Nicole Kidman calls out reporter's 'sexist' question about Tom Cruise

Nicole Kidman may not be annoyed by the public's fascination with her marriage to Tom Cruise, but that doesn't mean she's eager to talk about her ex-husband all the time.

The Oscar-winning actress balked at a reporter's question about Tom Cruise while promoting her new film Being the Ricardos. Nicole, who plays Lucille Ball, was discussing the I Love Lucy star's relationship with Desi Arnaz when the awkward moment happened.

"It's about a creative and romantic relationship that doesn't work out. But from it come some extraordinary things. And I love that. I love that it's not a happy ending," Nicole told The Guardian of the film, which examines Ball and Arnaz's relationship. The iconic pair called it quits in 1960 after more than 20 years of marriage.

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

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"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. You may have kids with them. You may not, but they were very much in love."

According to the journalist, she then asked Nicole "with exquisite care" if this was her way of talking about her ex Tom Cruise.

"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," the 54-year-old actress reportedly said in response.

"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.'"

It's true Nicole seems to field more questions about Tom, though, than he does about her. The Australian star, now happily married to Keith Urban, was recently asked by Harper's Bazaar whether she feels annoyed by the press focusing so maniacally on the relationship.

"I was young. I think I offered it up?" she replied. "Maybe I've gotten a bit more trepidatious, but I’m always trying to be as open as possible. I just prefer to live in the world that way."

Nicole and Tom filed for divorce in 2001 after 11 years of marriage and two kids together. Despite jumping for joy after the divorce was finalised, Nicole recently opened up about going through depression after the split.

She revealed it was while she was starring as Virginia Woolf in The Hours, a role that would go on to win her an Oscar. But she admitted she became an "open vessel" to the suicidal character's thoughts after taking on the role.

Nicole also spoke with Yahoo Lifestyle at the Being the Ricardos Australian premiere recently, opening up about what drew her to the role of beloved comedienne Lucille Ball and why it was so “terrifying”.

“To play her, but also Aaron Sorkin having written and directed it and to work opposite Javier Bardem and then all of the actors that he had handpicked for each role, I think that's the intoxicating mix,” she said.

Reporting by Taryn Ryder and Lachlan Guertin.

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