Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s split after nearly 20 years of marriage has sent shockwaves through Hollywood, but according to those close to the country star, the news wasn’t entirely unexpected.
A source told PEOPLE that it “really hasn’t been a secret” the actress and singer have been living apart for some time, adding that “people close to Keith felt like the split was kind of inevitable.”
The couple’s separation was confirmed on September 29, just three months after they celebrated their 19th wedding anniversary.
Kidman, 58, and Urban, 57, tied the knot in 2006 and share two daughters, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14.
Their last public appearance together was in June, when they attended the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup match in Nashville between Los Angeles Football Club and Esperance de Tunis.
Despite smiling for photos, it would be their final outing as a couple before news of their separation surfaced.
Days later, Kidman marked their anniversary on Instagram, posting a black-and-white photo of herself cuddling with Urban.
“Happy Anniversary Baby @KeithUrban,” she wrote, a message that now reads with a different weight in light of their split.
The months that followed saw both stars caught up in demanding schedules.
Kidman recently finished filming Practical Magic 2 in London, while Urban has been busy on his High and Alive World Tour, with his next performance scheduled for October 2 in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Through it all, Kidman’s family has stepped in to offer support. Her sister, Antonia, has been described as “a rock” for the actress.
“The entire Kidman family has come together to support one another,” a source told PEOPLE, adding, “She didn’t want this. She has been fighting to save the marriage.”
Kidman has previously spoken about the importance of partnership in marriage, reflecting, “I think it’s knowing that you have to keep contributing to what we call the ‘us.’ You go, ‘Does this work for us?’ When you make an us, it’s yours together, that’s what you create. Nobody else has that. It’s just between the two of you.”
The separation closes a chapter in one of Hollywood’s most enduring marriages, leaving both stars leaning on family and focusing on the next phases of their personal and professional lives.
