She has often played a loving mother on screen and is close to her two youngest children, Sunday Rose Urban, 16, and Faith Urban, 14.
But Nicole Kidman’s relationship with her two eldest children is definitely more strained.
The 57-year-old actress remains tight-lipped about Bella, 31, and Connor, 29, who have not been seen in public for 16 years.
However, the Oscar-winning Australian was moved to receive a heartfelt letter from her two adopted children following the recent death of their mother – despite her broken relationship with the couple.
The A-lister once hinted that Bella and Connor are ‘loyal to their father’ and ‘don’t call her mum’ because they ‘chose Scientology’ over her when she broke up with Cruise.
But when the actress’ mother, Janelle, died unexpectedly at the age of 84, the siblings sent an emotional letter suggesting that the relationship was not acrimonious.
Nicole Kidman was reportedly touched when she received a heartfelt letter from her two adopted children following the recent death of her mother – despite her broken relationship with the couple
The 57-year-old actress is silent about 31-year-old Bella and 29-year-old Connor, with whom she has not been seen in public for 16 years.
Nicole learned her mother had died just hours after landing in Italy at the Venice Film Festival, where she was promoting her latest film, Babygirl.
She was awarded Best Actress for her role in the film, but director Halina Reijn accepted the award on her behalf and read a statement from the actor.
“I arrived in Venice today and learned shortly after that my beautiful, brave mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, has passed away,” the statement read.
“I am in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her, she shaped me, guided me and created me.
“I am infinitely grateful to be able to tell you all her name through Halina, the collision of life and art is heartbreaking and my heart is broken. We love you all.’
In response to the shocking news, Bella and Connor reportedly wrote a letter to their mother expressing their sympathy and support.
According to Woman’s Day, the actress is happy to hear from her children and would love to have them back in her life.
After the Australian-born actress’ mother Janelle died at the age of 84, the siblings sent an emotional letter suggesting their relationship was not acrimonious.
Little is known about Nicole Kidman’s relationship with her adopted children Bella and Connor (pictured with then-husband Tom Cruise in Sydney in 1996)
Nicole was seen regularly with her children in the early nineties, but they haven’t been photographed together since 2007. She was seen at a Los Angeles Lakers game in 2004
‘The most heartwarming thing for Nicole was getting a joint message from Bella and Connor, who she hadn’t heard from in a very long time,’ the source said.
‘It’s kind of sad that it took such a tragic moment for her to bring them back into her life, but she knows her mother would be so happy if her death brought her estranged grandchildren back into the family.’
The source also said that Nicole is willing to take time out from her career to give her relationship with her children the ‘best husband’.
Bella and Connor are the only children Nicole has with her ex-husband. The couple adopted a daughter in 1992 and a son in 1995.
During her relationship, the family were often pictured together, but following her split from the Top Gun star in 2001, the couple reportedly remained ‘loyal to their father’ and chose to live with him – meaning they were raised in the controversial Church of Scientology.
The Big Little Lies star has refused to talk about religion or her family ties in recent years and has reportedly been absent from many of her children’s life events, including Bella’s wedding at the Dorchester Hotel in London in 2015, despite living in the city at the time.
Nicole has two biological daughters with husband Keith Urban, pictured in Sydney in 2014.
Connor and Bella are pictured in London, where Bella lives with her husband
The Big Little Lies star has not been seen in public with her two eldest children since 2007 and was reportedly ‘devastated’ after the pair failed to attend her father’s funeral in 2014.
In 2018, the Nine Perfect Strangers star thanked her biological daughters and second husband Keith Urban while accepting her Golden Globe for Best Actress — but didn’t mention Connor or Bella.
In an interview with British morning show GMTV shortly after her last appearance with Bella and Connor, she revealed that Bella and Connor refer to her by her first name.
“My children don’t call me mom, they don’t even call me mom. They call me Nicole, which I hate,” she said.
Kidman has previously insisted she keeps in touch with Connor and Bella, despite the two choosing to live with Cruise after they split.
“They live with Tom, which was their choice,” she said.
‘I’d like you to live with us, but what can you do?’
She added to the E! News: ‘Everyone has their own path and when they find it, it’s a great relief as a parent.’
The last photo of Nicole in public with her two oldest children was taken in March 2007 at the Kids’ Choice Awards in LA.
Nicole hugs Connor during the 2003 18th Annual American Cinematheque Awards honoring Nicole Kidman at the Beverly Hilton.
The mother of four turned her back on the Church of Scientology when she split from Tom Cruise, a notorious and outspoken member of the controversial church.
The Top Gun star allegedly banned Nicole from Connor’s wedding to another high-ranking Scientologist in 2019.
“Tom is behind this and what he wants is as good as the law,” a source told RadarOnline.com at the time. “Tom called and Connor followed.”
Connor, a former DJ who now deep-sea fishes, ‘reveres the ground his father walks on’, the source added, claiming he would never disobey the actor.
In 2018, Nicole again broke her silence about her adopted children while speaking to Who Magazine and hinted that their broken relationship stemmed from their religious differences.
“I’m very private about all of this. I have to protect all of these relationships. I know 150 percent that I would give up my life for my children because that’s my purpose,” she said.
‘They are adults. They are capable of making their own decisions. They chose to be Scientologists and as a mother it is my job to love them.
Connor is said to be ‘loyal to his father’ and is often pictured with him, the pair seen in 2013
Connor and Tom are often together and were seen in Tampa in 2015
“And I’m an example of that tolerance and that’s what I believe in — that a child has love, no matter what your child does, and they need to know that love is there, and I’m open.
“I think it’s so important because if that’s taken away from a child, to take that out of any child, in any relationship, in any family — I believe it’s wrong. So it’s our job as parents to always provide unconditional love.”
She apparently hoped Bella and Connor would be there when he became the first Australian to receive a lifetime achievement award at the American Film Institute (AFI) ceremony in June, but they did not attend.
Ahead of the event, an alleged source told Australia’s New Idea: ‘Nicole knows Connor is extremely loyal to his dad so she doesn’t expect him to come, but the invitation is available for both of us.
“This is an event they have every right to celebrate with the rest of Nicola’s family,” they continued.
“Nicole tries to limit her expectations but clings to the hope that Bella will succeed.”
Connor is pictured with Keith Urban before his wedding to Nicole Kidman on a boat in Sydney Harbor in 2006.
She was last photographed with Connor in public at the Annual Kids’ Choice Awards in Los Angeles in 2007 when he was just 13 years old.
However, the family denies the rift.
In 2014, she told Woman’s Weekly that they are ‘generous, kind and hardworking. And these are the qualities I like to see in my children.
At the time, she also described her film Lev, where she plays an adoptive mother, as a “love letter” to her children.
In the same year, Connor also said: ‘I don’t care what people say. I know mom and I are solid. I love her very much. Family means everything to me,” he said.
Speaking to MailOnline in 2016, Bella said: ‘Of course [we talk]they’re my parents,” she says. “Anyone who says otherwise is full of shit.
She told New Idea in 2012: ‘I love my mother. [Nicole’s] my mom. it’s great. Sometimes I see her and talk to her,” adding, “we are a very close family. I love all our family.’
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