The long-awaited divorce of two of entertainment's most prominent power couples, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, has finally been granted by a Nashville, Tennessee judge. The court filing, issued on Tuesday, stated that the couple's settlements on splitting assets and child custody were sufficient, and the divorce was granted.
The judge, Stephanie J. Williams, wrote that "there exist such irreconcilable differences between the parties that would render continuation of the marriage impractical and impossible." Both Kidman and Urban waived their right to appear at the hearing, leaving the public to speculate about the reasons behind their split.
The divorce news came as a surprise to many, but it had been in the works for some time. All legal issues involving assets and custody had been settled and signed the day Kidman filed for divorce in September. Tennessee requires a 90-day waiting period for couples with minor children before a divorce can take effect.
Kidman and Urban, both 58, have two teenage daughters together. Their divorce filing stated that they had "marital difficulties and irreconcilable differences." The plan they signed states that Kidman would be the primary residential parent to the children, and they would remain living in Nashville as they have all their lives. The filing also states that neither parent would need child or spousal support, and outlines a roughly equal division of their joint assets.
The two stars, who met in Los Angeles in 2005 and were married in Sydney the following year, have been fixtures on the red carpet throughout their two-decade relationship. Urban often joined his wife at the Oscars, while Kidman attended music events like the Academy of Country Music Awards. Despite publicly discussing some marital difficulties, there were few outward signs that the divorce was coming.
This is the first marriage for Urban and the second for Kidman, who was married to Tom Cruise from 1990 to 2001. Kidman also has two older children with Cruise. As they move forward with their lives, fans can only hope that they will find happiness in their respective paths.
