Nicole Kidman, Keith Urban separate after 19 years of marriage

Los Angeles: Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman and country music star Keith Urban have officially separated after nearly two decades of marriage, PEOPLE magazine confirmed on Monday. The couple, once hailed as one of Hollywood’s most enduring love stories, have been living apart for several months, with sources close to the family revealing that Kidman had been hoping to save the marriage.

Kidman, 58, and Urban, 57, married in a private ceremony in Sydney in June 2006, after meeting the previous year. They share two daughters: Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14.

Despite public displays of affection, including a heartfelt Instagram post from Kidman on their anniversary in June, insiders say the separation has been quietly unfolding behind the scenes for some time.

“Nicole didn’t want this,” one source told PEOPLE.

“She has been fighting to save the marriage. But the family is now focused on supporting her through it all.” The actress’s sister, Antonia Kidman, has reportedly been a key emotional support during the split, described by those close to the situation as her “rock.”

Urban is understood to have moved out of the family home in Nashville and into a separate residence in the same city earlier this summer. While neither Kidman nor Urban have publicly commented, multiple sources say the decision to separate appears to have been driven primarily by Urban.

“People close to Keith felt like the split was kind of inevitable,” according to reports, adding that it “hasn’t been a secret” among the couple’s inner circles.

The pair were last seen in public together in June at the FIFA Club World Cup match in Nashville. Just days later, Kidman posted a black-and-white photo of the couple on Instagram, captioned: “Happy Anniversary Baby @KeithUrban.”

However, the strain in their relationship had reportedly been growing for some time, exacerbated by conflicting work schedules and long periods apart.

Kidman had recently been filming ‘Practical Magic 2’ in London, while Urban has been on the road with his ‘High and Alive’ World Tour, with his next performance scheduled for October 2 in Pennsylvania.

Throughout their marriage, the couple were known for their unconventional approach to communication, famously choosing not to text one another. “We don’t text. We call. We’ve done this since the very beginning,” Kidman once said in an interview, crediting Urban as a grounding presence in her life during the height of her Hollywood career.

Kidman was previously married to Tom Cruise, with whom she adopted two children, Isabella and Connor. Urban has spoken in the past about how meeting Kidman transformed his life, both personally and professionally.

While no formal divorce filing has been announced, the separation marks the end of a nearly 20-year partnership that began with promise and deep affection, but ultimately could not withstand the pressures of distance and a demanding public life.