Keith Urban detailed the darker days of his marriage to Nicole Kidman in an emotional speech a year before the bomb’s separation.
The country singer spoke to participants at the AFI Life Achievement Award Gala in April 2024 about when he nearly “blown” their relationship.
A “American Idol” judge who married Kidman in June 2006 explained that his substance abuse struggle was “just four months later” to their union.
“My addiction… I really didn’t do anything, our marriage blew away with the blacksmith,” recalls Urban, 57. “Four months after my marriage, I’ve been rehabilitating for three months.
“We didn’t know what was going to happen to us,” he continued at the time. “And if you want to see what love actually looks like, let it circumvent.”
Urban praised the actress, 58, for sticking to him during tough times.
“Nick pushed through all the negative voices. I’m sure she chose love, even in some of her own,” he continued as Kidman shed tears in the audience. “And we’re going tonight, 18 years from now.”
The duo’s daughters – Sunday Rose (17) and 14-year-old Faith Margaret – attended the event.
Urban pointed out to the audience that the teenage girls were “very lucky to be learning” from Kidman, and he felt the same way.
“I have never met anyone who has such a passion for actually living,” he added. “She knows the importance of expressing her emotions.”
Urban has not yet said that he and Kidman have stopped doing it after nearly 20 years of marriage, since news broke on Monday.
The pair’s final joint appeared in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup match in June.
That same month, Kidman admitted in an Instagram tribute that mentioned the 19th anniversary. In particular, Urban did not post one of his own.
Instead, the Grammy Award winner commented with a heart emoji about his partner’s post.
Kidman previously married Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001, adopting his 32-year-old daughter Isabella and son Connor.
