Australian country star Keith Urban, 54, details how his wife, actress Nicole Kidman, helped him survive his drug and alcohol addiction. (Photo: ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images)
Keith Urban shares how wife Nicole Kidman helped him fight alcohol and cocaine addiction.
In a new interview with The Sunday Times, the 54-year-old Australian country star has opened up about his road to recovery, which has included several stints in rehab and ultimately encouragement from his wife.
“Everyone does what they want to do to have a great time. I just realized I’m allergic to it. Someone said, ‘You have an allergy? What happens when you drink?’ And I said, ‘I’m breaking out in handcuffs,'” Urban joked.
The singer first entered treatment in 1998, followed by a hiatus a few months after her marriage to Kidman in 2006, at her urging. Now, Urban – who shares daughters Faith, 10, and Sunday, 13, with Kidman, credits her for helping him get back on track with his new ballad, “Thank You.” The song features lyrics such as “I thank you for my life”. Urban says the touching message specifically honors his wife.
“I had to find another way to be in the world,” he explained. “I’m glad it didn’t change anything about my music. I wrote a lot of hits while drunk. I wrote a lot soberly. I’m glad it didn’t define my creativity.”
The seeds of Urban’s alcoholism were planted in his childhood. Growing up with an alcoholic father, he saw what the disease could do to a family. But accepting that he had the same problem as his father was a real challenge.
“My dad was an alcoholic, so I grew up in an alcoholic home and it took me a long time to believe I was wired the same way,” he shared.
Urban says he avoids talking about his sobriety because he wants his legion of fans to be able to enjoy themselves without having to deal with the heavy subject.
“I don’t talk about it much because I love that my audience can just come and have a great time,” he said. “I have nothing against drugs or alcohol.”
While Urban is proud to share how much Kidman has been supportive, the actress is also fond of emphasizing that the support is mutual. At last month’s 94th Academy Awards, Urban flew in in the early hours after the performance so he could walk the red carpet with his wife, who was nominated for Best Actress for Being the Ricardos.
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“I’m so happy to be here with my husband who was playing in Vegas last night and flew in and landed at 1am,” Kidman said on E!’s Live from the Red Carpet, People reported. “Whatever is necessary.”
The couple celebrated their 15th anniversary last June. Along with a sweet photo of the couple hugging in front of the Christmas tree in matching holiday pajamas, Urban shared how much his life has grown since he married Kidman.
“My life began when you said ‘yes’ 5,475 days ago today,” Urban commented on the photo.