When Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban tied the knot back in 2006, they did what many Hollywood power couples do: they signed a prenuptial agreement. But this wasn’t your standard contract. Tucked into the legal language was an extraordinary and very personal clause that has now taken center stage in their divorce. This unique stipulation, widely dubbed the “cocaine clause,” was designed not just to protect their fortunes but to safeguard their future together against Keith’s publicly acknowledged struggles with addiction. It was a clause built on hope and a commitment to sobriety.
Now, nearly two decades later, with Nicole having filed for divorce, that very clause is making headlines. Reports suggest that Keith, having upheld his end of the bargain by remaining sober, is in line for a staggering financial payout. What began as a mechanism for support and stability has, in the context of their separation, become a multi-million-dollar point of contention, revealing the complex intersection of love, law, and personal demons.
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Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s Clause Forged from Crisis
The foundation of this unusual prenup clause was laid during the earliest, most fragile days of their marriage. Keith Urban has been remarkably open about his battles with substance abuse, candidly sharing how his addictions nearly destroyed their union just months after they said “I do.” In a powerful speech at the AFI Life Achievement Award Gala honoring Nicole last year, he admitted, “We got married in 2006, and barely four months into our marriage, the addictions that I had done really nothing about blew our marriage to smithereens.” He found himself in rehab for three months, with no idea if his new marriage would survive the turmoil.
It was Nicole who orchestrated a pivotal intervention. Keith recalled to Oprah Winfrey in 2010 that it was done with such profound love that he immediately agreed to get help. “She made a decision to turn around and initiate ultimately this intervention. It was done in such a way that the love in that room at that moment was just right. I was like, ‘Put the cuffs on, let’s go,'” he said. This experience, while almost breaking them, ultimately strengthened their bond and became the bedrock for the prenup’s most talked-about condition. The clause reportedly stated that for every year Keith remained sober, he would earn a significant sum from Nicole, said to be $600,000 per year.
The Multi-Million Dollar Outcome of Sustained Sobriety
Nicole Kidman’s jaw-dropping prenup detail will leave you speechless… 💔💵 pic.twitter.com/e3jyKaXS8N
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Fast forward to today, and that clause is no longer a theoretical safeguard but a concrete financial reality. After 19 years of marriage, Keith’s sustained sobriety means the clause has been activated in full. The total payout is calculated to be a jaw-dropping $11.4 million. While the financial incentive is undeniable, the emotional backdrop is far more complicated. Keith Urban has consistently credited Nicole Kidman with saving his life, meaning the woman who helped him achieve this sobriety is now the one who must pay for it, financially speaking.
Unsurprisingly, this has reportedly created a fresh wave of tension between them. Insiders claim that Nicole is “furious” and feels “deeply betrayed” by the situation. One source suggested, “Nicole feels the clause was slipped in to protect Keith, but in the end, it protects his finances. She supported him through his addiction, and now she sees him benefiting from it.” Another source added that while she is glad he stayed sober, “she resents that the payoff comes out of her pocket. To her, it feels like rubbing salt into the wound of their break-up.”
Of course, the “cocaine clause” is just one part of a much larger financial picture. The couple has built an immense fortune together, estimated to be in the hundreds of millions, and accumulated a sprawling property portfolio that includes multi-million-dollar homes in Nashville, Beverly Hills, and Sydney. According to their filed divorce documents, they have agreed to a roughly equal division of joint assets, with each retaining assets in their own name and waiving any future spousal support.
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They have also settled on a parenting plan for their two daughters, with Nicole Kidman serving as the primary residential parent. Yet, in the midst of these more conventional settlements, the “cocaine clause” stands out—a lasting testament to a battle they fought together, now with a price tag attached as they prepare to part ways.
