BEIJING, Jan. 8 (Xinhuanet) -- Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman and her country and western singer husband Keith Urban are expecting their first baby, her publicist said as quoted by media reports Tuesday.

Nicole Kidman (File photo)

    "Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban confirmed today that they are expecting a baby," Kidman's publicist said in a brief statement. "The couple are thrilled."

    The baby will be the actress's first natural-born child.

    Kidman, 40, was pregnant once before with her ex-husband Tom Cruise. She revealed after their split that she suffered an ectopic pregnancy and a miscarriage during the marriage.

    Kidman and Cruise adopted two children, Isabella, 14, and 12-year-old Connor.

    Rumors of Kidman's pregnancy have circulated for a few weeks, with reports she told her family over Christmas holidays in Australia that she was expecting.

    Kidman married Urban in Sydney in 2006.

    The early months of the marriage were described as difficult as Grammy-winning Urban spent two months in a rehab center in the United States. He acknowledged an addiction to cocaine in the past and credited Kidman with seeing him through his crisis. 

    Kidman's most recently-released film is the extravagant fantasy "The Golden Compass."

    Although the film was attacked by some critics, the actress's performance as the glamorous villain Coulter won wide praise.

    For most of 2007, Kidman was in Australia filming Baz Luhrmann's big budget epic "Australia" with Hugh Jackman. She plays an English aristocrat who inherits a massive cattle station in outback Australia prior to World War II.

    (Agencies)

Rep says Kidman's pregnancy news is no news

Nicole Kidman (R) and her husband Keith Urban.  (Photo: China Daily/Agencies)

    BEIJING, Dec. 31 (Xinhuanet) -- Celebrity fans seeking pregnancy news should stick with Jamie-Lynn Spears and stop fussing about Nicole Kidman, an Australian rep for the actress says.

   "It is incorrect ... she must have had about 30 babies by now," her spokeswoman told News.com.au. "She's in Australia making a film and her family are in Australia. She's happily ensconced away somewhere having a few days break. It's the silly season. As far as we're concerned, it's another rumor out of London.” Full story

Nicole Kidman declares pregnancy

    BEIJING, Dec. 30 -- Nicole Kidman and her husband of 18 months are expecting their first baby, the Daily Mail can revealed.

    The Oscar-winning actress and Keith Urban, the country and western singer she calls the "love of my life", broke the news to their families over the Christmas holiday. Full story

Tired of Hollywood hassle, Kidman craves farm life

    BEIJING, Dec. 12 (Xinhuanet) -- After she finishes filming "Australia" and performing in "Need" with Naomi Watts, Nicole Kidman says she's going to "disappear" from the Hollywood scene and "hang out" on a farm in Tennessee.

    "Actually, I'm not that interested in working right now," Kidman told The Times UK. "I think that a lot of my wish to work was about wanting to get lost, not wanting to be in the world."  Full story