Nicole Kidman is making waves once again, but this time for a sharp comment about her past divorce rather than her current one. The Oscar-winning actress is in the spotlight as she ends her 19-year marriage to country singer Keith Urban, sparking renewed attention to a witty Nicole Kidman divorce remark directed at her former husband, Tom Cruise. This quip originally came to light during a 2001 interview just months after Kidman and Cruise announced their separation.
A Memorable Television Moment Captures Kidman’s Wit During Divorce
In August 2001, Nicole Kidman appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman to promote her film The Others, which was executive-produced by Tom Cruise. The interview occurred shortly after Kidman and Cruise, who married in 1990 after meeting on the set of Days of Thunder, revealed their breakup. Early in the show, Letterman addressed the obvious topic, asking,
I heard you’re getting divorced — how’s that going?
The private nature of the split made Kidman somewhat uneasy, though she answered with humor.
She eventually delivered a memorable line about Cruise’s height, a subtle dig amid tension.
Well, I can wear heels now,
Kidman quipped, holding up a shoe with a knowing smile. The audience applauded the remark, and she quickly moved on.
Standing at 5’11
“, Kidman is notably taller than both Cruise, who is 5’7”
, and Urban, who stands at 5’10”. This height difference added a layer of humor to the comment, which has since been widely shared across social media in light of her recent separation.
Reflecting on Her Marriage to Tom Cruise and Beyond
Nicole Kidman has occasionally spoken about her relationship with Cruise, both on and off screen. Alongside their work together in films like Ron Howard’s Far and Away and Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, the couple’s marriage has been the subject of public fascination. In 2020, Kidman dismissed rumors that filming Kubrick’s erotic thriller caused issues between them, telling The New York Times,
We were happily married through that,
and recalling,
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.
Tom Cruise also recently reflected on their collaboration in Eyes Wide Shut, telling Sight & Sound,
I suggested Nicole play the role [of Alice],
and adding,
Because, obviously, she’s a great actress.
Kidman has described her marriage to Cruise, which began when she was 23 and he was 28, as a time of youthful impulsiveness. Speaking to DuJour in 2012, she characterized it as impulsive and naive, saying,
Just the two of us. We became very dependent on one another.
Marriage, Protection, and Growth in Hollywood
During the height of the #MeToo movement in 2018, Kidman revealed how her marriage to Cruise provided a shield against the prevalent sexual harassment in Hollywood. She wrote in The Cut,
I married for love, but being married to an extremely powerful man kept me from being sexually harassed,
and added,
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.
Current Separation From Keith Urban and Family Impact
News of Kidman’s split from Keith Urban first emerged on Monday, with a source telling PEOPLE that Kidman didn’t want the marriage to end and that
she has been fighting to save the marriage.
The couple shares two daughters, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14.
The following day, Entertainment Weekly confirmed that Kidman officially filed for divorce in Nashville. This marks the end of a marriage lasting nearly two decades for the actress who once joked about her height advantages post-divorce, linking back to an earlier chapter of her life.
The Broader Implications of Kidman’s Recent Announcement
Nicole Kidman’s public acknowledgment of another marital split signals a challenging period for the actress, who has maintained a largely private personal life in recent years. The resurfacing of her Nicole Kidman divorce remark to Tom Cruise highlights how past experiences shape public narratives surrounding celebrity relationships. As fans and media outlets process this latest development, Kidman’s career and personal resilience continue to be closely observed.
Given her history of candidness and grace in addressing complex personal matters, observers can expect further reflections from Kidman as she navigates this chapter. Meanwhile, the news underscores broader conversations about privacy, public scrutiny, and the pressures faced by high-profile couples over time.
