With a number of racy roles behind her, including 2024’s erotic thriller, Babygirl, it’s little wonder that men are reportedly lining up to date newly single Nicole Kidman.
Gorgeous, successful, sharp-witted and grounded, the actress’ split from her husband of 19 years, Keith Urban, in September, appears to have sparked a new dating era for the A-lister.
But unlike us mere mortals who may find ourselves attempting everything from swiping to speed-dating and hoping Tom from accounts picks up on our flirtatious Teams banter, we’re told that Nicole, 58, is keen to navigate her own dive back into the dating world with a unique set of rules that any man lucky enough to date her must follow.
An insider says, ‘Nicole has plenty of friends who are single and famous and very A-list, just like her, so they’ve all given her the low-down on what she needs to do to protect herself when she’s dating.
‘It goes beyond just being selective; they’ve advised her to have anyone she even goes on a date with to sign a long NDA before they meet. It sounds like it would be a turn off for most men, but Nicole’s friends have all promised her it won’t be an issue and that guys will be happy to sign in order to get close to her.
‘Nicole has taken all the advice to heart and knows she has to protect herself.’
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Her secrecy is a far cry from her two marriages to date, which have both developed under the glare of the spotlight, with her 1990 marriage to Tom Cruise catapulting the pair to ultimate Hollywood golden couple status ahead of their divorce a decade later in 2001.
While her marriage to Keith, who she connected with at a G’Day USA Gala in 2005 before the pair tied the knot the knot the following year, was comparatively low key, Nicole’s love life has been a topic of fascination for nearly four decades.
So it comes as little surprise that we’re told Nicole is unwilling to date a tall, dark and handsome stranger, with reports already swirling that wealthy businessman, Paul Salem, Chairman of the Board at MGM Resorts International, is ‘romantically pursuing’ Nicole.
And after having found love with her own businessman beau, Oliver Haarmann, in 2024, our source says Nicole’s pal Reese Witherspoon is ‘urging her’ to give Paul a chance.
‘Everyone in her life is encouraging her to be open minded and have some fun. There’s a lot of talk right now about this billionaire Paul Salem who wants to date her, he’s not her usual type at all, he’s not an artist, but she is considering at least entertaining the possibility,’ the insider says.
‘Nicole is only considering men who come recommended through a friend. And they need to be at her level in one area of their life. She doesn’t need a famous man but he has to be successful, and passionate about something.
‘Reese is urging her to go for it, she’s very happy with her businessman boyfriend and is telling Nicole she’s living proof that opposites can attract.’
Meanwhile, the source says that with her divorce only finalised last month, any steps Nicole may be taking toward finding love again are very tentative.
We’re told, ‘Nicole is very flattered by all the men pursuing her but just because a guys is interested does not mean she’s automatically going to give him a shot. She is making a list of her deal-breakers and sticking to them, she’s far from desperate.’
When the news of Nicole’s split from Keith broke last year, it was reported at the time that Nicole had been the one to want to work on their marriage, while Keith had not.
Speculation over the reason behind their shock split reached its peak within days of Nicole’s divorce filing when rumours emerged that Keith had been involved with fellow country star Maggie Baugh, 25, who had been supporting him on tour. However, friends close to Maggie, who has a long-term boyfriend, strenuously denied the claims.
And then just weeks later, Keith was linked to another rising star, Karley Scott Collins, 25, who also supported him on tour over the summer. The country musician was also forced to take to social media last week to address rumours she had ‘moved in’ with him, calling the reports ‘ridiculous’ and ‘untrue’.
In November, Nicole also confessed in an interview that she was ‘hanging in there’ post-divorce, and now the source says the A Family Affair actress will be approaching any potential new relationship with ‘caution’ while she discreetly ‘plays the field’.
The insider says, ‘Of course even if Nicole does accept a date with the guy, she isn’t going to be diving headfirst into anything; she just wants to play the field and explore this new chapter, or at least that’s her mindset right now and it’s what all her close friends are encouraging her to do.
‘Dating as someone with Nicole’s level of fame comes with complications most people never have to think about, that’s why she’s approaching everything with caution. She won’t be going on any public dates with anyone until things are established; she doesn’t want the headache of dealing with all the speculation that will stir up.’
Nicole’s divorce settlement last month also granted her primary residential custody of her and Keith’s daughters, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 15, stipulating that she would have the girls 306 days a year, while Keith will have them for 59 days, which includes every other weekend.
And the source makes it clear that Nicole will continue to prioritise her daughters and has no plans to bring a new man into their lives any time soon.
The insider says, ‘She’s not going to introduce any man to her daughters until things are very serious; she’s saying at least six months or even a year of dating. She’s extremely protective of them and won’t want to risk putting them through any sort of unnecessary stress.
‘She’s also considering getting a dating coach since she’s been out of the game so long. That way she can have someone that’s an expert help her navigate all the emotions that she knows are going to come with this new stage of life that she never imagined herself being in at her age.’