Nicole Kidman Transformed From 'Besotted Wife' to 'Rigid Rag Doll' around Keith Urban in a 'Matter of Weeks' before Shock Marriage Split
Nicole Kidman appeared 'infatuated' with Keith Urban during May's Country Music Awards, compared to their most recent appearance together.
Oct. 2 2025, Published 8:25 a.m. ET
Nicole Kidman transformed from an infatuated wife to an awkward and "rigid" version of herself in the weeks leading up to her split from husband Keith Urban, an expert has claimed.
RadarOnline.com can reveal the difference between the Aussie actress when she attended the 60th Academy of Country Music Awards in May with her now estranged husband, compared to this most recent outing in June, is stark according to body language expert Judi James.
Togetherness And Affection
The former coupled gazed into each other's eyes on the red carpet of the Nashville ceremony.
At their jaunt in May, Urban, 57, was honored with the ACM Triple Crown Award, and James observed the pair gave off mutual signs of ongoing adoration, unlike their last public outing together at FIFA Club World Cup were they were spotted watching from an executive box.
James explained: "Nicole's behavior was almost balletic in the way she hung round his neck or responded to his cheek kisses as though in some level of deepest ecstasy.
"Would a woman on the verge of a split and potentially in a state of negativity towards her husband adopt such extreme poses of adoration? It's unlikely enough to suggest Nicole was still completely attached to her husband here in May.
"Of course, they looked like overkill rituals, but they were so emphatically and equally performed that it seemed impossible to imagine it was underpinned by anything other than togetherness and affection.
Having Fun
The pair also joked around for the cameras.
"Why go so far to produce industrial-strength signals of romantic involvement if behind the scenes you're primed for a split? It could only mean egg on one of their faces and neither were really in need of the publicity.
"I see celebrity couples performing tangos of passion on the red carpet all the time and it's nearly always either to plug a movie they're co-starring in or to keep them relevant by producing a thirst trap for the fans.
"But their recent Country Music Awards appearance came when Keith was receiving what looked like the highest accolade tribute as an artist, while A-list Nicole's star is on a constant high.
"And Nicole made herself a very noticeable presence at the awards. She got her own applause, and she canoodled in the front row with Keith and fan-girled him when he was on stage.
'Rigid' And 'Awkard'
Nicole, pictured here in 2017, looked 'awkward' and 'rigid' during FIFA World Club Cup appearance in June.
"There was no subtlety about her appearance, just a totally besotted wife adoring her husband in a very camera-hogging way.
"Her red carpet pose here entails a possessive hand of proud ownership on Keith's chest and a knowing smile to the camera to suggest 'He's mine.'
"Nicole even stands closer to press her shrugged torso against his while he holds her bum and she smiles coyly at the camera, making them look like a couple that needs to 'get a room.'
"As he encircles her with his arms to kiss her on her cheek in the front row seats, Nicole grabs at his arm in a gesture of appreciation and reciprocation while her closed-eyed expression of ecstasy tells the cameras she's in some kind of state of bliss at his touch."
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The pair, here in 2019, announced their split after 19 years on Monday.
The same appearance of unity and romance could not be said of the couple's outing one month later.
James told The Daily Mail: "By June, at the FIFA Club World Cup though, Nicole's body language makes her look like a rigid doll here.
"Her arms are held stiffly at her sides, and her chin is pulled in as her eyes are held wide open. It's the strangest, most awkward-looking pose from a woman who is normally bound round her man like ivy.
"Keith looks uncomfortable with no touch between them, grinning nervously as he clutches and leans against the rail with his tongue appearing to protrude in a gesture of anxiety and/or rejection."
The Hollywood couple’s separation after 19 years was revealed on Monday, with Kidman, 58, filing for divorce 24 hours later.
