The Oscar-winner and 'Top Gun' star adopted two children during their 11-year marriage
Keith Urban talks opening the 2023 ACMs and his marriage with Nicole Kidman
Keith Urban revealed the secret to his lasting marriage with actress Nicole Kidman and how Kidman gifted him the guitar he'll be using at the 2023 Academy of Country Music Awards.
Nicole Kidman’s AFI Life Achievement Award celebration was missing a few family members.
While her daughters with Keith Urban, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, were present for the event, her two adopted children with Tom Cruise, Connor and Isabella, were absent.
Kidman has a reportedly strained relationship with the children, in part because of their participation in Scientology, alongside Cruise.
Regarding their relationship with her and the controversial religion, Kidman spoke with Australia’s WHO magazine in 2017, saying, "I have to protect all those relationships. I know 150 percent that I would give up my life for my children because it’s what my purpose is."
NICOLE KIDMAN OPENS UP ABOUT ADOPTED KIDS WITH EX TOM CRUISE: 'I’M VERY PRIVATE ABOUT THAT'
Nicole Kidman's adopted children with Tom Cruise, Isabella and Connor, were absent from her AFI Life Achievement Award event Saturday. (Getty Images)
"They are adults. They are able to make their own decisions. They have made choices to be Scientologists and, as a mother, it’s my job to love them," she continued. "And I am an example of that tolerance and that’s what I believe – that no matter what your child does, the child has love and the child has to know there is available love, and I’m open here. I think that’s so important, because if that is taken away from a child, to sever that in any child, in any relationship, in any family – I believe it’s wrong. So that’s our job as a parent, to always offer unconditional love."
Kidman and Cruise adopted Isabella in 1992 and Connor in 1995. During their divorce in 2001, they shared joint custody.
According to The Daily Mail, the children were "loyal to their father" and decided to live with him.
Kidman and Cruise adopted Isabella in 1992 and Connor in 1995 during their marriage. (Newspix/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
The outlet also claims Connor is currently "extremely loyal to his dad," but noted that Isabella apparently liked one of Kidman’s posts about the AFI Life Achievement Award over the weekend.
Kidman was "eager" to have them at the event, according to Daily Mail, but there was no further elaboration on any reason for their absence.
According to "Today," Isabella has been married to Max Parker since 2015, and launched a fashion brand, BKC, in 2018.
Isabella Kidman Cruise in 2016. (David M. Benett/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Connor has been seen occasionally with Cruise over the years, and even tried his hand at acting, appearing in 2008's "Seven Pounds" and 2012's "Red Dawn." Otherwise, he's kept a low profile, rarely appearing in public or posting on social media.
Connor Cruise and Tom Cruise in 2011. Connor has remained mostly out of the spotlight in recent years. (Noel Vasquez/Getty Images)
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
During her speech, Kidman didn’t appear to make mention of Connor and Isabella, but referred to her daughters with Urban as "the loves of my life," per People.
Cruise, however, did get an apparent shout-out during her speech.
Nicole Kidman appeared to reference Tom Cruise during her AFI speech, speaking on working with actors, saying "some of them you fall in love with, some of them you marry." (Getty Images)
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Kidman spoke of working with actors and learning from them, saying, "Some of them you may never meet again and some of them you do meet again. Some of them you have incredible laughter and jokes with, and you cry with; some of them you fall in love with, some of them you marry."
Kidman and Cruise met while working on the 1989 film "Days of Thunder" and married in 1990. They appeared in two more films together, "Far and Away" and "Eyes Wide Shut," before divorcing in 2001.
