NICOLE Kidman and Keith Urban split up as they were like “two ships in the night” with their conflicting work schedules, sources have told The Sun.
The couple were barely together as the actress, 58, filmed back-to-back movies while the country singer, 57, embarked on a world tour.
Nicole and Keith share a touching scene at a New York benefit in 2024
The couple were last pictured together in June
Nicole was seen wearing her wedding ring last week
It took its toll on the pair, who we can reveal have been living “separate lives” for three years.
He privately 19-year marriage six months ago.
was said to have been “blindsided” by her husband’s decision after years of supporting him in his alcohol battles.
She , with sources in the States claiming he has moved on with “another woman”.
The four-time Grammy winner secretly bought his own property in Nashville earlier this year, and he and Nicole have told pals they now communicate “largely by phone”.
The film saw her having to fake multiple orgasms a day, and it was a head f***. For any married couple that would be hard.
Source
Nicole was pictured wearing her wedding ring just days before news broke of the
The stoic star is reportedly looking after the couple’s two daughters — Sunday, 17, and Faith, 14.
An insider said: “They are both lovely, amiable, gregarious individuals and, on paper, it should have worked – and for many happy years it did.
“But Keith has long had his demons and it was vital to that he didn’t drink if he was to make their marriage work.
“He has openly told friends he’s made mistakes in the past, but Nicole was constantly checking on him, making sure he was OK.
“It came from a loving place of concern but it was a case of ‘one more drink and game over’.
“It was a lot of pressure on them.
“Their work schedules also made things nigh-on impossible.
“They became like two ships in the night.
“His world tour and her back-to-back blockbuster films meant they physically struggled to see each other.”
Both Keith and Nicole have been quietly preparing for this behind closed doors for a few months.
Source
Nicole is also said to have endured a torrid time filming 2024
The source went on: “It really messed her mind and body.
“The film saw her having to a day, and it was a head f***.
“For any married couple that would be hard. It is simply not a normal day in the office.
“Nicole will always love Keith, and their children will always be the priority.
Nicole and Keith’s conflicting schedules saw them become ‘two ships in the night’
Nicole was said to have been ‘blindsided’ by Keith’s decision
“They will, of course, see each other still with the kids, and are working on maintaining their friendship and family bond.
“Who knows what will happen in the future, but they both have a lot of love and support around them.”
With an estimated combined fortune of £250million, they are thought not to have a pre-nup.
They own several properties across the globe, including a Manhattan duplex, a Beverly Hills mansion, a family home in Nashville and six apartments in .
A source added: “Both Keith and Nicole have been quietly preparing for this behind closed doors for a few months.
But they are nowhere near sorting financials out yet.
Multiple stints in rehab
“They are both earning powerhouses and supremely successful in their own rights, so really isn’t the focus right now.”
The Aussie actress and her country singer hubby were last seen together in June, at a match in Nashville.
Tellingly, there was no sign of Keith in Nicole’s “summer memories” slideshow posted on August 19, in which she embraced their two daughters, as well as her younger sister Antonia.
Keith has had multiple stints in rehab, including in the late Nineties for substance abuse.
In 2006 he had a major relapse which prompted a public apology to his wife.
Musician Keith married the Oscar winner in her home city of Sydney in 2006
Nicole with her ex husband Tom Cruise – one of Hollywood’s biggest ever stars
He spoke of the dangers of relapsing again in May 2022, while promoting the UK leg of his world tour – which meant eight months on the road away from his wife.
He declined an invitation of a night out on the tiles, saying: “I know if I go back in that direction it will be the end of my marriage – absolutely no doubt.
“She wouldn’t forgive me again, I definitely know that, but don’t let me stop you from partying.
“I had some really good times in the past for sure, but I’ll go back to my hotel and give the family a call back home in Nashville.”
A more recent indicator to marital problems came three months ago when he was grilled on Australian radio about his Oscar-winning wife’s recent on-screen sex scenes.
As well as , in which she played a woman who experiences her first orgasm, she got intimate with in romantic comedy A Family Affair.
‘Doesn’t like the personal stuff’
The questioning led to Keith apparently terminating the video call.
His spokesperson later said: “He doesn’t like the personal stuff . . . he doesn’t like talking about his wife . . . it’s private.”
But they insisted he did not deliberately abort the call.
Before Keith, Nicole was married to superstar .
They met in 1989 on Days of Thunder and got hitched the following year, before adopting two children.
However, in 2001, Tom left his wife “devastated” by filing for divorce after 11 years of marriage.
She later said she thought it was “perfect – until it wasn’t”.
Nicole subsequently dated US rocker Lenny Kravitz in 2003, and the couple got engaged before breaking up amicably due to hectic work schedules.
Meanwhile, Keith, who was born in before moving to Australia as a child, embarked on a stellar career in , with a string of glamorous partners.
In the early 2000s, he dated supermodel Niki Taylor, who appeared in the music video for his song Somebody Like You.
The pair were together for two years and got matching tattoos.
However, he was dogged by alcohol and substance abuse problems throughout, prompting a split.
In 2005 he met Nicole in LA and they married in her home city of the following year.
The Sun approached Keith and Nicole’s reps for comment.
Filming erotic drama Babygirl messed with Nicole head… pictured with British screen hunk Harris Dickinson 
