Nicole kidman was glowing when she walked into the Park, a swanky new eatery in New York's Chelsea neighborhood, on April 19. Capping her first week back in circulation after three months of near-seclusion, the statuesque Australian actor of the red ringlets and alabaster complexion was out and about among friends. She chatted with Matthew Broderick and his wife, Sarah Jessica Parker, who were fresh from the Broadway premiere of The Producers. It was a big celebrity crowd, and everyone was glad to see Kidman. Demi Moore - who hasn't been making the Hollywood scene lately, either - was in from Hailey, Idaho. Kidman's old homeland crony Russell Crowe was there as well.

Kidman, 33, who had come from an event at Bloomingdale's promoting her upcoming movie Moulin Rouge, showed up with the film's director, Baz Luhrmann, and his wife and production designer, Catherine Martin. British actor Naomi Watts - one of the select few who had held vigil at Kidman's Pacific Palisades, California, home after Kidman and Tom Cruise's separation was announced on February 5 - was by Kidman's side. Sipping cosmopolitans and talking animatedly, Kidman seemed happy. "She was in really good spirits," says a guest. "Friendly, talkative and excited."

At one point, Kidman met Jay Huguley, 34, an actor and a former Armani model. "You look beautiful tonight," he told Kidman, who was svelte and unadorned in a black jersey Gaultier couture dress, with her hair up in a ponytail. "Are you having fun?" Smiling, Kidman responded, "We're having a delightful time."

After sitting back down at their respective tables, Kidman and Huguley continued to make eye contact. "Nicole was throwing her head back and laughing and giving him the eye," according to an observer at a nearby table. At about 11 p.m., Kidman's group headed for the VIP room on the second floor, where the party carried on until after 3 a.m. Before retreating upstairs, Luhrmann asked Kidman if she wanted Huguley to join them. But Kidman, giggling, said, "I can't."

Until now, 2001 has been a year of cocooning for Nicole Kidman, and for good reason. Since her final outing with Cruise at the Golden Globe Awards on January 21 - when their conspicuous absence from the red carpet and separate departures triggered concern about their relationship - she has declined to discuss her much-scrutinized personal life or even to appear in public.

On February 7, Cruise, 38, filed for divorce from Kidman, a move that sources say surprised her. "She really doesn't understand why he is being like this," a friend of Kidman's tells Us weekly, adding that the couple had been fighting since December - despite renewing their wedding vows on Christmas Eve, their tenth anniversary. "At first, Nicole wanted Tom back, but now she just wants to work out a settlement and move on."

At stake is Cruise's fortune (which, estimated at $225 million, is twice Kidman's); the couple's $4.3 million white colonial-style five-bedroom mansion in Los Angeles and $4 million Australian home at Darling Point, overlooking Sydney Harbor; their 40-plus-foot fishing boat, Alibi; and, most crucially, their two adopted children, Isabella Jane, 8, and Connor Anthony, 6, of whom Cruise and Kidman are seeking joint custody. Cruise has granted Kidman unlimited time to respond to his divorce filing.

Things got even worse for Kidman in early March, when she began experiencing abdominal pain and abnormal bleeding. She visited her doctor, Jonathan Berek, at the Iris Cantor-UCLA Women's Health Center, and an ultrasound examination revealed that she had suffered a miscarriage after two months of pregnancy. She phoned Cruise - with whom she has been communicating primarily through lawyers and assistants, at his request - to tell him the sad news. "There was no question that Tom was the father," says Kidman's friend, "but he didn't come to her rescue."

Yet given her brave return to the public eye, Kidman seems more than capable of rescuing herself. On April 17, she made her first promotional appearance for Moulin Rouge, at a Vogue-sponsored preview screening of the film (due for wide theatrical release in the United States on June 1) at New York's Paris Theatre. She emerged from her limousine, resplendent in a vintage white Louis Azzario dress and black stiletto heels. Taking her time on the red carpet with director Luhrmann, she addressed questions about her personal life for the first time since her separation from Cruise. "I am fine now," she said shakily but with determination. "My kids are doing great. I have a lot of good support." She then turned to Luhrmann, who described their film as "a story about realizing there are things in life that are beyond your control - people die, relationships pass on." At the mention of "relationships," Kidman maintained her composure but looked down and sighed.

The next night, Kidman had a girls' night out at Lotus, a hip tri-level supper club in New York's meatpacking district. Kidman held court there with two other newly single women: Melissa Etheridge, who last September split amicably from her companion of 12 years, filmmaker Julie Cypher, and Dennis Quaid's estranged wife, Meg Ryan, whose on- and offscreen costar Russell Crowe ended their seven-month liaison in January. They were three women - who happened to be stars - out on the town together and laughing a lot. It was shaping up into a good week for Kidman.

At the Bloomingdale's event, 4,000 fans stood behind barricades, eagerly waiting to catch a glimpse of Kidman. Windows showcasing Moulin Rouge-inspired dresses, jewelry and makeup were unveiled. One hundred fifty T-shirts decorated with the Moulin Rouge logo sold out at $32 each, with the proceeds being donated to the UCLA Women's Reproductive Cancer Program (a charity close to Kidman's heart, as her mother, Janelle Kidman, is a breast cancer survivor). The movie's soundtrack - on which Kidman sings "Sparkling Diamonds," "One Day I'll Fly Away" and other songs - played. A chorus of raucous cancan girls performed. At last, Kidman entered, on Luhrmann's arm, to the tune of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" and surrounded by a swirling phalanx of male dancers in top hats, white ties and tails. After a small bow and a shy smile, Kidman spoke, without notes, in a pronounced Australian accent. "This is a celebration of my new film, Moulin Rouge, which I'm really excited about. Um, I hope you all go see it and enjoy it" - little laugh - "and buy the T-shirt, 'cause it goes to a good cause." She concluded her brief remarks with a casual "So, thanks for comin'. Bye!" Then, after watching the cancan girls dance and shaking a few onlookers' hands, she quietly slipped away to meet her friends downtown.

SARAH SAFFIAN
with KEN BAKER, MARC S. BALKIN and MIA SULPOR
From US weekly 325/326, May 1, 2001