Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's Love Journey: A Look Back at Their 19 Years Together Before the Breakup

Before their split, the duo shared a beautiful love story filled with heartwarming reflections, adoring posts, and dedications on social media.

They were the golden couple of Hollywood — an Oscar-winning screen queen and a country music superstar — but behind the flashbulbs and red carpets lay a love story that felt ripped from the pages of a fairy tale... until now.

After 19 years of marriage, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's seemingly unbreakable bond is reportedly unraveling, and while the final chapter may be drawing near, their romance remains a breathtaking journey of passion, resilience, and raw devotion.

An Enchanting Beginning, and a Nervous Country Star

From the start, Urban was spellbound. Recalling the night he met Kidman at the 2005 G'Day LA event, the country crooner said she had an "otherworldly aura," comparing the moment to sneaking into a royal ball.

But even fairytales start with nerves: Urban held on to her number for days, too intimidated to call. When he finally did, the connection was instant.

"We just talked and talked like we'd known each other our whole lives," he recalled, speaking directly to Kidman as he honored her at the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award event.

That depth of connection would be tested just months after their 2006 wedding, when Urban's long-ignored struggles with addiction nearly upended their new life together. "Four months into a marriage, I'm in rehab for three months," he confessed, recounting how Kidman stood by him during his stay at the Betty Ford Center.

Nicole Kidman's Devotion amid Chaos: 'She Chose Love'

"If you want to see what love in action really looks like, give that a whirl. Nic pushed through every negative voice, I'm sure even some of her own, and she chose love, and here we are tonight, 18 years later," he told the crowd.

Urban credited Kidman with teaching not only him, but also their daughters, the value of emotional honesty and resilience.

"She has a capacity to love like no one I've ever met," he said, calling Kidman resilient and someone who lives by a quiet but powerful mantra: choose love.

In closing, he added tenderly, "But next year will be 20 years that I've been madly in love with you. Congratulations, baby girl. I love you."

A Family Built on Vulnerability and Communication

Urban's appreciation for Kidman's emotional strength and warmth extended beyond just their relationship — it deeply shaped the way he approached fatherhood. Speaking candidly during a 2020 episode of "Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard," the singer opened up about how communication had become a pillar in their family.

"With Nic and the girls, we talk about things, and it makes for a way better life because of it," he shared, acknowledging that this openness didn't come naturally to him at first.

Reflecting on his own upbringing, Urban described his mother as deeply affectionate and emotionally expressive, while his father — though loving in his own way — struggled under the weight of his own unhealed wounds.

"He was just an alcoholic, he wasn't a bad guy," Urban explained. "He was just an alcoholic, and was dealing with the way he was raised, like we all are. You can't teach what you don't know."

The conversation served as a quiet acknowledgment of how far Urban had come — from growing up in a household where vulnerability was complicated, to building one grounded in trust, healing, and emotional connection with Kidman at the center of it all.

While Urban often credited Kidman with creating a safe, emotionally expressive home, she too held deep sentimental ties to their shared journey — especially through his music.

A Love Immortalized in Song

In a 2024 interview with People, Kidman revealed that her favorite song is "Once in a Lifetime," a track Urban released just five months after their nuptials. "Keith wrote that for me when we were first getting married," she disclosed.

The song, with its sweeping lyrics about devotion and the rarity of true love, became an emblem of the life they were beginning to build — one that would soon grow with the arrival of their daughters: the eldest born in 2008 and the youngest in 2010.

A Relationship from Another Time: 'We've Never Texted'

That emotional closeness extended into how the couple chose to communicate, even in the age of smartphones and constant connectivity. In a 2018 interview with Parade, Kidman revealed that she and Urban had never texted each other — not once in over a decade of marriage.

"Yep. We call. And that's 12 years of marriage," she shared, noting that their twelfth wedding anniversary was just around the corner at the time. "We've never texted. That is so not our relationship, which is interesting, right?" Kidman added.

Her words offered a rare, intimate look into their shared values — prioritizing clarity, presence, and emotional truth in a way that set their connection apart from so many others shaped by convenience. "I don't want that between my lover and I [sic]," she said, her conviction gentle but unwavering.

Pressed further on the secret to their enduring connection, Kidman didn't offer a grand philosophy — only sincerity. "Not having secrets," she revealed simply.

Love Without Pretense

"We never tell anybody any advice about their relationship or think that we have a secret. We just approach it with humility and hope and just really love hanging out," she continued.

There was a refreshing honesty in her words, grounded not in romance for its own sake but in the quiet rhythms of partnership: flying overnight to avoid being apart, laughing through exhaustion, and choosing each other — over and over again.

"If there is one person I can hang out with, it's him and the girls and [sic] that's it. That's so much enough for me," she shared, painting a portrait of a woman fulfilled by love and family more than by any red carpet or spotlight. Yet even within that, she acknowledged the toll that effort can take.

"I'm always trying to balance that," she reflected, referring to the emotional cost of trying to be everything for everyone. "A lot of times I'm functioning on too little sleep [...] which I think is a problem for a lot of women."

The Couple's First Date: Motorbikes, Music, and Memories

Amid all the deep reflections and enduring commitments, there were also moments of pure, unfiltered romance — like their very first date. In a 2018 interview with W Magazine, Kidman recounted it with fondness. "Woodstock," she said simply. "Picked me up on a motorbike, took me to Woodstock. My kind of guy."

The memory, shared years into their marriage, still lit her up. When the interviewer remarked on what a great date it must have been, she replied, "Hey, we're married! It was a good date."

A Birthday to Remember

As romantic as their first ride to Woodstock was, it wasn't long before Urban made a gesture that would leave a lasting imprint on Kidman's heart. Recalling the moment in a 2019 People cover story, she described the morning he showed up unexpectedly to mark her birthday.

"It was my [38th] birthday, and he stood outside with gardenias at 5 a.m. on my stoop in New York," she divulged. "That is when I went, 'This is the man I hope I get to marry.'"

It was the kind of gesture that speaks volumes — not just in effort, but in timing, intimacy, and intention. For Kidman, it wasn't merely sweet; it was transformative. "It was pretty intense," she admitted.

"I believed by that point he was the love of my life. Maybe that's because I am deeply romantic, or I'm an actress, or I have strong faith as well, but I just believed, 'Oh, okay, here he is,'" the star went on to say.

Still Surprising Her, Even After 19 Years

Even after nearly two decades together, Kidman still found joy in the little romantic rituals that kept their relationship feeling fresh. In a 2024 interview with People, she spoke with affection about how Urban continued to pursue her, even after all those years.

"I like being asked out, which he still does," she expressed. Recalling a then-recent date night, she added, "Seven nights ago we went to dinner in New York. We love Japanese food, but I'm open [to everything]. I like not knowing where he's going to take me. Surprise me, baby!"

Even with all the grand gestures and deep connection, their love story had its awkward beginnings — something Kidman reflected on with both humor and warmth during a 2018 interview.

Looking back on their first meeting at the 2005 G'Day USA gala, she confessed, "I remember thinking I had such a crush on him and he wasn't interested in me." The host's disbelief mirrored that of the audience, prompting laughter when Kidman doubled down, "It's true. He didn't call me for four months."

The moment quickly turned playful, as everyone tried to make sense of the delay. "How is that possible?" asked Ellen DeGeneres, visibly stunned. "He must have been just shy. He must have been overwhelmed with emotion."

While Urban had indeed admitted years later that he was nervous and intimidated by Kidman's presence, her version of events added a charming twist to their early romance.

Public Love, Private Moments

Beyond interviews and red carpet appearances, Nicole Kidman often took to social media to express her love for Urban in quiet, heartfelt ways. Over the years, she's celebrated his musical milestones, applauded his performances, and marked their anniversaries with words that spoke more through simplicity than flourish.

This past June 25, just months before news of their separation surfaced, Kidman shared what would become a poignant reminder of their bond — a black-and-white photo of the couple, arms wrapped around each other backstage. The moment, unposed and full of ease, was captioned, "Happy Anniversary Baby ❤️@KeithUrban."

There was no need for more. In that single image — tender, intimate, and lovingly quiet — Kidman conveyed what words could not.

An Unexpected Twist to a Love That Was Built to Last

And perhaps that has always been the essence of their love story: felt more deeply than spoken, built not just on grand declarations, but on the everyday choice to show up, hold on, and — above all else — choose love. Yet, even the most enduring love stories can take unexpected turns.

According to TMZ on September 29, 2025, the couple has been living apart since early summer, when sources say Urban quietly moved out of their Nashville home and into a separate residence.

The report paints a painful picture of a marriage breaking down — and not by mutual decision. As to why, a source claimed it was Urban who initiated the separation, catching those close to the couple off guard.

Kidman, who is now living with their two children, aged 14 and 17, has been doing her best to keep things stable for the family since he left.