Nicole Kidman Reveals The True Story Behind That “Tom Cruise Divorce” Meme
My world is rocked.
One of the internet’s favorite memes may have just been ruined. For years, an image of Nicole Kidman looking triumphant in 2001 has been a source of inspiration for social media users because of the supposed story behind the photo. But now Kidman has revealed that beloved viral anecdote is totally wrong.
If you’ve been on any form of social media in the past decade, chances are you’ve seen this ever-present meme of Kidman. In the pics from 2001, Kidman is wearing a sheer pink top as she extends her arms and appears to let out a scream of freedom. The shots are frequently accompanied by the claim that Kidman had just finalized her divorce from her ex-husband Tom Cruise in this moment. “Live every day like you’re 2001 Nicole Kidman leaving her lawyer’s office after divorcing Tom Cruise,” the meme often reads.
However, Kidman recently revealed the photos are not related to her divorce from Cruise at all. “That was not me; that was from a film, that wasn’t real life,” Kidman told British GQ on Nov. 18. The actor didn’t reveal the name of the project. When she was told the divorce story that’s now associated with the images, she confirmed it’s a false narrative: “That’s not true.”
Fans of celebrity gossip found this meme particularly inspiring due to the infamously difficult marriage between Kidman and Cruise. The two married in 1990 shortly after first meeting one another the year prior. During their time together, they adopted two kids and co-starred in the erotic thriller Eyes Wide Shut. In 2001, they divorced citing irreconcilable differences.
After clearing up that meme, Kidman also explained the lore behind a few more of her viral moments — like when a clip of her clapping with her fingers bizarrely fanned away from her palms at the 2017 Oscars blew up. “I had a massive heavy borrowed ring on and it was really painful, and I was scared of wrecking the jewelry,” Kidman said.
Her latest brush with viral stardom is her beloved AMC Theaters commercial, which is endlessly quoted among online cinephiles. “Yeah, yeah. ‘Heartbreak feels good in a place like this,’” Kidman said, confirming she has no issue with becoming an internet fixture if it’s for a cause she believes in. “I’ll do anything for cinema, so you can meme me as much as you want.”
