Nicole Kidman Says Her Dad Got Her Through Split with Tom Cruise

Courtesy of SplashNews.com

Nicole Kidman on Father's Day weekend has said that her father played a major role in pulling her through her sudden split with former husband Tom Cruise in 2001. "When my marriage to Tom Cruise fell apart, I really needed to reach out to my dad, and he was wonderful," she said.

"He stood by me, comforted me. [He] Showed me at a time when I really needed to see it, the way that a man can be strong and dignified and loving." Speaking on her 42nd birthday on June 20, Kidman said, "I'm very grateful that I had such a good father to see me through that time because it put me in good stead for trusting again the next time I fell in love. My father ... is a very good and decent man." Kidman's father, Anthony, is director of the University of Technology Sydney's health psychology unit and author of books on stress and mood management. But while growing up on Sydney's upscale north shore, Kidman said she chose to ignore his advice more than listen to it. "When I was younger he was always trying to give me advice that I wouldn't listen to," she said. "Now that I'm older, I really value his insight. When I was younger, I always felt closer to my mother than to my father. It wasn't until I was older that I really realised how special my father is, too." Kidman's mother, Janelle, is a nurse educator and editor, who recovered from breast cancer in the 80s. Her younger sister, Antonia, 38, is a popular television commentator and mother and baby expert, whose own marriage to Angus Hawley crumbled while he suffered mental health problems and was admitted to a rehab clinic.

Provided by: Philippa Bourke / Splash News