Nicole Kidman reveals she was ready to 'throw away' her career for Tom Cruise
Nicole Kidman reveals she was ready to 'throw away' her career for Tom Cruise
Sameen Chaudhry, USA TODAYThu, August 13, 2026 at 6:36 PM UTC
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Nicole Kidman is looking back at the love that shaped her past as she navigates an unexpected new chapter.
Kidman, 59, opened up about her marriage to Tom Cruise and reflected on life following her recent divorce from Keith Urban in a wide-ranging interview with British Vogue published on Thursday, Aug. 13.
The "Margo's Got Money Troubles" actress, who married Cruise when she was 23, recalled being swept into a whirlwind romance with one Hollywood's biggest stars at the time when her own career was still taking off.
"I got married so young," Kidman told the magazine. "Suddenly I was 22, 23 years old and I had this huge movie star husband.
The actress shared that it felt "completely natural" at the time. "We just fell madly in love and it was that simple," she added.
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Kidman and Cruise met while working together on the 1990 film "Days of Thunder" and married later that year. The former couple went on to adopt two children, Isabella, 33, and Connor, 31, before divorcing in 2001 after more than a decade of marriage.
The Oscar-winning actress said she was warned at the time that marrying Cruise could have consequences for her budding career, but the possibility didn't deter her. She eventually became viewed through the lens of being Cruise's wife, but she remained unapologetic about choosing her relationship.
"I remember people saying to me, 'OK, well this is really going to affect your career,'" Kidman recalled. "I'm like, 'I don't care. I'm in love. I want to be married.' And then I was his 'wife' and they were like, 'See, we told you.' I’m like, 'So what? I wasn't meant to marry the man I love? Of course I'll throw my career away. I don't care.'"
Kidman's career continued to flourish following her split, with the actress earning an Academy Award for her performance in 2002's "The Hours" and starring in films including "Moulin Rouge!," "The Others" and "Rabbit Hole," among numerous other projects.
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More than two decades after the end of her first marriage, Kidman is once again adjusting to life after divorce.
Nicole Kidman opens up about life after Keith Urban divorce
Kidman filed for divorce from Urban in Nashville in September 2025, after 19 years of marriage. Their divorce finalized in January.
Kidman and Urban married in June 2026 in a Sydney chapel, and they share two daughters, Sunday Rose, 18, and Faith Margaret, 15.
Kidman did not delve into the details of her breakup, but spoke candidly about the uncertainty she's experienced since the end of her marriage.
"I didn't expect this," Kidman said. "I had a different view of what my life was going to be, but this is what it is now. You make all these plans and you have all these ideas of what it's all going to be like and then it's… not."
The actress said she's learning to "adapt" and "adjust" after the life she envisioned for herself took an unexpected turn. "The future, it's completely unknown to me right now," Kidman said.
Moving forward: Nicole Kidman gives rare update on life after Keith Urban divorce
The "Practical Magic" actress acknowledged that there was a point when she felt "very fearful and deeply vulnerable," but said she ultimately had to decide how she wanted to move forward. She also described herself as someone who leads with her emotions rather than overanalyzing decisions, an approach she said has guided both her personal and professional life.
"I’ve always wanted to live a well-examined life," Kidmain said, describing that as "trying things, making mistakes, failing, getting back up, moving on, embracing love, staying open, keeping the heart open and the possibilities."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Nicole Kidman reveals she was ready to 'throw away' her career for Tom Cruise
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