Tom, Nicole to Share Custody

By Stephen M. Silverman

Wednesday November 14, 2001 01:05 PM EST

Nine months after the surprise announcement that Tom Cruise was suddenly splitting from Nicole Kidman -- which was then followed by spats of legal bickering, public relations wrangling and carrying on what was, at times, a very public split for such a private couple -- the hanging matters have been resolved. Cruise, 39, and Kidman, 34, "have come to an amicable, full resolution of all issues," according to a joint statement released to PEOPLE by Cruise's attorney, Dennis Wasser. The settlement, which was reached late Wednesday, was accomplished, said Wasser, "to ensure that the best interests of their children were protected." Cruise and Kidman, who were not present in court, will share the custody of their two children (Connor, 6, and Isabella, 8), both of whom were adopted at birth. Kidman had sought primary physical custody, while Cruise requested shared physical custody. Just recently, Cruise told PEOPLE, "My kids are the most important thing in the world to me. They always have been and they always will. There is nothing else in the world that matters to me right now." Not revealed is how the couple's property and assets -- which Fortune magazine estimates to be $250 million -- will be divided. To ensure privacy, the court papers have been sealed. "Tom and Nicole," Wasser went on to say, "will remain close friends." "We're family. We're going to raise these kids together . . . We're now just the parents that are no longer together but we still care about each other and there is a lot of love and respect there," Cruise told "Access Hollywood" this week. The Hollywood hunk, who has been romantically linked to "Minority Report" costar Penelope Cruz, also told "Access" that when it comes to getting married again, it's never say never. "I don't have any feelings like I'm never going to get married again. I don't feel that way. I'm very much a romantic, an optimist."