Nicole Kidman “Baby Dream Comes True” Is Tabloid Bait-And-Switch

Truth rating: 0

(Woman’s Day)

A tabloid cover story announcing Nicole Kidman’s “baby dream” has “come true” is a bait-and-switch that wrongly leads readers to believe the star is pregnant. The actual story, however, is about her daughter, Bella Cruise, and it is based on a false premise that’s already been debunked. Allow Gossip Cop to explain what’s going on.

The new cover of Woman’s Day Australia features a large picture of Kidman with her hand on her midsection, with the announcement, “Nicole’s Baby Dream Comes True!” There is also a smaller photo of her husband Keith Urban, with the declaration, “The moment Keith found out!” A consumer looking at the front of the issue would rationally conclude Kidman is expecting a child. But that reasonable interpretation is based on deception and tabloid trickery.

The photo of Kidman is from more than a year ago and was taken at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival. Obviously then, it has nothing to do with the present day, and the actress certainly wasn’t pregnant a year ago. Meanwhile, the picture of Urban on the phone is from when he was manning the call line at the “Music City Keep on Playin” benefit back in 2010. Perhaps needless to say, but that also doesn’t have anything to do with their life now in 2018.

But in using those images, along with those purposefully-worded cover lines, the gossip magazine’s goal was to bait readers into thinking its new edition features an announcement about Kidman and Urban having another baby. Inside the issue comes the switch: The article is actually about Kidman supposedly becoming a grandmother. The story begins by asserting her daughter, Bella Cruise, is “reportedly adopting a child — and it’s brought her closer to her mum… in the most beautiful way.”

The narrative is based on “reports out of the US,” but Gossip Cop has already addressed the lone report on this subject. Almost exactly two weeks ago, In Touch falsely claimed Kidman was helping Cruise adopt a child, much like she herself was adopted by her mom and father Tom Cruise. But on top of there being no evidence whatsoever that Cruise herself was currently planning to adopt, Kidman’s spokesperson confirmed to Gossip Cop that the report was untrue.

Now Woman’s Day is using that debunked tale as inspiration to contend that Cruise has “reached out to Nicole for help” with the adoption process, an allegation that’s already been revealed as false. In fact, while the outlet quotes its own alleged “source” and “insider” on the subject, both of whom are anonymous and untraceable, it still qualifies certain claims with phrases like “according to US magazines.” It is readily apparent that its article is based on the original In Touch report and nothing more. And, significantly, in the time since this storyline first emerged earlier this month, not one reputable publication was able to corroborate it or prove that it has any merit whatsoever.

So, not only is Woman’s Day regurgitating allegations that have already been disputed, but the tabloid also saw fit to put them in a misleading package in order to grab attention on newsstands. A bait-and-switch cover accompanied by a story already shown to be untrue gets a big, fat zero on our rumor meter.