We previously reported that the Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman and her country music star husband Keith Urban had separated after 19 years of marriage. At the time, insiders were claiming that Kidman was desperately “fighting to save her marriage.” They also alleged that she’d felt “blindsided” by Urban wanting to separate.
Hours later, however, Kidman, 58, officially filed for divorce from Urban, 58. This came amidst rumors that Urban had already moved on with a “new girlfriend.”
Last week, we reported that Kidman and Urban had finally finalized their divorce on Tuesday, January 6. Many were surprised to see that Kidman won primary custody of her and Urban’s two daughters: Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margret, 15. Now, the reason why Kidman was able to win this has been revealed.
Kidman ‘Played Her Cards Perfectly’
Rob Shuter reported in his Naughty But Nice Substack on Friday that Kidman “played her cards perfectly” when it came to this custody battle.
“Keith is a man with lots of secrets,” claimed one insider. “Only Nicole and the kids really know him. That knowledge gave her the upper hand in custody. It’s why she got what she wanted — 306 days a year with Sunday and Faith. He initially wanted equal time, but Nicole played her cards perfectly.”
The decision was also reinforced by the needs of the two girls.
“Both of them are teenagers,” the source explained. “At this age, they want their mother more than their father. It made the arrangement easier to finalize, but the real reason Nicole got the majority of custody is because she knows everything.”
“Nicole has always been fiercely protective of her kids,” another friend added. “She knows what’s best, and Sunday and Faith made it crystal clear whose side they’re on. They’re Team Mom all the way.”
The custody agreement states that Kidman has the girls for 306 days a year. Meanwhile, Urban gets them for the remaining 59 days, mostly alternating weekends.
“Nicole will keep her mouth shut, keep the kids, and handle this like a pro,” said one insider. “Keith wanted the kids, but he had to accept it. Everyone close to them knows the girls are happiest this way.”
Urban is reportedly still adjusting to this, as missing holidays and birthdays has been tough. However, he understands the reality of the situation.
“He’s completely lost sometimes, but he knows Nicole has the kids’ best interests at heart,” one friend concluded. “And the girls? They love their mom — so everyone else backs off.”
Kidman Fought For Custody
This comes after other insiders revealed that Kidman fought hard for custody.
“The one thing that became a sticking point was custody of Sunday and Faith,” an insider told Daily Mail. “Keith was initially asking for equal time with their daughters.”
This one request reportedly sent Kidman into a spiral.
“It was an especially stressful time for Nic,” the source continued. “After almost 20 years of marriage, she certainly knows how stubborn Keith can be. She was anxious and distressed that he wasn’t going to budge.”
Urban’s request reportedly struck a nerve with Kidman because she was afraid of history repeating itself.
“Nicole also wanted the kids more because she wasn’t given that benefit when she divorced Tom Cruise,” the insider explained.
Kidman was married to Cruise, 63, from 1990 until they divorced in 2001. At the time, they agreed to joint custody of their adopted children Isabella, now 32, and Connor, 30. However, Isabella and Connor soon decided to live primarily with their father, as all three of them are known to be scientologists. It is believed that the two of them are still estranged from Kidman to this day.
Divorce is never easy, particularly when there are children involved. Now that their divorce is finalized, here’s hoping that Urban and Kidman can put this behind them and move on with their respective lives!