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.

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

"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.

"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," she said.

"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 America's Elle 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."

Bang! Showbiz