Nicole Kidman gave candid comments on her past, present, and future in a new interview with Harper’s Bazaar, offering fans a glimpse into the 58-year-old actress’s mindset amid her high-profile divorce from country music singer Keith Urban.
When the Oscar-winning actress spoke to Harper’s Bazaar writer Amber Kallor about her perspective on getting older, she said, “There’s something to knowing that no matter how painful, or how difficult, or how devastating something is, there is a way through.”
Kidman continued, “You’re going to have to feel it. You’re not going to be able to numb it.” She emphasized, however, that no matter how insurmountable the problem may seem, “if you move gently and slowly—and it can take an enormous amount of time—it does pass.”
With the dissolution of Kidman and Urban’s 19-year marriage at the forefront of our collective mind right now, it is hard to stop oneself from reading between the lines.
Rumors have swirled surrounding the catalyst for the pair’s separation, with The Daily Mail reporting that Urban, 57, was romantically involved with a “younger woman in the industry,” later revealed to be 25-year-old guitarist Maggie Baugh. The speculation was only fueled when Urban purportedly changed the lyrics to his song “The Fighter” during a performance, altering them to be about Baugh rather than Kidman. Baugh has since received a flood of criticism and accusations of being a “home wrecker.”
Kidman also stressed the value she places on her past experiences and how they inform her approach now. “So you go, ‘Oh, I’ve been here before. I actually know how to handle this now,’” she said, referencing her mindset. “Or, ‘Maybe I haven’t been in this place, but I’ve experienced something similar to this, and I do know that I will get through it.’”
The Big Little Lies star may have first alluded to her marriage troubles in a recent Vogue interview, with journalist Wendell Steavenson writing that she “guessed as much,” referencing the couple’s potential separation, but that she “didn’t want to pry.“
”When I asked about how she felt now, in her 50s,“ Steavenson wrote, ”I had expected to hear a nice trite response about the sagacity of age.” Instead, Kidman asked the Vogue writer, “How many times do you have to be taught that you think you know where your life is going and then it isn’t going in that direction?”
One of the more surprising (or at least more playful) revelations of the Harper’s Bazaar interview: Kidman admits she once disliked her skin tone and her height—two of her most recognizable features.
“I used to hate [my fair skin],” Kidman said. “It’s still not my favorite thing, but I appreciate it [now] because it’s very good on film, so I use it that way.” As for her 5′11″ stature, the Nine Perfect Strangers star said that while she once pretended to be shorter, she now feels “lucky to be tall, and I hate so much more leeway with what I eat because there’s so many more places for it to go!” Kidman’s daughters with Keith Urban are similarly tall, with Sunday Rose Kidman-Urban and Faith Margaret Kidman-Urban each hitting the 5′10″ mark.
In addition to her more intimate thoughts, Kidman also spoke about her go-to skincare products, including several from Clé de Peau Beauté. The luxury skin and makeup brand announced Kidman as its global beauty ambassador in July.
One of her favorites: La Créme, a rich moisturizer held in a stunning, geometric pot that comes with an eye-popping $835 price tag. (On a personal note: While I have yet to try La Créme, I must admit that Clé de Peau Beauté’s $285 foundation is quite literally one of the best formulas I’ve ever tried, and one of the few products I consider worthy of its steep price tag. The brand is good. Trust me.)
Kidman elaborated on other aspects of her beauty regimen, right down to her shower and sleep habits. “I really try to lather up because I love [my skin] to be moist,” she told Harper’s Bazaar, adding that she loves to exfoliate before “putting on moisture at night.” She also revealed that she uses a silk pillowcase, which can help prevent overnight hair breakage and damage, and that she sleeps with an eye mask.
In response to the news of Kidman and Urban’s separation, a sort of rallying cry has been heard across the internet as fans cheer for the star. It’s a news cycle that feels like a repeat of her days as a meme following her divorce from Tom Cruise—a pink-and-green snapshot of unbridled joy that left an undeniable imprint on the internet’s memory, whether you believe the meme’s questionable mythology or not.
“I’ve seen a lot, I’ve experienced a lot, and I’ve survived a lot,” Kidman told Harper’s Bazaar. “I want to pass on some of that knowledge and that wisdom and whatever I’ve learned. I’m not big on telling people what to do, but I’m more than happy to share.”
