Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban are the picture-perfect couple. Their affection for one another on red carpets knows no bounds, and they’re just two years shy of celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary.
But as fans of the Australian duo know, things haven’t always been great between them. It’s been widely reported that Urban entered rehab shortly after their 2006 wedding, but he chose the evening his wife was bestowed the AFI Life Achievement Award to truly pay tribute to the woman he believes saved his life.
“We got married in June 2006, and barely four months into our marriage, my addictions that I had done really nothing about blew our marriage to smithereens,” he told the crowd, while a stoic Kidman watched on from the audience, which included the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Naomi Watts and Meryl Streep. That’s when Kidman made the brave decision to stand by her new husband. “I went into the Betty Ford Center for three months,” Urban continued.
“Four months into a marriage, I’m in rehab for three months with no idea what was going to happen to us,” yet, “Nic pushed through every negative voice – I’m sure even some of her own – and she chose love.”
That was the moment the actress’ stoic facade fell, and her emotions took over. Wiping tears from her eyes, she watched on as Urban gushed: “Here we are tonight, 18 years later.”
He’s never tried to hide his past. During an interview with The Times in 2022, he explained that while he doesn’t have anything against people having a “great time” with drugs and alcohol, it’s just not for him. “I realised I’m allergic to it,” he explained. “Someone said, ‘You have an allergy? What happens when you drink?’ And I said, ‘I break out in cuffs.’” He continued: “I don’t talk a lot about it because I love my audience being able to just come and have a great time. I’ve nothing against drugs or alcohol. Everyone does what they want to do to have a great time.”
Nowadays, having a great time means spending time with his daughters Sunday, 15, and Faith, 13, at their homes in Australia and the US.
“The thing about Nic, she loves life. I’ve actually never met anyone who has such a passion for being alive,” Urban added to his speech, before gently touching on his own upbringing with a father who drank to excess. “She knows the importance of expressing feelings as well … I wasn’t raised like this at all so our girls are very lucky to be learning from you, baby. I’m learning too.”
There’s no doubt Kidman and Urban have created a safe and loving home for their two daughters, which is a far cry from his own upbringing.
“I don’t recall him ever telling me he loved me as a kid,” Urban once told Rolling Stone Country, while talking about his father Robert, who passed away in 2015. For Urban, the abuse at home was physical and emotional.
Decades on – two of those with the Moulin Rouge! actress – Urban has transformed himself completely – and he’s not embarrassed to give credit where credit’s due. He’ll always be thankful for the “extraordinary woman” he married.
