Relaxing poolside at a lush villa in sunny Portofino, Italy, Nicole Kidman looked the most carefree she’s been in months as she giggled, flirted and sipped cocktails with the handsome man laying beside her.
Now, insiders claim her holiday companion, Beverly Hills businessman Michael Reinstein, has been in her orbit for months, as speculation mounts he’s the first serious romantic prospect since her divorce from second husband Keith Urban.
“Friends say they first met at the Chanel pre-Oscars event at the Polo Lounge in March and they’ve been secretly seeing each other since early April,” a source says of Nicole, 59, and Michael, who owns private equity firm Regent.
A blossoming romance
“When she flew out to France at the end of April, she was constantly on her phone behind the scenes and things have only got more serious since then. He’s been a perfect gentleman.”
The Scarpetta actress has been enjoying a European getaway with friends and family, including younger sister Antonia, 56, and their daughters, and an insider says inviting Michael to spend time with her in the Italian village is “the biggest tell” about Nicole’s feelings towards him.
The pressure of fame
The source adds, “She’ll be hoping this premature exposure won’t ruin everything. It’s the first time in years she’s felt this happy, but there’s a part of Nicole that does worry he won’t be able to handle
the pressure of being with an A-lister.”
While Michael did have a private Instagram account with about 40,000 followers, the page appeared to be deactivated soon after the news about Nicole got out.
“It’s a big lifestyle change and nothing can prepare you for it,” tells our insider.
“But thankfully, Michael’s not completely clueless – he owns [California lifestyle bible] Sunset magazine and has been on the fringe of the celebrity world for years with his fashion investments.”
Keith’s heartbreak
Michael also lives among the Tinseltown elite, with a sprawling $24 million Beverly Hills mansion not far from the home Nicole still owns.
As whispers about Nicole’s new man amp up, we hear Kiwi-born Keith, 58, was reeling. According to a source, the musician is not merely upset over the blossoming romance, but the prospect that Michael might have already met his daughters, Sunday, 18, and Faith, 15, while in Italy.
“Nicole and Keith had a strict verbal agreement not to introduce new partners to the girls until at least 12 months after their divorce,” the insider says.
“His biggest fear is being replaced in the hearts of his girls, who are already showing signs of reluctance in seeing him. He’s worried he’s going to be forgotten about.”
