In this paper, to study the effects of a nonlinear medium on the atom–field interaction, we use the nonlinear coherent states approach. For this purpose, we choose the two-mode cross-Kerr as our nonlinear optical phenomena, and with the use of its algebra, we show that it can be considered as a deformed oscillator as well as a deformedsu(2)algebra. Then we construct the associated two-mode nonlinear coherent states and investigate their statistical properties. After that, as an example of applicability of the constructed coherent states, we investigate the nonlinear effects of the medium on the dynamics of atom–field interaction within the framework of the coherent states. By using the time-dependent Schrödinger equation, we study the effect of the nonlinear medium on the occupation probabilities of the atomic levels and consider the relation between the revival time of the atomic occupation probabilities and the nonlinear parameter of the medium. Then, to study the nonlinear effects on the dynamical properties of the cavity field, we consider the photon distribution, correlation function, Mandel parameters of the field, von Neumann entropy, and also the squeezing. Particularly, the nonlinearity of the media on the nonclassical properties of the two modes is clarified.