Tom Cruise Files for Divorce

Wednesday, February 7th 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

LOS ANGELES (AP) â€” Tom Cruise filed for divorce Wednesday, citing irreconcilable differences as the reason for splitting with actress Nicole Kidman after 10 years of marriage.

The Superior Court petition filed two days after the couple disclosed their separation said they will share custody of their adopted children Conor, 6, and Isabella, 8.

``It is Tom Cruise's desire that the dissolution of the marriage be handled amicably,'' attorney Dennis Wasser said. ``His major concern is the welfare of the parties' children.''

The couple separated in December, the filing said. On Monday, the couple blamed ``difficulties inherent in divergent careers'' for keeping them constantly apart.

Publicists said the actors would have no additional comment.

It is the second failed marriage for Cruise, who divorced Mimi Rogers in 1990 after three years. That same year, Kidman and Cruise met on the set of ``Days of Thunder'' and were married that Christmas Eve in Telluride, Colo.

Cruise, 38, has starred in a number of high-grossing and critically acclaimed films, including ``Born on the Fourth of July,'' ``A Few Good Men,'' ``Jerry Maguire,'' ``Mission: Impossible,'' ``Rain Man,'' ``Top Gun'' and ``Magnolia.''

Kidman, 33, spent three months in Spain last fall filming ``The Others,'' and Cruise was one of the executive producers. Her movie credits include ``Batman Forever,'' ``Malice'' and ``To Die For.''

The couple also starred together in the films ``Far and Away'' and 1998's ``Eyes Wide Shut, the erotic final film of Stanley Kubrick.

The couple divided their time between homes in New York, Los Angeles, Colorado and Kidman's native Australia, where news of the breakup hit hard. A front-page headline Wednesday in The Australian read: ``Tom and Nicole admit it's mission impossible.''

The couple were the toast of Sydney last year, living in a sprawling mansion while filming separate projects. They appeared regularly at social functions and Cruise won the hearts of sports fans by throwing his support behind a local rugby league team.

The Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday reported sadness among locals who said they would miss Cruise. Ros Reines, a gossip columnist with the tabloid Sunday Telegraph, said she was shocked.

``They were the Hollywood dream couple â€” our Nic and Tom,'' she said.

However, not all papers were sympathetic.

``Balancing work and family life is a formidable challenge for us all, but Tom and Nicole are among those best-equipped to do it,'' The Australian said, pointing out the couple was worth an estimated $250 million. ``Who do Tom and Nicole think they're kidding?''