's Relationship

The '90s were a simpler time. Long before Tom Cruise would destroy his rep by jumping on Oprah's couch, and decades prior to Nicole Kidman becoming the campy queen of several Twitter memes , they were the ultimate Hollywood power couple. The pair existed at a time before celebrity couple portmanteaus — Cruiseman just doesn't have the same ring to it as TomKat  – and they arguably thrived at a time before  social media oversharing . Though they weren't immune to some saucy bedroom confessions in the pre-smartphone age.

Despite Cruise's apparent agelessness — when he's not channeling Norm MacDonald , that is — his romance with Kidman ended over 20 years ago. During their 11-year marriage, the couple was frequently targeted by the press and had to dodge some pretty outlandish claims about their private life. Similarly, it was thanks to Stanley Kubrick that their love life was laid bare, quite literally, for the whole world to see in the nightmarish erotic thriller "Eyes Wide Shut." 

Since their breakup, there have been questions as to whether the divorce was simply the dissolution of a Hollywood dream, or if more ominous factors were at play. Indeed, the relationship's end has been shrouded in mystery, and it seems Kidman may very well have been sworn to secrecy herself. Whether there are some big little lies at hand or the answers are right there in the open, let's undertake the mission impossible of delving into the truth about Kidman and Cruise's relationship.

It was love at first jaw-drop

In 1989, Nicole Kidman was an up-and-coming 22-year-old who just scored her big break with the thriller "Dead Calm." Meanwhile, Tom Cruise was a 27-year-old seasoned A-lister, hot off the success of Oliver Stone's anti-war film "Born on the Fourth of July."  Cruise saw Kidman in her breakthrough role and was intent on meeting her. Per Vanity Fair , the Aussie actor was in the midst of a press junket in Tokyo when she got a call from the superstar's team. She recalled, "I thought, Wow! This is America! Tom Cruise wants to meet me." She subsequently auditioned for a role alongside Cruise in "Days of Thunder."

Per the  Los Angeles Times , Kidman never thought she'd get married, largely due to the influence of her ardent feminist mother. But when she set eyes on Cruise during her audition, she was smitten. "I remember being so nervous and seeing Tom Cruise drive up in a Porsche ... He got out of the car and walked through and I was like, 'Ah.' My jaw dropped," she told People of that fateful first encounter. 

Per CNN , Cruise fell head over heels for his co-star. The feeling was mutual. "He basically swept me off my feet," Kidman told Vanity Fair. "I fell madly, passionately in love." But there was a problem: Cruise was still married to his first wife, fellow actor Mimi Rogers. The couple divorced the following year and thus began a Hollywood romance for the ages.

The pressure of marriage was too much, too young

At the tender age of 23, Nicole Kidman tied the knot with Tom Cruise, then 28. Per Entertainment Weekly , they celebrated their nuptials in a cozy ceremony under the Colorado sun. By today's standards, 23 certainly appears rather young to settle down. It is, after all, the age that Zellenials perfect their TikTok lip syncing skills . On reflection, Kidman believes that she was far too youthful to devote herself to one person. 

"I was so young when I got married," she told Red (via Today ). "I look back now and I'm like, 'What?'" She contrasted her 20-something self to the female celebs of today, who she suggested have more agency than women in the '90s. "You look at Taylor Swift ... She's 26. I had two kids by the time I was 27 and I'd been married four years." Speaking with GQ (via Daily Mail ), Kidman elaborated on being thrust into fame and marriage when she was barely out of her teens, revealing, "I became famous very young ... because I was the wife of somebody."

But settling down at a young age wasn't all bad. Speaking with the BBC (via People ) in 1998, Kidman acknowledged that she was lucky to have found such a profound and powerful love at such a young age. As she later told the Evening Standard , "I was a baby when I married Tom, but I don't regret any of it."

The twosome had a steamy relationship

Long before the advent of social media exhibitionism — where  Travis Barker and Kourtney Kardashian's PDA  can be borderline pornographic, as standard – Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were famed for their amorous marriage. Sure, their red carpet smooches look tame compared to today's thirst traps, but the couple's flagrant intimacy caused a stir back in the day. While celebrating the upcoming nuptials of their music exec pal Tommy Mottola in 2000, the lusty twosome couldn't keep their hands off one another. An onlooker dished to People , "They were dancing together and grinding up against each other ... It was very sexy."

Five years earlier, Cruise confessed that there was only one thing on his mind when he first set eyes on his Aussie bride-to-be. "My first reaction to meeting Nic was pure lust," he told Entertainment Weekly . "It was totally physical." Meanwhile, Kidman added that the pair's bedroom antics were very hot and totally off-limits to the public. Still, the it-couple were madly in love and wanted the entire world to know it. 

When Kidman opened up about marital sex to GQ in 2009 (via Tampa Bay Times ), she made the admission, "I've explored strange sexual fetish stuff." Was she into kink with Cruise? Tampa Bay Times seemed to think so. The outlet speculated that she spoke differently about her current marriage to Keith Urban, making it seem like she was alluding to the man with a need for speed with the statement. 

Nicole helped Tom embrace his lighter side

By all accounts, Nicole Kidman appeared to be Tom Cruise's manic pixie dream girl . In a 1992 interview with Rolling Stone , he revealed that he was pretty somber before he met his flame-haired love. However, Kidman was able to bring Cruise out of his shell and made him realize that there's more to life than work, work, work, as Rhianna would say. "For a long time, until I met Nicole, I always put my career ahead of everything ... It's like a whole new life opened up," he gushed. "She's the most important thing to me."

Speaking with Vanity Fair in 1996, Cruise expanded on the meaningful ways in which Kidman changed his life for the better. Reflecting on the first decade of his career, he admitted to living in fear of failure. "And then I met Nic, and it was like 'Oh, my God,'" he enthused. "You read about people whose whole life is just movies ... Your life feeds your work, not the opposite. It's not about me, me, me, me. It's about the other person."

Per Entertainment Weekly , the couple's favorite hobbies included skydiving and playing pool, which they did frequently when staying in London for an extended period. Subsequently, Kidman's previously skeptical friends began to warm to Cruise. While her pal Josh Duigan admitted to disliking him at first, he soon saw another side to Cruise once he realized how much fun the newlyweds had together.

They couldn't have biological children

When Nicole Kidman first met Tom Cruise, her initial desire was not to marry him, but to have his babies. In 2002, she conceded to  Vanity Fair , "I was desperate to have a baby with him ... That's what I wish I'd done." Sadly, the couple struggled to conceive. Opening up to Marie Claire about one of the darkest periods in her life, Kidman revealed that she had an ectopic pregnancy at the start of the couple's marriage, followed by a miscarriage years later. "It was incredibly traumatic for me," she lamented.

Following their bereavement, the couple was met with more devastating news –  it was unlikely they would ever be able to have biological children. Kidman poignantly reflected to  Tatler , "That yearning. It's a huge, aching yearning ... The loss of a miscarriage is not talked about enough. That's massive grief to certain women." Coming to terms with the painful reality, the couple decided to adopt two children, Isabella and Connor Cruise . 

In order to give their kids a healthy upbringing, the couple would alternate their work schedules. As Kidman revealed to the  Los Angeles Times in 1995, she worked in London while her husband stayed at home to take care of the kids, which led to sexist jibes from the British press. Speaking with Vanity Fair the following year, Tom emphasized the importance of shielding his children from the Hollywood limelight.

They had to fend off tabloid rumors

Much like fellow Scientologist John Travolta , Tom Cruise has long faced rumors that he is secretly gay. These claims date back to the '90s when his marriage to Nicole Kidman was under intense tabloid scrutiny. Per the  Los Angeles Times , there was gossip that the couple's PDA-packed romance was nothing more than a cover-up for Cruise's alleged sexuality and that the relationship was merely a marriage of convenience. 

Cruise was enraged by the tattle, telling Vanity Fair in 1996, "I feel very angry about it. I just try to remind Nicole ... 'You have me, you have the kids, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.'" Speaking with Entertainment Weekly , Kidman dismissed the rumors that her husband was gay. "Look, Tom and I are heterosexual, we're together, we're in love," she stressed. "It's weird even to have to answer that question."

But towards the end of their marriage, the gossip was compounded by claims that Cruise had an extramarital affair with another man. As reported by ABC News , it was alleged that the star engaged in a steamy dalliance with Chad Slater, a male pornographic actor. The performer claimed that Kidman caught him and Cruise having sex, which directly led to her filing for divorce. Cruise slammed Slater's assertions as outright lies, insisting that he had never even met the adult star. As a result, he won a lawsuit against Slater for $10 million in 2003.

Scientology allegedly harmed their marriage

It's been alleged that Scientology was as instrumental in setting up Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's marriage as it was in orchestrating their divorce. In his explosive Scientology exposé, "Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood, and the Prison of Belief" (via  New York Post ), Lawrence Wright alleged that Scientology leader David Miscavige had facilitated Cruise's break up with his first wife Mimi Rogers so the actor could wed Kidman, with whom he had fallen in love. Though Rogers was also a Scientologist, she was apparently expendable. Cruise was prioritized as the future of the controversial church, and so was his desires.

Getting Kidman on board with the Church's doctrine was no easy feat. Miscavige was perturbed by her Catholicism and deemed her to be trouble. Indeed, a source suggested to  People that Kidman wasn't keen on converting to Scientology. The church, who famously opposes psychiatric treatments , also allegedly didn't look kindly upon the profession of Kidman's father, a respected psychologist. Regardless of Kidman's reservations, Isabella and Connor were raised as Scientologists and they remained with the organization long after their mom's divorce from Cruise, per Vanity Fair . 

According to the HBO documentary "Going Clear: Scientology and the Prison of Belief "  (via The Daily Beast ) the Church allegedly used aggressive intimidation tactics to tear apart the Hollywood sweethearts. Both actors reportedly refused to be interviewed for the film, and neither responded to the claims.

Was Nicole Kidman royally jealous of Lady Di?

Being the celeb power couple of the '90s, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman were friendly with another sweetheart of the era: Princess Diana. Per People , the couple were greeted by the royal at the 1992 premiere of "Far and Away" where Maverick and the People's Princess could be seen sharing a charming rapport as they chatted on the red carpet. If royal insiders are to be believed, Diana was crushing on Cruise.

According to Di's stylist, who shared her anecdotes in Judy Wade's book, "Diana: The Intimate Portrait" (via Micky ), she began flirting with Cruise at the premiere. Kidman was reportedly jealous of her husband's chemistry with the Princess of Wales and made her feelings clear to her. Wade wrote, "She [Nicole] kept shooting ... hostile looks as if to say, 'Hands off my man!" However, it appears that she needn't have worried since Cruise wasn't Di's type. Per Express , the royal apparently joked to her personal chef, Darren McGrady, that she would never date Cruise as he was too short for her.

When Diana Spencer was killed in a horrific car accident in France, Cruise told CNN that he was outraged by the media's avarice when it came to the prematurely departed princess. He added about her death, "We're just devastated." Cruise and Kidman joined A-list mourners at her funeral in 1997.

Stanley Kubrick pushed their marriage to the edge

Having met while making "Days of Thunder," Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman played on-screen lovers yet again in the 1992 romance "Far and Away" — notable for featuring some of the  worst affected Irish accents in cinematic history. Kidman regrets having worked with her husband on the film, believing that it led to her being pigeonholed as Mrs. Tom Cruise. "I probably should have done more by myself to be seen independently," she told Entertainment Weekly .

However, it was the power couple's third and final on-screen pairing that truly sent the media into a frenzy. Stanley Kubrick's "Eyes Wide Shut" was renowned for its erotic reverie . A short, steamy promo featuring the couple passionately kissing while watching each other in a mirror understandably caused a stir  upon release. The film's shoot, which was supposed to last 3 months but ended up taking 2 years , provided an uncomfortable lens into the couple's marriage. 

Speaking about the lines between reality and fiction becoming blurred for the movie, Kidman told The Hollywood Reporter , "[Kubrick] used the movie as provocation, pretending it was our sex life — which we weren't oblivious to, but obviously it wasn't us." Per Vanity Fair , the couple even won a libel suit against Star magazine for writing that they'd hired a sex therapist for their intimate scenes. Tensions were further heightened when Kubrick encouraged the pair to use their marital woes for the film, something which Kidman described as thrilling but dangerous.

Nicole was protected by Tom's power

The wisdom of Nicole Kidman's feminist mother had clearly rubbed off on the star. As noted by  The New York Times , with her production company the actor devotes herself to uplifting other women in the business. Although she now has the power and authority within the notoriously sexist industry to speak her truth, it wasn't always so easy. As an up-and-coming Hollywood starlet, Kidman often found herself voiceless. Being the wife of a hugely influential man, however, she was protected from the more nefarious aspects of the industry.

Speaking to  The Cut , she explained that the power Cruise wielded in Tinseltown protected her from predators. "I married for love, but being married to an extremely powerful man kept me from being sexually harassed," she noted.

But the problematic nature of this unspoken Hollywood contract — that Kidman was only spared sexual harassment thanks to the man in her life — came at a price. Speaking with Glamour , she confessed that the marriage often left her reduced to the appendage of a powerful man as opposed to a human being in her own right. "I felt I became a star only by association ... I thought, I don't deserve to be here," she admitted. Accordingly, she began to reluctantly subscribe to the notion that she was merely a trophy wife. "I felt it was my job to put on a beautiful dress and be seen and not heard," she added.

Did Tom Cruise cheat on Nicole Kidman?

The new millennium would spell the beginning of the end of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman's marriage. In 2000, Cruise began filming "Vanilla Sky" with Penelope Cruz, and soon after he was seen getting cozy with his enigmatic co-star. However, some thought the timeline of the hook-up seemed sus. Per Entertainment Weekly , he didn't divorce Kidman until 2001, despite having spent the entirety of the "Vanilla Sky" shoot with Cruz. There were rumors that the duo had begun a tryst on set.

When Kidman heard of the alleged affair, she was reportedly devastated. "Nicole was just totally in shock," an insider told People (via ABC News ). "She said, 'He flat-out swore to me up and down that there was nothing going on ... 'All this time she's been wondering why the marriage ended, and this could be it." The new couple made it red carpet official just a week after Cruise and Kidman had announced their divorce. 

Still, Cruz has repeatedly maintained that the pair never had an affair. Speaking with The Telegraph  in 2008, the Spanish star insisted that she waited until her former boyfriend was divorced before catching feelings. "I've never fallen in love with someone I'm working with," she stated. "It's always been afterwards." Meanwhile, Cruise vehemently denied an affair when speaking to CNN , but admitted that he was incredibly attracted to Cruz during filming.

Nicole Kidman's life fell apart when they broke up

When the couple split in 2001,  Entertainment Weekly  reported on the various rumors circulating as to why Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman broke up . Some speculated that it was Kidman's refusal to convert to Scientology that tore them apart, while others suggested that the Aussie star wanted to raise the couple's kids in her homeland.

The divorce took its toll on Kidman. "My life collapsed," Kidman told  Vanity Fair . "People ran from me because suddenly it was 'Oh, my God! It's over for her now!'" Meanwhile, Cruise hinted at an acrimonious end in his own Vanity Fair interview. "Things happen in life, and you do everything you can, and in every possible way, and there's a point at which you just sometimes have to face the brutal reality," he conceded. Ouch.

Reflecting on the divorce to  Glamour , Kidman admitted that the split was particularly painful because it triggered memories of her childhood trauma. When Kidman was growing up, her mom was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her mother's unraveling due to the disease led to the whole family's unraveling. As Kidman put it, "If you take care of the woman in the family, the whole family prospers. But when the mother falters, the family falls apart." Thereafter, she opted to stay single for six years to rediscover herself. Speaking with Marie Claire , she admitted to being so devastated that she thought she would never find love again.

They still loved each other

As painful as the divorce was, Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise had nothing but praise for each other in the immediate aftermath. Speaking with CNN , Cruise dodged any negative press regarding the split, refusing to address Larry King's suggestion that Hollywood hadn't seen such a highly publicized separation since the days of Liz Taylor and Richard Burton. Instead, Cruise lavished praise on his former wife. "I love Nicole. I've always loved her ... That doesn't go away. It will never go away," he explained.

Kidman appeared to feel the same way. In an interview with Ladies' Home Journal (via Today ), she said that while the divorce was a huge shock, she had nothing but love for her former husband. "To me, he was just Tom, but to everybody else, he is huge," she reflected. "But he was lovely to me and I loved him. I still love him."

However, it didn't take long for things to get shady. Kidman famously quipped to David Letterman (per Evening Standard ) that she was happy she could wear heels again after splitting from her petite husband. Then came the bitter custody battle over Isabella and Connor. Although the exes were awarded shared custody, the reality was much different. "They live with Tom, which was their choice," she confessed to Hello (via E! ) in 2010. "I'd love them to live with us, but what can you do?" The former power couple was officially done. 

The bitter aftermath

As the years went by, things slowly grew more acrimonious for Hollywood's beloved former it-couple. In 2022, Variety reported that Nicole Kidman was completely omitted from a montage of Tom Cruise's body of work at Cannes, despite the tribute featuring scenes from all three of the flicks the couple starred in. A year earlier, Harper's Bazaar noted that Kidman wouldn't discuss her divorce from Cruise during interviews.

Meanwhile, Kidman had a furious response when The Guardian brought up the topic during an interview promoting "Being the Ricardos." When the outlet suggested that Lucille Ball's troubled relationship with Desi Arnaz may be comparable to her own failed marriage, Kidman snapped. "Oh, my God, no ... And I would ask not to be pigeonholed that way, either," she retorted. "It feels to me almost sexist because I'm not sure anyone would say that to a man. And at some point, you go, 'Give me my life. In its own right.'"

According to insiders, Kidman has a right to feel bitter. The  Daily Mail reported allegations that Cruise was instrumental in driving a wedge between his ex-wife and the children they adopted. Ex-Scientologist Sam Domingo claimed that Scientology agents brainwashed Isabella and Connor against their mom. In 2015, Kidman was reportedly  snubbed from Isabella's wedding . However, they were rumored to have reconciled in 2020. Meanwhile, Connor has maintained that he has a great relationship with his mom .

Nicole Kidman opens up about her marriage to Tom Cruise

"It definitely wasn’t power for me — it was protection," she said.

In an essay for New York Magazine's "Woman and Power" series , Nicole Kidman opened up about her past marriage to Tom Cruise, sharing some incredible insight about her high-profile relationship.

The actress and producer married the movie star in 1990 and divorced in 2001. The couple adopted two children, Isabella and Connor.

(MORE: Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie to join Charlize Theron in Fox News movie)

"Being married to Tom Cruise at 22 is something I’m always reluctant to talk about, because I’m married now to the man who is my great love [Keith Urban], and it almost feels disrespectful," Kidman, 51, wrote.

Kidman married the Australian rocker in 2006 and they also have two children, Sunday and Faith.

She said she was decided to talk about her ex because of #MeToo movement.

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"That said, I got married very young, but it definitely wasn’t power for me — it was protection," she said. "I married for love, but being married to an extremely powerful man kept me from being sexually harassed. I would work, but I was still very much cocooned. So when I came out of it at 32, 33, it’s almost like I had to grow up."

"I married for love, but being married to an extremely powerful man kept me from being sexually harassed."

And she admitted that she did experience harassment at one point in her career.

"But do I want to expose them in an article? No," she wrote. "Do they come out in my work? Absolutely. I’m open and raw. I want to have my well of experience and emotion tapped into, used — and I’m not just talking about sexual harassment. I’m talking about loss, death, the full array of life. But it has to be by the right people so it’s not abused again."

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Nicole Kidman Seemingly Acknowledges Ex-Husband Tom Cruise Who Gave the Actress Her First Major Hollywood Break in a 1990 Blockbuster

N icole Kidman and Tom Cruise were once the Hollywood “it” couple. They were married for 11 years after meeting on a movie set, but soon realized that their marriage was not going to last forever. They divorced in 2001.

It’s quite sad to see famous couples breaking up, but Kidman and Cruise remained good pals who share mutual respect and love for each other. The actress even acknowledged her ex-husband in a recent event.

Nicole Kidman Makes A Heartwarming Reference To Tom Cruise In Her Acceptance Speech

Nicole Kidman received a 49th AFI Life Achievement Award on Saturday as the actress and her colleagues relive the journey of her career in Hollywood. She gave a moving speech that chronicled the joys and the sorrows of being a celebrity as well as forging relationships with her costars.

“You won’t have a career, you’re too tall”: Tom Cruise’s Ex-Wife Nicole Kidman Was Bullied in Hollywood Because of Her Height

In an article posted by The Hollywood Reporter , the outlet remarked how Kidman gave a nudge to Tom Cruise .

“ In her speech, Kidman reflected on her journey to Hollywood stardom, which started in Australia and with her sleeping on friends’ floors and sofas while she tried to book jobs. She spoke about her love of actors and learning from them along the way, noting, ‘some of them you may never meet again and some of them you do meet again. Some of them you have incredible laughter and jokes with and you cry with; some of them you fall in love with, some of them you marry,’ seemingly referencing ex-husband Tom Cruise .”

Indeed, she and Cruise were very much infatuated with each other that they decided to marry the same year their first movie together came out. The Mission: Impossible actor was so smitten by Kidman when he first saw her at a private screening of the movie Dead Calm .

Of course, Cruise worked on his magic in order to partner up with Kidman in 1990’s Days of Thunder . A budding romance grew since then, and that was the beginning of their journey as Hollywood’s famous couple.

Even After Katie Holmes and Nicole Kidman Left Him, Tom Cruise Is Still a “Hopeless Romantic” Who Strongly Believes in Love at First Sight

It’s nice to hear that Kidman remembers the good times she had with her ex-lover even though she’s now married to country music singer Keith Urban . Kidman and Cruise share two children, Bella and Connor.

Nicole Kidman’s Shot To Hollywood Fame

Kidman may have met Cruise while filming Days of Thunder , but this was also the movie that gave her the biggest break of her career. Looking back on her 1990 movie, the Australian star told Yahoo Entertainment :

“ I just remember being amazed that I was in America, and suddenly I had this role in this huge Tom Cruise movie .”

“She wanted to do it herself”: Nicole Kidman Refused to Use Body Double for Violent S*x Scene With James Gunn’s Rumored Superman Actor That Left Her Bruised 

The actress’ work on the said movie helped her secure more movie roles, including the ones that catapulted her to extreme fame, such as Moulin Rouge , The Hours , and Rabbit Hole . Since her divorce from Cruise, she had found her own path in Hollywood and even made her star shine brighter.

Days of Thunder is available to stream on Prime Video and Apple TV.

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Nicole Kidman Remembers the First Time She Met Tom Cruise

Watch the full episode of The Jess Cagle Interview: Nicole Kidman , streaming now on People/Entertainment Weekly Network (PEN). Go to PEOPLE.com/PEN , or download the app for Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Xumo, Chromecast, Xfinity, iOS and Android devices.

The day Nicole Kidman met Tom Cruise was one of the most memorable — and pivotal — moments in her career.

Speaking on The Jess Cagle Interview , Kidman told PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly ‘s editorial director that her first meeting with Cruise was during her audition for 1990’s Days of Thunder — the film which sparked her romance and later marriage to the action star — when she was still an up-and-coming actress and very new to Hollywood.

“I remember walking in, I remember being so nervous and seeing Tom Cruise drive up in a Porsche, I think it was,” she recalled. “He got out of the car and walked through and I was like, ‘Ah.’ My jaw dropped. Then I had to go in and audition in front of Tony Scott. Sweet Tony. [Producers] Don Simpson, Jerry Bruckheimer, Robert Towne and Tom. I was like, ‘No way, I’m not going to get this.’ They called that afternoon and I had the job.”

The Lion actress revealed that she celebrated the good news with her mother.

“I was just like, ‘Oh my god, Mom!’ Yeah, that was huge. Huge,” says Kidman. “You know, obviously, changed my life extraordinarily. So grateful for the film, for everything that came with it. It was a big, important part of my life.”

While Kidman is now happily married to husband Keith Urban , with whom she has two daughters, Kidman also shares two children with ex-husband Cruise: Isabella and Connor Cruise.

“[It was] a beautiful marriage and all of those things that came out of it,” Kidman says of her 10-year marriage to Cruise. “Two beautiful children. The rest is history.”

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Nicole Kidman’s 12 Best Film Performances, From ‘Birth’ to ‘Moulin Rouge’

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Nicole Kidman has captivated Hollywood for more than three decades, with a career marked by transformative roles, outstanding performances and a profound impact on the cinematic landscape. As she receives the prestigious AFI Life Achievement Award, Variety honors her career by ranking her top 12 film performances.

Born in Honolulu and raised in Australia, Kidman first made waves in the U.S. with her role in Phillip Noyce’s thriller “Dead Calm” (1989), starring opposite Sam Neill and Billy Zane. Her performance set the stage for more diverse and compelling roles to follow. She soon after earned her first Golden Globe nomination for supporting actress as the mistress Drew Preston in Robert Benton’s gangster film “Billy Bathgate” (1991) opposite Dustin Hoffman.

Kidman has received five Oscar nominations throughout her illustrious career. Her first came as the vibrant showgirl Satine in Baz Luhrmann’s musical extravaganza “Moulin Rouge!” (2001). The following year, she won the Academy Award for best actress for her haunting transformation into author Virginia Woolf in Stephen Daldry’s poignant drama “The Hours” (2002). Hollywood continued to recognize her talent with additional Oscar noms including supporting actress in Garth Davis’ “Lion” (2016) and actress for John Cameron Mitchell’s “Rabbit Hole” (2010) and Aaron Sorkin’s “Being the Ricardos” (2021).

Kidman’s adoration from her peers and the media has blossomed with 16 Golden Globe noms across film and television, securing six wins. That also includes a statuette for her performance in the black comedy “To Die For” (1995) which became one of her most notable snubs at the Oscars. Recently she has captivated television audiences in several series, winning two Emmys for her performance in “Big Little Lies.”

Beyond her film roles, Kidman has also explored television, demonstrating remarkable versatility as a producer. In HBO’s hit miniseries “Big Little Lies,” she not only starred as Celeste Wright, a woman battling domestic abuse, but she also served as an executive producer along with Reese Witherspoon. Her role earned her a Primetime Emmy Award for lead actress, along with the show taking home outstanding limited series.

Kidman’s legacy has been built on her relentless pursuit of authentic and challenging roles that have allowed her to deepen and refine her craft. By continuously selecting projects that defy expectations, she remains a luminous figure in the landscape of modern cinema.

Read Variety’s ranking of Kidman’s best movie performances below and celebrate a career that continues to resonate with audiences worldwide.

Honorable mentions : “Batman Forever” (1995); “Practical Magic” (1998); “Cold Mountain” (2002); “Margot at the Wedding” (2007); “The Paperboy” (2012)

'Dead Calm' (1989)

Kidman’s big breakthrough in the U.S. was in the horror-thriller “Dead Calm” by director Philip Noyce, co-starring Sam Neill and Billy Zane. Her performance as a resilient wife confronting peril on the high seas showcased her formidable presence and acting prowess.

'Lion' (2016)

Kidman breaks your heart with her remarkable and Oscar-nominated turn as Sue Brierley, the adoptive mother of a young man (Dev Patel and Sunny Pawar) searching for his lost family in India. She displays complex emotions of a mother’s love, fear and quiet strength. Her ability to convey profound emotional truths—such as the joy of unconditional love—brought an essential humanity to the film. You can’t keep the tears from flowing with every word she speaks.

'Malice' (1993)

In the Harold Becker thriller “Malice,” alongside Alec Baldwin and Bill Pullman, Kidman delivered a hypnotizing performance layered with intrigue. Playing the enigmatic Tracy Kennsinger, her subtle and intense execution perfectly balanced the vulnerability with a mysterious undercurrent. What’s most impressive is her ability to pivot to elicit sympathy and shock from the viewer, a key element in driving the story forward.

'My Life' (1993)

In the underrated drama “My Life,” Kidman delivered an exceptional performance in the tear-jerker. Kidman’s portrayal is utterly moving as Gail Jones, the pregnant wife of a terminally ill man (portrayed brilliantly by Michael Keaton). Her ability to convey early onset mourning of her husband as her first child gears up to enter the world underscored her status as a formidable talent in Hollywood. Kidman’s nuanced choices solidified her role as a major influence in the industry, capable of transforming a story through her profound character interpretations.

'Dogville' (2003)

Directed by Lars von Trier, “Dogville” utilized a minimalist stage setting that relied heavily on the strength of its actors, and Kidman rose to the occasion with a compelling performance as Grace, a mysterious woman harboring deep secrets. Alongside her co-star Paul Bettany, the indie drama used her star power to find audiences and jump into the auteur’s world. The results are pitch-perfect from Kidman’s side.

'Rabbit Hole' (2010)

In John Cameron Mitchell’s emotional drama “Rabbit Hole,” Kidman plays Becca Corbett, a woman grappling with the profound grief of losing her child. The role demanded a delicate balance of sorrow and resilience, a challenge that could easily overwhelm a less skilled actress. Kidman masterfully expressed the complex layers of mourning and gradual healing that were essential for the narrative’s unfurling. Her Oscar-nominated performance gently shepherded the audience through the film’s exploration of sorrow and forgiveness.

'Birth' (2004)

Jonathan Glazer’s tense and refined “Birth” features an unforgettable Nicole Kidman. As Anna, a widow who meets a young boy claiming to be the reincarnation of her late husband, she skillfully navigates a complex range of emotions that blend skepticism, vulnerability, and a desperate longing to rekindle lost love. The film’s mysterious and ethereal tone, which could easily falter under less adept handling, is masterfully managed through Kidman’s portrayal, something the Golden Globes noticed. She adeptly brings to life the palpable tension integral to the psychological narrative, subtly expressing the intricacies of a widow’s internal conflict.

'Eyes Wide Shut' (1999)

Under the masterful direction of Stanley Kubrick, Kidman embarked on a mesmerizing journey in the daring “Eyes Wide Shut,” alongside her then-husband Tom Cruise, showcasing their artistic bravery. As Kubrick’s final film, every scene resonates with the weight of his unparalleled legacy, infusing each moment with a profound sense of gravitas. Kidman’s portrayal of Alice Harford, a New York housewife exploring her desires and insecurities, Kidman delves fearlessly into the role. Kubrick’s influence looms large, shaping the narrative with his signature blend of psychological depth and visual splendor. You can’t take your eyes off it.

'The Others' (2001)

In the same year she received her inaugural Oscar nom for “Moulin Rouge,” Kidman delivered a haunting portrayal as Grace Stewart, a haunted mother confronting ghostly apparitions in Alejandro Amenábar’s gothic drama “The Others.” The dual feat in both movies stand as a rare instance where an actor is unquestionably deserving of double recognition in the same category, a practice prohibited by the Academy’s rules. Kidman’s turn, alongside the equally captivating supporting role by Fionnula Flanagan, serves as a reminder of the perennial undervaluation of horror films within the industry.

'The Hours' (2002)

As part of a remarkable trio of powerful female performances, Nicole Kidman earned her best actress Oscar with a transformative portrayal of famed novelist Virginia Woolf in Stephen Daldry’s sophomore feature. Her inspired performance, complete with a prosthetic nose, captivated audiences and critics alike. Alongside Julianne Moore, double-nominated that year for her roles in this film and “Far From Heaven,” and Meryl Streep, nominated for supporting actress in “Adaptation,” Kidman seamlessly melded into the fabric of the film. It all culminated in a memorable Academy moment when the previous year’s best actor winner, Denzel Washington (“Training Day”), declared, “by a nose…Nicole Kidman.”

'To Die For' (1995)

Nicole Kidman’s portrayal of Suzanne Stone in “To Die For” didn’t just elevate her career; it skyrocketed her to superstardom. Kidman is utterly fearless, playing the role of an ambitious TV weathercaster with dangerously lofty aspirations. With a masterful blend of dark humor and bone-chilling charm, she delivers a sociopathic allure that’s captivating and disconcerting. Her ability to fuse Suzanne’s naive ambitions with a sinister undercurrent radiates with an unsettling energy, cementing this role as a true cornerstone of Kidman’s “Mount Rushmore” of performances. Thankfully the Golden Globes felt compelled to award her the lead actress (comedy) statue. Under the sharp direction of Gus Van Sant, the film’s biting satire perfectly complements Kidman’s contribution, adding that final cherry on top of a truly mesmerizing cinematic experience.

'Moulin Rouge!' (2001)

With eight Oscar nominations, including best picture, “Moulin Rouge,” a poignant romance tinged with romance and tragedy from its opening frame, is elevated by its enchanting musical numbers, each complementing the others. At the heart of the tale is two dynamic turns from leads Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman, the latter who received her first Oscar nod for best actress.

One of Variety’s 100 Greatest Movies of All Time , Kidman’s performance stands as her most bold, charismatic and energetic among her filmography.

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Nicole Kidman, who 'makes movies better,' gets AFI Life Achievement Award

• Published: Apr. 29, 2024, 7:18 a.m.

Honoree Nicole Kidman speaks from the stage during the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award tribute to her, Saturday, April 27, 2024, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello) Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

• Associated Press

LOS ANGELES (AP) —  Morgan Freeman  spoke the words, but pretty much everyone who took the stage at the presentation of the AFI Life Achievement Award agreed: "  Nicole Kidman . She makes movies better.”

The line came in a video parody of Kidman’s AMC Theatres “we make movies better” ad that opened the Saturday night ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. It got huge laughs from the crowd of multigenerational A-listers there to honor the 40-year career of the 56-year-old Australian that has included roles in “Moulin Rouge,” “Eyes Wide Shut” and an Oscar-winning turn in “The Hours.”

Meryl Streep , Kidman’s “The Hours” co-star who presented to Streep the Life Achievement Award that she won herself in 2004, got laughs nearly as big when, in a mock-boastful voice, she described the hardest part of being “incessantly called the greatest actress of my generation.”

It’s when you come up against someone else who is “really, really, really, really, really, really great” and you realize they did things you couldn’t do, as happened with Kidman the first day they worked together on the HBO series “Big Little Lies,” Streep said.

Streep and their “Big Little Lies” co-star Reese Witherspoon both did spot-on, Australian-accented impressions of Kidman that had the audience in stitches.

Streep also drew tears from Kidman when describing what she believed motivated her.

“People call it bravery when an actress bares all and leaps off into the unknown and she dives deep into the darker parts of what it is to be a human being,” Streep said. “But I don’t think it’s bravery. I think it’s love. I think she just loves it.”

Kidman teared up for the first time in the evening when her husband and fellow Australian, singer Keith Urban, said she showed him “what love in action really looks like” when his substance abuse problems emerged almost immediately after they wed in 2006.

“Four months into our marriage, I’m in rehab for three months,” Urban said, looking at Kidman where she sat on a dais with their two daughters and other family. “Nic pushed through every negative voice, I’m sure even some of her own, and she chose love. And here we are 18 years later.”

Kidman said the night was the first time she allowed their teenage daughters to join her on a red carpet. She also has two children with her first husband, Tom Cruise.

She accepted the AFI award in the same venue where she accepted her Oscar in 2003 for playing Virginia Woolf in “The Hours.”

She thanked by name every director she has worked with, including Stanley Kubrick, Jane Campion, Baz Luhrmann, Sofia Coppola, Yorgos Lanthimos, Sydney Pollack and Lars von Trier.

“It is a privilege to make films. And glorious to have made films and television with these storytellers who allowed me to run wild and be free and play all of these unconventional women,” Kidman said, wearing a floor-length, glittering-gold gown. “Thank you for making me better at my craft and giving me a place, however temporary, in this world.”

It was announced back in November of 2022 that Kidman would receive the award, first handed out in 1973, whose previous winners include Orson Welles, Bette Davis, Alfred Hitchcock, Gene Kelly, Sidney Poitier, Barbara Streisand, Tom Hanks, Robert De Niro, Denzel Washington and Julie Andrews.

The ceremony originally was scheduled for June of 2023, but delayed because of  Hollywood’s strikes . It will air on TNT on June 17.

Kidman also was nominated for Academy Awards for “Moulin Rouge,” “Rabbit Hole,” “Lion,” and “Being the Ricardos,” whose director, Aaron Sorkin, also sang her praises at the ceremony.

Others honoring her included Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Zoe Saldana and Mike Myers, who came on stage in disguise in one of the eerie orgy masks from “Eyes Wide Shut.”

Kidman began her career as a teen in Australia in films including “Bush Christmas” and “BMX Bandits.” Naomi Watts, a friend from those days, described meeting Kidman when both had to sit in a waiting room in bathing suits for two hours at an audition. Aussies Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and Cate Blanchett all gave video tributes to the first from their country to win the award.

Kidman said in a video played at the ceremony that her appearance in the 1989 thriller “Dead Calm” brought her to the attention of, among others, Cruise, the only time his name was spoken Saturday night.

She had her breakthrough Hollywood role alongside him in 1990′s “Days of Thunder” — they would marry the same year — and also starred together in 1992′s “Far and Away” and in 1999 in Kubrick’s final film, “Eyes Wide Shut.”

She divorced Cruise in 2001, but her stardom only grew. Some of her biggest roles, and her Oscar, were still to come.

The role most often cited as a favorite during the awards show Saturday night was her musical turn in Luhrmann’s 2001 “Moulin Rouge.”

Freeman, the 2011 AFI honoree, in his in-person presentation that followed the video spoof, serenaded Kidman with the modified Elton John lines she sings in the film: “How wonderful life is, now you’re in the world.”

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Nicole Kidman’s Family Guide: Meet Her Children With Keith Urban and Tom Cruise

Nicole Kidman ’s greatest role isn’t on the big or small screen. Instead, it’s being the best mom possible to her four children.

“I just always wanted a child,” Nicole, 56, told Vogue Australia in December 2017. “I think from a very early age, I wanted a child. I knew that I was going to have a child and that it didn’t matter [how], I actually didn’t know if I was ever going to give birth to a child. So that was the least of it for me. And what I did first was adopt.”

In 1993, the Big Little Lies actress became a mom for the first time when she and her first husband Tom Cruise adopted their daughter, Bella. A few years later, the pair adopted son Connor into their family.

After the couple divorced in 2001, Kidman went on to find love with country singer and fellow Australian Keith Urban . The pair married in 2016 and welcomed daughters Sunday and Faith.

Related: Tom Cruise’s Dating History: A Look Back at His A-List Romances

“If it were the choice between my family and Keith, and my career, I wouldn’t even bat an eyelid,” she told The Australia Women’s Weekly in June 2014. “The most important things to me are the love of our relationship and my children. At this stage of my life, and with time being so precious, the joy I get from us as a family outweighs any joy in any other area of my life, by far.”

Keep scrolling to learn more about the members of Kidman’s family:

Bella Kidman Cruise, 31

Tom, 61, and Nicole adopted daughter Bella shortly after her birth in December 1992.

“From the minute Tom and I were married, I wanted to have babies,” Nicole told Vanity Fair in 2007. “And we lost a baby early on, so that was really very traumatic. And that’s when we would adopt [our daughter] Bella.”

While she was raised outside of the spotlight, Bella graduated from West London’s Delmar Academy of Make-up and Hair, before transitioning to a career in fashion.

Although Bella has an active Instagram , followers shouldn’t expect her to share family moments. Instead, it’s primarily dedicated to her art.

“Her go-to medium was pen and paper for most of her life,” her website states . “However, she is now venturing into other formats and mediums. Including digital. Which has been a bit of a game changer in her opinion. We hope you dig it.”

Connor Cruise, 29

Nicole and Tom, who wed in 1990, adopted their second child just after his birth in January 1995. In 2008, Connor got a glimpse of the Hollywood spotlight when he starred alongside Will Smith in the drama Seven Pounds . As a teenager, he briefly explored DJ gigs and released a single before making Florida his home.

Although Nicole and Tom divorced six years after their wedding, the actress expressed gratitude for the relationship and the family they created. “I got married really fast and really young,” she told Who Magazine in 2012. “But I don’t regret that because it got me Bella and Connor and I did have a fantastic marriage for a long period.”

According to People , Connor currently resides in the Sunshine State where he fishes and focuses on his barbecuing business, Connor’s Meatshack. “Connor has a pretty simple life in Clearwater,” a source told the publication. “He lives in his own home in a Scientology community. His life is deep-sea fishing. He has a lot of friends and seems very well-liked.”

Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, 15

Named in honor of the Australian patron of the arts, Sunday Reed, Sunday was born in July 2008 and spent much of her childhood with parents Nicole and Keith, 56, in Tennessee. “My daughters are Nashvillians! They have a southern drawl,” Nicole told People in 2016. “They have some Aussie. They have an unusual mix. They’re hybrids.”

Nicole has dropped hints that Sunday is interested in following in mom’s footsteps. In addition to showing an interest in directing, she’s also participated in theater.

“My daughter just got cast in her school play,” Nicole told E! News in January 2017. “So, that’s been the main priority, learning lines with her.”

Related: Celebrities Who Secretly Welcomed Children

And for those who wanted a season 3 of Big Little Lies , Sunday may be responsible for making it possible.

“She has a very good understanding of things and life, so she was hand-held through it,” Nicole revealed to Vogue Australia in January 2024. “She was like, ‘No. There’s no more discussion. The third series has to happen … I’m sick of the talk. Sick of circling it. Just get it done.’”

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Faith Margaret Kidman Urban, 13

In December 2010, Nicole and Keith surprised fans when they welcomed Faith via gestational surrogate.

It wasn’t until April 2024, however, when Faith and her older sister made their red carpet debut at the AFI Life Achievement Award Gala, where their mom was the evening’s honoree.

In an interview with Today , Nicole expressed hopes that she was raising her daughters to be outspoken and strong. “So much is stepping aside and letting them become who they are,” she explained. “I don’t know if I’m teaching that as much as giving them their voices. I let them negotiate so they get a sense of who they are and what they can achieve and accomplish.”

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Meet Nicole Kidman’s 4 kids with Tom Cruise and Keith Urban: Bella, Connor, Sunday, Faith

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Nicole Kidman is the mother of four children — but estranged from two of them.

The actress became a mom while married to Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001, and she continued growing her family after her and Keith Urban’s 2006 wedding.

While Kidman and the country singer raise daughters Sunday and Faith, the “Big Little Lies” alum has a strained relationship with her and Cruise’s daughter, Isabella, and son, Connor.

Kidman gushed to Marie Claire Australia in 2021 that she “love[s] mothering” and “would have loved 10 kids.”

She said, “I love kids: They’re quirky, funny and unfiltered. And then you get to see them grow and send them on their way.”

Keep scrolling to get to know Isabella, Connor, Sunday and Faith.

Isabella Jane Kidman Cruise

Isabella was born in December 1992 after Kidman and Cruise “lost a baby early on” in a “traumatic” ectopic pregnancy.

While the illustrator remains out of the public eye, she shares her art — and occasional selfies — on social media.

She has been married to Max Parker since 2015.

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Isabella and her brother, Connor, have chosen to follow their father’s Scientology-practicing footsteps .

Kidman has been respectful of their decision, telling Who in 2018 that “as a mother, it’s [her] job to love them.”

She continued, “I am an example of that tolerance and that’s what I believe – that no matter what your child does, the child has love and the child has to know there is available love and I’m open here.”

Connor Cruise

Connor was born in January 1995.

Kidman and Cruise’s son has dabbled in acting, with roles in “Seven Pounds” and “Red Dawn,” as well as music and deep-sea fishing.

Connor, who lives in Florida and has a barbecue business called Connor’s Meatshack, has made rare public appearances with his dad over the years.

After Kidman and Cruise divorced in 2001, the Golden Globe winner revealed to “GMTV” viewers that her little ones called her “Nicole” instead of “mommy” or “mom” ( via Hello ).

In 2012, she gushed to Who about why she is grateful for her time with Cruise.

“I got married really fast and really young,” Kidman explained at the time. “But I don’t regret that because it got me Bella and Connor.”

Sunday Rose Kidman-Urban

Kidman gave birth to Sunday in July 2008.

While she and Urban have kept their girls out of the spotlight — besides extra roles in “Big Little Lies” and a rare red carpet appearance in April 2024 — their eldest is interested in pursuing a career in Hollywood.

Kidman told E! News in 2017 that Sunday was “cast in a school play,” then shared with Time.com the following year that she was “raising a little girl that’s showing an interesting in directing.”

The Oscar winner explained to WSJ. magazine in 2020 that both Sunday and Faith “have a great work ethic” and “they are kind of unusual in that they watch the filming.”

Faith Margaret Kidman-Urban

Faith joined the family via surrogate in December 2010.

The family of four live in Nashville, with Kidman joking to Marie Claire Australia in 2020 that their household is “female heavy.”

Later that same year, she explained the “system” she and Urban use to “keep the family together.”

Kidman said, “When Keith’s … on tour … I just don’t work as much. Literally — it will become imbalanced, and we will change it. We don’t have the answers, but the one thing we do know is that we will not jeopardize us.”

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Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban step out with daughters Sunday and Faith on AFI gala carpet

They come to this place to celebrate Nicole Kidman's magic.

On Saturday, the actress was honored with a Life Achievement Award from the American Film Institute during a star-studded gala in Hollywood. The Oscar-winning " Big Little Lies " star, 56, and her husband, Keith Urban , took photos on the red carpet with their daughters Sunday Rose, 15, and Faith Margaret, 13.

Kidman's sister Antonia Kidman and niece Sybella Hawley also joined her on the carpet, and Naomi Watts , Reese Witherspoon , Michelle Pfeiffer , Cynthia Erivo and Morgan Freeman were among the stars who attended the event.

Kidman wore a gold gown and took a bow as she received a standing ovation upon taking the stage. In a speech, Urban described his wife as "raw" and "resilient," according to video shared on social media by Variety . "She has the capacity to love like no one I've ever met," Urban said before telling Kidman that "next year will be 20 years that I've been madly in love with you."

Freeman also starred in a parody of Kidman's famous AMC ads, with the "Shawshank Redemption" actor paying tribute to the magic of the actress herself. "Somehow, she makes heartbreak feel good in a place like this," he said in the spoof video, according to a clip shared by The Hollywood Reporter .

'It became a part of who I was': Nicole Kidman couldn't shake off her 'Expats' character

Kidman and Urban have been married since 2006. She was previously married to Tom Cruise , with whom she shares two children.

The AFI tribute to Kidman is set to air June 17 on TNT.

Jimmy Fallon was 'totally blindsided' when Nicole Kidman told him they once dated

The Kidman tribute event comes after "The Tonight Show" host Jimmy Fallon revealed the actress blindsided him on his show when she revealed that they once went on a date, unbeknownst to him.

'Being the Ricardos': How Nicole Kidman's husband, kids helped her prep to play Lucille Ball

Speaking to Deadline , Fallon recalled being embarrassed during an infamous 2015 interview where Kidman revealed she used to have a crush on him. Years earlier, the two met at the comedian's apartment, which he thought was simply to see if he was the right fit for a movie role. But on "The Tonight Show" years later, she told Fallon that "I liked you," leading a stunned Fallon to ask, "Did I date Nicole Kidman?" A YouTube clip of the interview, titled " Jimmy Fallon blew a chance to date Nicole Kidman ," has received more than 60 million views.

Fallon told Deadline that Kidman "totally blindsided him" by dropping this bombshell. "My face just melted," he said. "It was the most embarrassing thing."

But according to Fallon, this has turned into a running joke between himself and Urban. He recalled jokingly approaching Urban at the Met Gala and telling the musician, "I think that we might have dated once." Fallon also recounted a time Urban urged him to approach Kidman at an event and hold her hand so she would think he was her husband.

"I sat next to Nicole and I grabbed her hand and she held it like it was Keith's, probably," he said. "She was kind of rubbing it and she was having this conversation, and then he went across the table to the person she was talking to, and he's like, 'Hi, Nic.' And she's like, 'What? Jimmy, what are you doing?' It was his idea!"