Russell Crowes Bold Advice for Nicole Kidman

has reached out to with some blunt advice in the wake of her split from .

The 62-year-old Oscar-winner has reportedly told the actress, who divorced her husband of 19 years in January, to take her time before leaping into a new romance.

According to an insider, the Gladiator actor has been influenced by his own struggles following his marriage break-up with Danielle Spencer in 2012.

'He (Crowe) spent years of his life as a single parent without a partner, and he says he experienced a lot of growth during those times,' a source told Globe Magazine.

'That's why he's warning Nicole not to dive headfirst into a new relationship to fill the void left by Keith's absence.'

'You have to hand it to Russell because this is all coming from a place of genuine love and respect for Nicole,' they said, referring to the pair's decades-long friendship.

Russell, who has a long-term romance with model Britney Theriot, shares two sons with his ex, Charles, 22 and 19-year-old Tennyson.

The actor has been pals with Nicole ever since they co-starred in the Aussie teen movie hit, Flirting, in 1991.

His relationship advice appears timely, after his long-term buddy has been romantically linked with Australian actor Simon Baker.

Nicole and Simon play a married couple in the new Amazon Prime series Scarpetta, and were seen holding hands and beaming together at the show's New York premiere last month.

At the event, Kidman admitted that their chemistry 'just vibrates', while Simon, 56, cheekily added: 'I don't kiss and tell'. 

Urban is said to be devastated by her rumoured romance, given how quickly she appears to be moving on from their separation last year.

'Seeing Nicole and Simon holding hands was the equivalent of seeing his best mate with his missus, and it did a number on him,' an insider told this week's Woman's Day magazine.

'He knew it was natural for her to lean on Simon – he was also there for Naomi Watts after her split from Liev [Schreiber].'