Nicole Kidman Finally Addressed The Tom Cruise Divorce Meme And Changed Our Perception Of It Forever

Nicole Kidman just blew our collective minds when it comes to the truth behind a long-running meme.

Nicole Kidman with long hair in a black dress with a sparkling neckline poses on a red carpet
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If you've been online for a long time, you likely know the exact meme I'm talking about already — Nicole, circa the early 2000s, wearing a pink top and seemingly yelling in the street. We can't host it directly due to licensing issues, but you can see it here.

Nicole Kidman in a floral lace dress with wavy hair smiles at an event
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For basically forever, the internet urban legend that's emerged around the photo is that it was taken shortly after Nicole finalized her divorce from Tom Cruise — which took place back in 2001.

Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise pose outdoors, with the man in a suit and the woman wearing a patterned dress and curly hair. They are in a public street setting
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In a recent interview with British GQ, a journalist mentioned the meme to Nicole herself — and her response may (nay, should!) change how you look at the photo moving forward.

Nicole Kidman in elegant coat with scarf, smiling outdoors at night, accompanied by a person in a formal outfit in the background
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“That was not me," she replied, presumably stating that the reaction captured in the photo wasn't her actual reaction to a real-life event. "That was from a film, that wasn’t real life. I know that image!”

Person smiling, wearing elegant earrings and a draped gown at a formal event
Gilbert Flores / Variety via Getty Images

When the journalist told her about how people believe that the photo was taken after finalizing her divorce, Nicole reportedly laughed and said, "That's not true."

Person in elegant off-shoulder black dress on a red carpet
Michael Buckner / Variety via Getty Images

There you have it. You can read the entire interview here.