Nicole Kidman has a "more evolved" love with Keith Urban than she did with ex-husband Tom Cruise.

The actress - who welcomed daughter Sunday Rose with country singer Keith into the world in July - never thought she could fall in love again after splitting from Tom, with who she has two adopted children.

She said: "I didn't foresee it, that you can meet somebody who you have a deep and more profound love with.

"I want to be really careful with that because I don't want to take away from 11 years with Tom that were really important. Really, for our kids - they were amidst a lot of love. It wasn't bad. And now we're amidst a more evolved love.

"Keith is the greatest man besides my dad I've ever met. He's loyal and he's a soul searcher. Keith gave me a life. He gave me a home."

Nicole also revealed she hopes Tom has found the same kind of happiness with his wife Katie Holmes.

She added: "I don't mean to take away anything with Tom, but I would hope that he has the same thing - I know he has the same thing with Katie. You move into a stage where you're able to be a more fuller person in your relationship."

The 41-year-old actress said she is finding it difficult to control her feelings for her newborn daughter.

She told an American magazine: "At 41, it's more of a painful love. I look at that little girl, and I'm like, 'Oh, no, what's going to happen?' It's almost like my heart is stretching - I'm feeling all the muscles stretch with emotion. It's a beautiful love, but there's a lot of fear and pain for her life, and for my other children Bella's and Connor's lives.

"When it comes to my kids, I'm just like a lioness. I'm like, 'No one gets near my babies!' That's why we chose not to sell photos of her. We just want to have our little cocoon."