Nicole Kidman has been happily married to country star Keith Urban for six years now, but the 45-year-old actress can never seem to escape her past and her highly publicized relationship with Tom Cruise.
Since Cruise and his third wife, Katie Holmes, have split, Kidman has opened up about her ex-husband and their Hollywood romance. In a new interview with Harper's Bazaar, "The Paperboy" star compares her two marriages and reveals that although Cruise made her happy, she feels much more confident and free with Urban.
"In those early years, it was like, 'I'm here and I'm clutching onto your arm, and it all feels a little overwhelming and really strange,'" Kidman recalls of tying the knot with Cruise after meeting and falling in love with him on the set of "Days of Thunder," adding, "I was shy. Deeply shy. I didn't feel comfortable at all. But I felt very comfortable at home."
After they split in 2001, Kidman says she felt more fulfilled in her life and career, considering her superstardom was no longer based on her relationship with Cruise. "Having your work be the basis of fame, that's a far more stable feeling," she reveals.
Kidman met Urban, 44, in 2005 and the couple now have two kids together, daughters Sunday Rose, 4, and Faith Margaret, almost 2. She also has two adopted children with Cruise -- Isabella, 19, and Connor, 17. "Time goes by so fast now," Kidman says, "... Having raised two little kids who are now adults and two new children in the world, it's fleeting."
As for her bond with Urban, who was recently named a judge on "American Idol," Kidman confesses he gave her the new attitude she always needed.
“He just gave me confidence through just being very kind to me and understanding me, opening me up to trying things, my sexuality, those sorts of things," Kidman gushes. Compared to Cruise, she characterizes Urban as "more like an ocean; he took me out."
Kidman adds that she always appreciated "a bigger, stronger personality; that's what I've been drawn to. I need protection. Everyone wants to feel someone's got their back."
See photos from Kidman's Harper's Bazaar shoot with Terry Richardson below:
Support HuffPost
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
At HuffPost, we believe that everyone needs high-quality journalism, but we understand that not everyone can afford to pay for expensive news subscriptions. That is why we are committed to providing deeply reported, carefully fact-checked news that is freely accessible to everyone.
Whether you come to HuffPost for updates on the 2024 presidential race, hard-hitting investigations into critical issues facing our country today, or trending stories that make you laugh, we appreciate you. The truth is, news costs money to produce, and we are proud that we have never put our stories behind an expensive paywall.
Would you join us to help keep our stories free for all? Your contribution of as little as $2 will go a long way.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you’ll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
