Kidman and Urban 'rocky'

Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban. Picture: Reuters

Nicole Kidman is reportedly going through a "rocky patch" with Keith Urban.

The Oscar winning actress and her country singer husband have been married for eight years, but recently have been spending long periods of time apart because of their individual work schedules.

A source has told British magazine Closer the actress is finding the current situation hard.

"Keith and Nicole fall out a lot. He's always away and blames some of their problems on Nicole, saying she can be difficult," the source said.

"Nicole has found it tough on her own for the past few months and thinks Keith has been distant."

The couple have two daughters together, Sunday, five and three-year-old Faith.

Urban currently splits his time between LA, where he is a judge on American Idol, and Australia, where Kidman, 46, is filming Strangerland.

Kidman had reportedly hoped they would get to spend the summer together as a family, but their relationship has been placed under further strain now that Urban, also 46, has added more dates to his Light the Fuse Tour, which will go on until September.

"She's told friends they are going through a rocky patch, but she says she won't let it get so bad that they divorce - she'll fight to save her marriage," the source said.

Kidman has been through a divorce once before, after her ten-year marriage to Tom Cruise ended in 2001.