Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have formally ended their 19-year marriage, becoming legally divorced after a judge in Nashville, Tennessee, signed the dissolution on Tuesday. The couple, both renowned Australians in the entertainment industry, reached agreements on dividing their joint assets and the custody of their two teenage daughters prior to the hearing.
At the court proceeding, Judge Stephanie J. Williams authorized the divorce after reviewing the settlements between Kidman and Urban, describing the marriage as irreconcilably broken with differences that rendered its continuation unfeasible.
Neither Kidman nor Urban attended the hearing, having waived their rights to do so. Requests for commentary from their representatives were not immediately responded to. Kidman initiated the formal divorce process in September, surprising much of the public, though legal arrangements for settling assets and custody had been completed concurrently with her filing.
Tennessee law enforces a 90-day waiting period before a divorce becomes effective in cases involving minor children. The couple, aged 58, share two daughters and acknowledged "marital difficulties and irreconcilable differences" in their divorce submission.
According to their agreed plan, Kidman is designated as the primary residential parent for their children, with intentions to continue residing in Nashville, where the family has spent most of their lives. The agreement stipulates there will be no requirement for either child or spousal support, and the former spouses will split their shared assets almost equally.
Both Kidman and Urban have achieved prominent careers, with each emerging as major Australian talents. Their relationship began in Los Angeles in 2005 and culminated in marriage in Sydney the following year. Throughout their time together, they maintained a high-profile presence at public events such as the Oscars and country music award ceremonies.
The couple had occasionally spoken openly about challenges in their marriage, yet indications of divorce were scarce until the recent filings. This marks Urban's first marriage, while it is Kidman's second following her previous marriage to Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001, with whom she has two older children.