How Nicole Kidman got her revenge, 24 years late: Babygirl actress, 57, has eclipsed ex Tom Cruise's career to become an awards darling - while he's been left with a 'deadbeat dad' image
Share:
She's one of showbiz's most in-demand actresses, who has proven she can effortlessly flit from action-packed blockbusters, psychological dramas and back again. But 23 years ago, Nicole Kidman went through a drama of her own - when her marriage to Tom Cruise came to a sudden end.
![[Pictured: Nicole Kidman with Babygirl co-star Harris Dickinson. Nicole won Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival in September for her role in the erotic thriller]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/07/11/93792627-14255859-image-a-38_1736247894019.jpg)
The couple - who met on the set of Days of Thunder in 1989 and married the following year - shared two adopted children and were once one of Hollywood's most influential power couples, raking in millions with every project. Although the split reportedly came as a 'major shock' to Nicole, the Australian actress refused to fade into her ex-husband's shadow - much like his first actress wife Mimi Rogers.
![[Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise pictured with their adopted children Connor and Isabella in 1996]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/07/11/93792521-14255859-image-a-39_1736247894032.jpg)
Instead, the Academy Award-winning star has carved out a career that has arguably eclipsed her ex's, spanning across both the small and big screens. In the wake of her divorce in 2001, Nicole appeared to channel her heartbreak into her career - scoring roles in Moulin Rouge, The Hours, which won her an Oscar, and The Others.
![[Pictured: Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor in Baz Luhrmann's Moulin Rouge, which made almost $180m at the global box office in 2001]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/07/11/93792685-14255859-image-a-40_1736247894035.jpg)
Meanwhile, the star - who remarried country singer Keith Urban in 2006 - is also now one of television's most highly-paid actresses, having reportedly been paid $1m-an-episode for season two of Big Little Lies. What's more, the star was nominated for her 20th Golden Globe for her role in the erotic thriller Babygirl, which has been met with rave reviews from critics and earned her the Best Actress award at the Venice Film Festival in September.
![[Nicole Kidman and her children Connor and Isabella attend a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Miami Heat at the Staples Center in December 2004]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/01/07/11/93792779-14255859-image-a-41_1736247894046.jpg)
