Cruise, Kidman at premiere, separately

(CNN) -- It was a media frenzy, even by Hollywood standards.

Separated couple Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman attended the premiere of the new supernatural thriller, "The Others," Tuesday night at the Director's Guild on Sunset Boulevard, one night before their divorce became final.

The reason for the appearance: Kidman stars in the film, and Cruise produced it. "The Others," in which Kidman plays a mother who tries to protect her children from other forces in their house, opens nationwide on Friday.

Although they were in the same place for the same cause, the stars did not cross paths, speak, or so much as look at each other as a horde of media watched their every move.

Each arrived separately with different sets of friends and each walked past rows of television cameras.

VIDEO Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise turn up separately at the premier of their new movie, 'The Others.' CNN's Sherri Sylvester was there (August 8) Play video (QuickTime, Real or Windows Media)

When asked, Kidman and Cruise did acknowledge the other's -- no pun intended -- presence.

"I am glad he is here to support the movie," Kidman told reporters.

Cruise wasn't there long. He ducked out before the movie began. But he did tell CNN's Sherri Sylvester that the role was tailor-made for his former bride of 10 years.

"I bought it for Nic. I just thought it was perfect for her and she's great in it," Cruise said. "(It's) really a tour de force performance."

Cruise said all the extra attention paid to this premiere didn't bother him.

"I think it's nice. It's great for the movie. We're here to celebrate a picture that we all worked very hard," he said.

Kidman to go back to Sydney

Kidman, who earlier this summer spent a good deal of time promoting "Moulin Rouge," told Sylvester she'll look forward to a time when she can hang out with her children at her home in Sydney, Australia.

"I've been working real hard, so I'm just going to take a break," she said.

Talk magazine founder Tina Brown praised Kidman for putting on a brave face for the sake of the movie.

"She's handled herself with enormous gallantry," Brown told CNN. "She must have been through a lot of private pain, but she's put her best foot forward and she's tried to start a new life."

Difficult year

Considered one of Hollywood's most popular couples for years, Cruise and Kidman starred in three films together: "Days of Thunder" (1990), "Far and Away" (1992), and "Eyes Wide Shut" (1999).

They shocked the entertainment world when they announced six months ago that Cruise had filed for divorce, citing "irreconcilable differences." Kidman apparently suffered a miscarriage after the split.

Most recently, Cruise has been dating actress Penelope Cruz, whom he starred with in the upcoming "Vanilla Sky."

Kidman, meantime, recently told ABC's "Good Morning America" that 2001 has been one of the toughest years of her life, but she was not letting the divorce make her bitter about love.

"I'm a person that carries everything that happened to me in my past, with me into the future. I refuse to let it make me bitter. I still completely believe in love and I remain open to anything that will happen to me," said Kidman, 34.

Kidman and Cruise's divorce becomes final Wednesday, although there are still some settlement details to work out.