News of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s split after nearly two decades of marriage has sent shockwaves around the world.
Long regarded as one of the most enduring couples in showbusiness, they blended the worlds of movies and music through their seemingly successful union.
The Oscar-winning actress filed for divorce in a Tennessee court on Tuesday, confirming the rumours, saying the pair’s marriage had suffered irreconcilable differences.
Now, attention has turned to the couple’s prenuptial agreement, signed before their 2006 wedding. Details of the arrangement have resurfaced, with reports suggesting that country music star Urban could walk away with a significant sum due to an unorthodox clause.
According to reports, the couple included a “cocaine” clause that would see Urban earn $600,000 from Nicole for every year they were married, if he remained sober during their relationship.
Urban has spoken candidly about his struggles with addiction in the past. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2010, he explained how Kidman staged an intervention just months after their wedding, which ultimately strengthened their bond and helped him overcome his addiction.
The Long Hot Summer singer could now walk away with a staggering $11million from this clause alone, as he has reportedly been sober since entering rehab in 2006.
"Everything was just designed, I believe, for that moment to fuse us together," he told Oprah.
"I look back now and realise Nic has taught me so much and brought so much into my life and opened my eyes in so many ways," he said. "[This is] the best place I've ever been."
He later told Rolling Stone he was “very, very blessed to have Nic call an intervention”, adding that having a “tight group of friends” around him made it easier.
Kidman and Urban, two of the biggest stars to come out of Australia in recent decades, have been red carpet fixtures throughout their two-decade relationship, with Urban attending the Oscars with his wife and Kidman attending the Academy of Country Music Awards.
Together, the couple have two children, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14, and are based in Nashville.
The reason for their split is unclear, but a source confirmed that Kidman did not want to separate, as first reported by TMZ.
A marriage dissolution and childcare plan agreed on by the couple have been included in the filings and submitted for a judge’s approval.
"The mother and father will behave with each other and each child so as to provide a loving, stable, consistent and nurturing relationship with the child even though they are divorced," the permanent parenting plan states.
"They will not speak badly of each other or the members of the family of the other parent. They will encourage each child to continue to love the other parent and be comfortable in both families."
Kidman will be the primary residential parent to the pair’s two daughters, according to the plan. She will have them for 306 days per year with Urban taking them for the other 59.
With both parents earning more than $100,000 per month, neither will need childcare or spousal support.
The marriage dissolution plan lays out a roughly equal division of joint assets, with each keeping assets in their own name.
Kidman was previously married to Tom Cruise. The pair were married for more than ten years and also have two children together. Their marriage ended in 2001.
