Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman’s Split Wasn’t ‘a Secret’ to Friends, His Circle Felt It Was ‘Inevitable’ 

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s split after almost 20 years of marriage has stunned Hollywood — though it didn’t come as a surprise to those close to the country star, a source tells PEOPLE.

According to the insider, it “really hasn’t been a secret” that the Babygirl actress, 58, and the musician, 57, have “been living separately for a while now.” The source added, “People close to Keith felt like the split was kind of inevitable.”

The couple’s separation was confirmed on Monday, Sept. 29, just three months after celebrating their 19th wedding anniversary. Married in 2006, they share two daughters: Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14.

Their last public appearance together was in June, when they attended the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup match between Los Angeles Football Club and Esperance de Tunis in Nashville. Shortly after, Kidman marked their June 25 anniversary with a black-and-white photo of the two on Instagram, writing: “Happy Anniversary Baby ❤️ @KeithUrban.”

Both have been focused on their careers this summer. Kidman wrapped filming Practical Magic 2 in London, while Urban has been headlining his High and Alive World Tour, with his next performance scheduled for Oct. 2 in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

A source also told PEOPLE that Kidman has leaned heavily on her family during this difficult time, particularly her sister Antonia. “The entire Kidman family has come together to support one another,” the insider said. “She didn’t want this. She has been fighting to save the marriage.”

Over the years, the pair often spoke about the effort it takes to make a relationship last. In a 2018 interview with PEOPLE, Kidman explained: “I think it’s knowing that you have to keep contributing to what we call the ‘us.’ You go, ‘Does this work for us?’ When you make an us, it’s yours together — that’s what you create. Nobody else has that. It’s just between the two of you.”

Urban, for his part, publicly praised his wife as recently as April 2024, when she was honored at the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala. Calling Kidman’s presence “heart and spirit,” he reflected on the early days of their romance, joking about how nervous he was to call her after first getting her number: “I did, as you probably figured out, pluck up the courage to finally call her.”