Nicole Kidman calls out ‘sexist’ question about ex-husband Tom Cruise

Nicole Kidman has called an interview question about her marriage to Tom Cruise “sexist”.

The actors were married between 1990 and 2000. They adopted two children together.

In a recent interview in The Observer, Kidman was discussing her new movie, Being the Ricardos, in which she portrays I Love Lucy star Lucille Ball.

Speaking about Ball’s relationship with Desi Arnaz, Kidman said: “It’s about a creative and romantic relationship that doesn’t work out. But from it comes some extraordinary things. And I love that. I love that it’s not a happy ending.

“This film says you can make an extraordinary relationship thrive and leave remnants of it that exist forever. Yeah, that’s really gorgeous.

“You can’t make people behave how you want them to, and sometimes you’re going to fall in love with someone who isn’t going to be the person you spend the rest of your life with. And I think that’s all very relatable.”

Observer journalist Eva Wiseman then asked if Kidman was alluding to her marriage to Cruise, to which Kidman responded: “Oh, my God, no, no. Absolutely not. No. I mean, that’s, honestly, so long ago that that isn’t in this equation. So no.

“And I would ask not to be pigeonholed that way, either. It feels to me almost sexist, because I’m not sure anyone would say that to a man. And at some point, you go, ‘Give me my life. In its own right.’”

Wiseman noted that Kidman appeared to be “angry” and that she “choked a little” on her water when the topic of Cruise was raised.

In Being the Ricardos, Kidman stars opposite Javier Bardem’s Arnaz. The film chronicles the tumultuous relationship of the stars of hit Fifties sitcom I Love Lucy.

It follows the couple during one week of filming I Love Lucy – from a Monday table read to a Friday shoot – while they navigate crises and challenges that threaten their relationship and careers.

Read The Independent’s three-star review of the film here.