Nicole Kidman opens up about kids and their relationship to Scientology

Rebekah Scanlan
·Senior Lifestyle & Entertainment Producer
Actress Nicole Kidman and actor Tom Cruise attend the 63rd Annual Academy Awards After Party Hosted by Irving ‘Swifty’ Lazar on March 25, 1991 at Spago in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)
Actress Nicole Kidman and actor Tom Cruise attend the 63rd Annual Academy Awards After Party Hosted by Irving ‘Swifty’ Lazar on March 25, 1991 at Spago in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage)

By Rebekah Scanlan, Yahoo Lifestyle AU

Nicole Kidman has opened up about her ‘very private’ relationship with her two eldest children from her marriage to Tom Cruise.

In a rare conversation about her adopted kids, Bella, 25, and Connor, 23, the actress discussed how she deals with their commitment to the Church of Scientology when she herself doesn’t believe in it.

“They are adults. They are able to make their own decisions,” she told Who magazine.

Nicole Kidman has made a rare comment about her relationship with her adopted kids Bella Cruise and Connor Cruise. Source: Getty
Nicole Kidman has made a rare comment about her relationship with her adopted kids Bella Cruise and Connor Cruise. Source: Getty

Nicole’s struggles with Scientology

But the mum-of-four — who shares two daughters Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret with husband Keith Urban — went on to describe that it’s her duty as a mum to love them no matter what.

“They have made choices to be Scientologists and as a mother, it’s my job to love them,” she said.

“And I am an example of that tolerance and that’s what I believe — that no matter what your child does, the child has love and the child has to know there is available love and I’m open here.”

Over the years, the 51-year-old has remained notoriously tight-lipped about the difficulties she’s faced since separating from Tom — a devout Scientologist — after 11 years of marriage in 2001.

The 51-year-old has never spoken about her relationship struggles with her kids, after splitting from Tom Cruise — a devout Scientologist — after 11 years of marriage in 2001.Source: Getty
The 51-year-old has never spoken about her relationship struggles with her kids, after splitting from Tom Cruise — a devout Scientologist — after 11 years of marriage in 2001.Source: Getty

Choosing family versus faith

Fellow Aussie Joel Edgerton, who worked with Kidman in her current movie Boy Erased, alongside Russell Crowe, spoke about the battle in a chat with Yahoo Lifestyle just last week.

“Nicole has her own connection with religion and faith,” he explained in an interview with Yahoo Lifestyle.

“If you know Nicole well enough, you know a bit about her history and choosing family versus faith and various things that connect her with this story.”

Nicole Kidman is now married to singer Keith Urban and has two kids, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, seen here in 2014. Source: Getty
She’s now married to singer Keith Urban and has two kids, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, seen here in 2014. Source: Getty

Nicole has never spoken publicly about Bella and Connor’s faith before, making this rare comment on the cult-like religion even more remarkable.

It was a documentary in 2015 that delved into the hidden life of Scientology that first suggested the religion was behind the wedge between the Big Little Lies star and her older kids.

Boy Erased is released in UK cinemas 8 February 2019

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