Prenup’s “cocaine clause” could see Urban pocket millions after split from Nicole Kidman
Keith Urban could receive a multimillion-dollar payout from his divorce with Nicole Kidman, thanks to a unique clause in their prenuptial agreement that rewarded him for staying sober.
The country music star, 57, and the Oscar-winning actress, 58, are in the process of dividing assets after nearly two decades of marriage. Together, the pair are said to have amassed a joint fortune of around $500 million, including an 11-strong portfolio of luxury homes across the US and Australia.
Urban reportedly moved out of the family’s Nashville home earlier this year, with sources claiming the couple have lived apart since the summer. Now, attention has turned to the details of their prenup — and a provision that could leave Urban with more than $17 million.
Dubbed the “cocaine clause,” the agreement stipulated that Urban would receive $900,000 for every year of marriage in which he remained free from drugs and alcohol. The unusual condition was reportedly written into the contract before the couple’s 2006 Sydney wedding, reflecting Urban’s struggles with addiction at the time.
Urban has been candid about his battles with substance abuse, which escalated during his move to Nashville in the 1990s. “When I was onstage, I felt good,” he told Rolling Stone. “But offstage I was very insecure. I felt like I didn’t have much to offer. I was just an alien. I stepped up my drinking. I started doing more drugs. The back end of the Nineties were just awful.”
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The turning point came shortly after his marriage to Kidman. Just four months into their union, she staged an intervention, urging him into rehab. Urban later described the moment as life-saving, admitting it was the fork in the road that forced him to choose between self-destruction and a future with Kidman.
“All through the years of drinking and doing drugs, I always had this very specific voice inside of me that goes, ‘One day, you’re gonna come to a crossroads’,” Urban told The Zane Lowe Show earlier this year. “I knew that was it. You’re either gonna choose to get out of this s**t, or you’re never gonna get out of it.”
Since then, Urban has remained sober throughout the couple’s 19-year marriage, with Kidman’s support credited as a decisive factor in his recovery. In interviews, he has often described her intervention as pivotal, both personally and professionally.
The prenup’s clause, however, turned that commitment into something more tangible. Reports in outlets including the New Zealand Herald and Radar Online suggest Urban could now collect up to $17 million for meeting its conditions over the duration of their marriage.
The so-called sobriety incentive was one of several unusual terms in the couple’s agreement. Legal experts say such clauses are rare but not unheard of, especially when addiction has played a role in a relationship. By all accounts, Urban has honoured the deal completely — and with the divorce now moving forward, he may soon see the financial reward alongside the emotional and career stability that sobriety has given him.
Kidman and Urban married in a lavish Sydney ceremony in June 2006 and went on to raise two daughters. While the split brings an end to one of Hollywood’s most enduring marriages, Urban’s recovery story — and the unique clause in their prenup — means he could emerge not only personally stronger but financially enriched.