When Nicole Kidman once said: 'No, I can’t, I don’t, and I won’t'

Nicole Kidman has spent decades belting out hits and leaving everyone charmed by her exceptional performances. But one deeply personal moment revealed a quieter, firmer kind of strength. As her divorce from Keith Urban reaches its final chapter, an old reflection from the actress has resurfaced and struck a chord online. It came from a time when grief collided with professional duty, forcing Kidman to choose herself.

Last year, Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban announced their separation, surprising fans who had long viewed them as one of entertainment’s most steady couples. Three months after Kidman filed for divorce, the former couple has now finalised their divorce. The update comes amid renewed attention on Kidman’s candid conversation with Vogue, where she spoke about loss, boundaries, and learning when not to show up.

In the interview with Vogue, Kidman reflected on the many sudden deaths she has experienced over the years, calling them overwhelming. Her father passed away in 2014. Then, in September 2024, she lost her mother on the very day she was supposed to accept the Best Actress award for Babygirl at the Venice Film Festival. Despite external pressure to attend the ceremony, Kidman explained that she paused and realised she could not bring herself to go. She said, "And I just sat for a minute, and I went, No, I can’t, I don’t, and I won’t.” She acknowledged that her lifelong sense of discipline and duty made the decision difficult, but said that at this stage of her life, she prioritises self-protection and sees it as a basic human right.

About Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban divorce

While Kidman was processing personal grief, legal proceedings were quietly moving forward. According to Page Six, court documents filed on Tuesday show that Kidman and Urban mutually agreed to waive all rights to child support and spousal support. The custody arrangement states that their daughters, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 15, will live with Kidman for 306 days each year. Urban will spend time with them every other weekend.


People reported further details from the parenting plan, which outlines expectations for how the former couple will co-parent. Both Kidman and Urban have agreed to maintain a loving, stable, and nurturing environment for their daughters despite the divorce. The agreement also specifies that neither parent will speak negatively about the other and that both will encourage their children to feel comfortable and loved in both households.

TMZ reported that the couple had separated in June. Sources told the outlet that Kidman had hoped to save the marriage, while Urban did not share the same intent. The pair married in 2006 and share two daughters, now in their mid-to-late teens.