Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman Have 'Finally Buried the Hatchet' 2 Decades After Bitter Split: Insider

Tom Cruise is said to be rebuilding his relationship with Nicole Kidman more than two decades after their bitter split, with sources telling OK! the former couple have "finally buried the hatchet" and are planning a long-awaited reunion with their children.

Cruise, 63, and Kidman, 58, were married for 11 years after meeting on the set of Days of Thunder in 1989, before divorcing in 2001 in what became one of Hollywood's most scrutinized break-ups.

Now, insiders tell us the pair have been in quiet contact for some time, discussing the possibility of meeting face-to-face as circumstances in both their personal lives have shifted.

Kidman's recent divorce from her second husband, Keith Urban, 58, finalized earlier this year after 19 years of marriage, and Cruise's reported desire to make amends with figures from his past are said to have created an opening for reconciliation.

An insider close to the situation said: "Tom and Nicole have both arrived at a place emotionally where the idea of being in the same room no longer feels fraught or impossible – which, for a long time, it absolutely did. There was a period where even the thought of sitting down together would have been unthinkable given the history and the distance between them. The desire to reconnect hasn't suddenly appeared out of nowhere – it's been there quietly in the background for years – but the reality of making it happen has been complicated by demanding schedules and, more recently, everything Nicole has been dealing with in her personal life."

The source continued: "Now that Nicole is on the other side of her divorce and has regained a sense of stability and emotional footing, there's a clear shift in her mindset. She feels stronger, more self-assured, and more open to revisiting parts of her past that she may have avoided before. She's very aware of how significant this would be, especially for their children, and that's a major driving force behind her willingness to move forward with it. It's a huge step when you consider how long they've been estranged, but time has done a lot of healing – both of them have processed the pain and are in a place where they can let go of the bitterness that once defined their dynamic, and have effectively buried the hatchet now."

Cruise and Kidman's separation was marked by deep tensions, including reported strains linked to Cruise's involvement in Scientology, which many believed contributed to the breakdown of their marriage.

In the aftermath, Kidman became distanced from their adopted children, Bella and Connor, who remained with Cruise and were raised within the church.

Reflecting on that period in 2007, Kidman said: "My kids don't call me mommy. They call me Nicole, which I hate and tell them off for it."

In 2019, she added: "They are able to make their own choices. They have made choices to be Scientologists and, as a mother, it's my job to love them. And I am an example of that tolerance and that's what I believe – that no matter what your child does, the child has love and the child has to know there is available love, and I'm open here."

Cruise's later marriage to Katie Holmes, which ended in 2012, was also widely reported to have been affected by similar issues surrounding Scientology, with their daughter Suri raised outside the church.

In recent years, however, sources suggest Cruise has adopted a more measured approach to his beliefs and has made efforts to reconnect with former friends, including David and Victoria Beckham.

According to those close to him, this shift has not gone unnoticed by Kidman.

"Over the past few years, there's been a noticeable shift in Tom's demeanor – he's far less intense than he once was, more measured, more open, and that change hasn't gone unnoticed by Nicole," one insider added. "It's played a significant role in how she now views the possibility of reconnecting, because the dynamic between them feels very different to what it was before. At the same time, Nicole is in a period of reflection herself. She's come out of her marriage feeling more self-reliant and emotionally clear, and that has given her the space to reconsider aspects of her past that she might previously have found too difficult to engage with."

They continued: "For those close to Tom, this has been a long time coming. There's always been an underlying sense that he wanted to reach a place of peace with Nicole and resolve the unfinished business between them. Over the years, he's made small, careful gestures that hinted at that intention without pushing too hard. Now that Nicole is open to the idea, there's a huge sense of relief on his side. It was never something he could make happen on his own, so her willingness to meet him halfway carries a lot of emotional weight for him."

Plans for a reunion are said to be in motion, with London emerging as a likely location due to Bella's residence and Cruise's frequent time in the city, though Florida, where Connor lives, is also under consideration.