After more than 25 years in the spotlight, Nicole Kidman is still one of Hollywood’s biggest and most bankable stars. Her North American breakout came in 1989, when she starred in the thriller Dead Calm, but it was her high-profile relationship with Tom Cruise that really thrust her to international stardom.
Nicole met and fell in love with Tom after they co-starred in the 1990s film Days Of Thunder. Though the actor was married to actress Mimi Rogers at the time, he soon divorced and after a whirlwind, two-month courtship, Tom and Nicole were wed in a private Christmas Eve ceremony in Telluride, Colorado.
Eleven years later, in February of 2001, Nicole and Tom split. Speculation on the rift included everything from religious differences to conflicting views on how to raise their two adopted children, Isabella and Conor. Yet throughout the firestorm, the screen beauty remained stoic, saying little and pouring her energies into promoting two of her biggest films to date – Moulin Rouge, which had been selected to open the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, and 2002’s The Hours, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress.
Romance came into Nicole’s life again when she met and fell in love with country singer and fellow Aussie Keith Urban. The couple's appearance at the 2006 Grammys confirmed what had been obvious in Nicole's smile for some time – the pair were meant to be.
Fast forward nine years later, and the happily married stars appear to be closer than ever, supporting each other through difficult times. In September 2014, Nicole was heartbroken by the unexpected loss of her father, Dr. Antony Kidman, who died suddenly after suffering a heart attack. Through it all, Keith has been dutifully by his wife’s side.
With four children, a blissful marriage and more than 40 movies under her belt – including six that are currently in production for 2015 – Hello! looks back at Nicole’s incredible journey.
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