Resurfaced clip shows Nicole Kidman mocking Tom Cruise's height after their breakup: "I can wear..."
A video of Nicole Kidman making a subtle joke about her ex-husband Tom Cruise has gone viral again, with many calling it "iconic." The clip comes from Nicole Kidman's appearance on the 'Late Show with David Letterman' in August 2001, shortly after her divorce from Tom Cruise. Recently shared on Reddit, it gained significant attention. Kidman and Cruise were married for nearly 11 years, from 1990 until 2001, when Cruise filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences," according to the NZ Herald.
In the video, Letterman asked Kidman about her divorce, to which she replied, "Well I can wear heels now." The audience and Letterman burst into laughter, as the comment was seemingly a jab at Cruise’s height. Kidman then made a playful facial expression and added, "Let's move on." Letterman responded, "Wow. wow. That's gonna cost you." In 2022, this old clip resurfaced on Reddit and quickly went viral. Thousands of users reacted, with many praising Kidman’s comment as "iconic" and admiring her facial expression after delivering the joke. One Reddit user commented, "His 'that's gonna cost ya' was kinda chilling in the context of Tom Cruise," receiving hundreds of upvotes. Another user, described Kidman’s response as "f****g iconic,"** while another praised "her face after saying it." Others reacted with comments like, "I'm crying. Nicole Kidman is just iconic," and simply, "slayed."
To understand Kidman’s comment, it helps to know that Cruise is often said to be about 5'7" (170 cm) tall, which is a bit shorter than an average American man. Kidman, on the other hand, is around 5'9" (179 cm), much taller than an average American woman, who is about 5'4" according to The Guardian. When wearing heels, she would have been even taller than Cruise. Even after their divorce, Kidman spoke warmly about Cruise. In a 2006 interview with Ladies' Home Journal, she said, "He was huge; still is. To me, he was just Tom, but to everybody else, he is huge. But he was lovely to me. And I loved him. I still love him," as per Today. She also called their divorce "a major shock." Since then, both have moved on, Kidman married musician Keith Urban, while Cruise has had other relationships.
Kidman’s comment is not the only time Cruise’s height has been a topic of discussion. Reports suggest that throughout his career, he has used different tricks to appear taller. Cruise, who carefully manages his public image, has been known to wear shoes with thicker heels and pose in ways that minimize height differences with taller co-stars, as per CheatSheet. For example, when he was married to Kidman, they often stood close together in photos, with Kidman slightly lowering her posture to make the height difference less noticeable. Cruise frequently wore Cuban-heeled shoes, while Kidman chose shorter heels. This careful coordination helped them present a balanced look on the red carpet, as per Bro Bible.
On the other hand, Kidman recently discussed the challenges she faced with breastfeeding after the birth of her first child, expressing gratitude for her sister's support during that period saying, "I was terrified, asking, 'What just happened? Where's my milk?'" Instyle reported. Professionally, Kidman is receiving major praise for her role in the upcoming drama 'Babygirl,' where she portrays a sexually frustrated corporate executive. Cruise, on the other hand, is reportedly considering a sequel to the 1990 NASCAR drama 'Days of Thunder,' reflecting his interest in revisiting past successful projects, Hello Magazine reported. Their son, Connor Cruise, recently marked his 30th birthday and shared a rare photo of himself enjoying a golf outing with friends, as per Yahoo.