How Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's relationship began and unfolded over 19 years

When the news broke on Tuesday that Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban were divorcing, the internet largely responded with devastation and shock.

Their love story for the past 19 years looked like a fairytale.

Throughout the course of their relationship, both Kidman and Urban often spoke about their devotion to one another in the public spotlight.

But behind the scenes, there were reportedly signs of strain, although Kidman wanted to keep the marriage intact.

"It's very definitely his decision to leave," a source close to the couple told the ABC.

"Nicole was trying to keep the relationship together for the children but it hasn't worked out."

Kidman has since officially filed for divorce, court documents show.

According to the court filing, the relationship "suffered irreconcilable differences".

So how did one of the country's most beloved couples end up here?

Whirlwind romance

When Kidman met Urban in 2005 at a G'Day USA Gala event, she was immediately attracted to him.

But she says he didn't get in touch with her for ages after she gave him her phone number.

In 2017, Kidman told Ellen DeGeneres: "I remember thinking, I had such a crush on him and he wasn't interested in me. It's true, he didn't call me for months."

Once he picked up the phone, Urban realised what he'd been missing all his life.

"I'd never have thought she'd see anything in a guy like me," he said on Australian talk show Interview in 2018.

"But, at some point, I plucked up the courage to [dial] those numbers … and we talked and talked, and it was effortless."

Kidman realised Urban was the one after the musician stood outside her home at 5am with flowers on her 38th birthday.

"I believed at that point he was the love of my life," she later told People Magazine.

The couple wed in Manly, Australia in June 2006 with celebrity guests including Russell Crowe, Naomi Watts and Hugh Jackman attending.

Over the years, the pair took turns outwardly sharing their love for each other with the world, including a string of Instagram anniversary, birthday and Valentine's Day posts:

"Happy Anniversary Babygirl. Eleven years and you still feel like my girlfriend!!!" Urban captioned a selfie of the couple in June 2017.

"The greatest thing you'll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return," Kidman captioned a post on Valentine's Day in 2019.

They welcomed two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, in 2008 and 2010.

'She's the one'

Throughout the relationship, Urban and Kidman publicly described their relationship in glowing terms, often crediting each other with love and inspiration.

While doing an interview on Dax Shepard and Monica Padman's Armchair Expert podcast in 2020, Urban said Kidman was "the one".

"She's the one that I was searching for my whole life, and everything not only changed but had to change in me if I was gonna go down that road.

"It was like the ultimate fork in the road moment in my life, and it was literally like you either get this right now or you are never, ever gonna get it right. This is your one shot. It felt so obvious."

Urban has even openly admitted many of his songs were directly inspired by Kidman including Got It Right This Time, Once In A Lifetime, The Fighter and Gemini.

In a 2022 interview with CBS Mornings, Kidman also acknowledged Urban was "the best thing that's ever happened to me".

She even said that Urban was her "deep, deep love" in 2024 and that he gives her the ability to do whatever she needs to because she knows "where [she] can come back to".

In June last year, Urban gave a heartfelt tribute to his wife as she received the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award. 

Reflecting on their marriage, he talked about his three-month rehab stint, explaining he had no idea what the future held.

"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 18 years later."

In January 2025, the actress shed light on what makes her and Urban's relationship work.

She told W Magazine a double shower was the couple's secret ingredient to their long-standing romance.

"The double-headed shower: key to a successful marriage. Separate commodes and a double-headed shower!"

The pair made their final red carpet appearance together at the Academy of Country Music Awards in May where Urban said "I love you" to Kidman after accepting an award on stage.

They have reportedly been living separately for the past few months. The marriage dissolution plan suggests that the divorce had been in the works for well over a month at least.