Kidman's Iconic High Heel Quip Resurfaces Amidst Keith Urban Divorce News
A memorable quip made by Nicole Kidman in 2001 regarding her separation from Tom Cruise has gained renewed attention, coinciding with her recent divorce from her second spouse, Keith Urban.
This widely circulated video originates from the Big Little Lies star's guest spot on The Late Show With David Letterman in 2001, marking her initial public statement about her breakup with Cruise, who is 63. (Cruise and Kidman, 58, revealed their separation in February 2001, concluding a decade of marriage. They share two adopted children: Bella, 32, and Connor, 30.)
At that point, Kidman's primary reason for being on host David Letterman’s CBS talk show was to publicize her horror hit The Others; however, Letterman commenced the discussion by pressing her with inquiries concerning her divorce from Cruise.
“You appear wonderful. I understand you are divorcing. How is that progressing?” Letterman, 78, inquired of Kidman as she settled into her seat for their interview segment.
Indicators Suggesting Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban Were Approaching a Separation
Letterman remarked that he was “assuming everything was fine, otherwise you wouldn’t be present,” prompting Kidman to respond: “I would likely still be here.”
Kidman acknowledged she was receiving “numerous inquiries” concerning her divorce, subsequently subtly disclosing a benefit of separating from Cruise.
“Indeed, I can wear high heels now,” Kidman quipped, apparently alluding to Cruise’s stature.
She then prompted Letterman, “Let us progress. We are moving forward now.”
Further into their conversation, Kidman reassured the esteemed late-night personality that she was “doing well,” subsequently reversing the inquiry by asking: “How did your divorce unfold?”
Letterman was wed to his initial wife, Michelle Cook, from 1968 until 1977, and has been married to his current wife, Regina Lasko, since 2009. (Letterman and Lasko are parents to their son Harry, 21.)
Kidman has seldom spoken about her separation from Cruise following her 2001 interview with Letterman, though she notably conveyed to Vanity Fair the subsequent year that she had been “prepared to sacrifice all” for her marital union.
“I now perceive that [characteristic] as inherent to my nature. I am prepared to act in that manner — I also do so when filming a movie. I am willing to say, ‘Yes, bring it on, engulf me, enthrall me,’” she clarified. “I desire to experience vivacity — I wish to be deeply affected, essentially. I was deeply affected with Tom and I cherished it, and I would have journeyed to the furthest reaches of the globe. That entailed relinquishing many aspects that held significant importance for me.”
In a more recent development, Kidman penned in a 2018 New York Magazine article that it “nearly [seemed] improper” to delve into her divorce from Cruise after her 2006 nuptials with Urban.
“I entered matrimony at a young age, but for me, it was certainly not about authority — it was about safeguarding,” she conceded. “My marriage was rooted in affection, yet being wed to an exceptionally influential man shielded me from sexual harassment. I maintained my career, but I remained largely sheltered. Consequently, upon emerging from [the marriage] at 32 or 33, it was almost as if I was compelled to mature.”
A Retrospective on Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's Nuptials Prior to Their Unexpected Separation
Conversely, Cruise lauded Kidman as “an outstanding actress” in May 2025 during a conversation about the demanding production of their 1999 film, Eyes Wide Shut, alongside the esteemed late director Stanley Kubrick.
Us Weekly disclosed that Kidman initiated divorce proceedings against her second husband Urban, concluding 19 years of marriage, on Tuesday, September 30. Kidman specified “irreconcilable differences” as the grounds for the dissolution. The pair reached an accord for Kidman to be designated the “primary residential parent” for their two adolescent daughters, Sunday, 17, and Faith, 14.
An insider exclusively informed Us that the estranged pair had been “privately separated for some time” as they “required a period to ascertain whether they would indeed proceed with a divorce.”
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban Were 'Addressing Issues' Prior to Their Separation
“This outcome was not Kidman’s choice, and she is profoundly distraught,” the source elaborated to Us. “Her faith was eroded, and the situation had become irretrievable. Nicole had been endeavoring to resolve their marital issues and wished to prevent this information from becoming public. She confided in few friends about the true state of their relationship and had been internalizing this for months.”
Us contacted both Kidman and Urban seeking a statement.
Kidman was observed publicly for the first occasion since initiating divorce proceedings on Wednesday, October 1, engaging in exercise and conversing with her sister, Antonia Kidman, in Nashville.
