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 whom she has two adopted children.
She said: "I didn't foresee it that you can meet somebody with whom you have a deep and more profound love.
"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 have ever met. He is 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, actress Katie Holmes.
She added: "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. You move into a stage where you are able to be a fuller person in your relationship."
The 41-year-old actress said she finds 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 is a beautiful love, but there is 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 is why we chose not to sell photos of her. We just want to have our little cocoon." - Bang Showbiz