Why was Keith Urban in rehab? Singer confessed addiction almost destroyed marriage to Nicole Kidman before separation

During a difficult period in their 19-year marriage, Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman faced several challenges related to Keith's drug and alcohol abuse, which nearly destroyed their marriage.

Keith previously opened up about his past addictions to The Times in 2022. He shared that he began abusing drugs and alcohol in his early years of his career as a coping mechanism.

He acknowledged that he grew up in an "alcoholic house" and because his father was an "alcoholic," he was " wired the same." He later went to rehab in 1998 and went on to marry Nicole Kidman in 2006. However, his addictions, which he'd "done really nothing about," nearly "blew our marriage to smithereens," Keith shared during a heartwarming speech at the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala 2024.

With Kidman's support, he went to rehab to treat alcohol addiction.

"Four months into a marriage, I'm in rehab for three months. I had no idea what was going to happen to us … and if you want to see what love in action really looks like, give that a whirl. Nic pushed through every negative voice, I'm sure even some of her own and she chose love. And here we are tonight, 18 years later," he added.

In the aforementioned interview with The Times, he added:

"I don't talk a lot about it because I love my audience being able to just come and have a great time. I've nothing against drugs or alcohol. Everyone does what they want to do to have a great time. I just realized I'm allergic to it. Someone said, 'You have an allergy? What happens when you drink?' And I said, 'I break out in cuffs,'" he said.

Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman separate after 19 years of marriage - Reports

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have separated after 19 years of marriage, TMZ reports.

(https://t.co/4KRbwxhHZF) pic.twitter.com/R2jaHHNul4

— Pop Base (@PopBase) September 29, 2025

On September 29, TMZ released a report citing multiple sources claiming that Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman have been living apart "since the beginning of summer."

The source told the outlet that Nicole, who did not want to separate, has been taking care of their daughters, Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14, and "holding the family together through this difficult time since Keith has been gone."

They also alleged that Keith has "acquired his own residence in Nashville and has moved out of their family home," which is also located in the same city.

Meanwhile, sources cited by People Magazine's September 29 report claimed that Antonia, Nicole's sister, "has been a rock and the entire Kidman family has come together to support one another." They also claimed that Nicole "has been fighting to save the marriage."

The couple first met at the G'Day USA gala in Los Angeles in 2005, and exchanged numbers. However, in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres in 2017, Nicole revealed that Keith didn't call her for months.

"I had such a crush on him, and he wasn't interested in me. It's true! He didn't call me for four months," she said.

However, Nicole shared in a 2019 interview that she knew he was the one when he stood outside her New York apartment with gardenias at 5 a.m. on her 38th birthday.

"It was my [38th] birthday, and he stood outside with gardenias at 5 a.m. on my stoop in New York. That is when I went, 'This is the man I hope I get to marry.' "

The couple got engaged on May 15, 2006, and married the following month in Sydney. They welcomed their first daughter, Sunday Rose, on July 7, 2008, and their second child, Faith Margaret, on December 28, 2010. She was born via surrogate, per People Magazine.

"Our family is truly blessed, and just so thankful, to have been given the gift of baby Faith Margaret. No words can adequately convey the incredible gratitude that we feel for everyone who was so supportive throughout this process, in particular our gestational carrier," the couple said in a statement.

Nicole Kidman was previously married to Tom Cruise. The ex-couple adopted two children, Isabella Jane and Connor Antony.

It is worth noting that neither Keith Urban nor Nicole Kidman has made any official announcement regarding their separation.