Nicole Kidman Opens Up About Mother's Death During Venice Film Festival Triumph
Academy Award-winning actress Nicole Kidman has shared the profoundly emotional and distressing moment she learned of her mother's death while attending the 2024 Venice Film Festival. The 58-year-old star, who recently revealed she is training to become a death doula, discussed this deeply personal experience during her appearance at HISTORYTalks 2026 in Philadelphia.
A Tragic Contrast of Joy and Grief
Kidman's mother, Janelle Kidman, passed away in September 2024 at age 84, mere hours before the actress was scheduled to accept the prestigious Volpi Cup award for her performance in the film Babygirl. "I'd won best actress at Venice Film Festival. This seems to be such a common theme through my life," Kidman told the audience at Marian Anderson Hall within Philadelphia's Kimmel Center, according to reports from The Hollywood Reporter.
"I was about to go on stage, and I found out my mother had died," the actress remembered with visible emotion. She described immediately returning to her Venice hotel room, feeling "completely devastated" by the news that arrived at what should have been a career-celebrating moment.
Navigating Grief in Isolation
The Moulin Rouge star candidly discussed the particular challenges she faced during this traumatic period, noting that her late mother had been "so much a part of my existence, so the idea of being there at that particular moment was harrowing." Kidman added that she felt profoundly alone during this experience, as her then-husband Keith Urban and their children had not accompanied her to Venice for the festival.
"I'd gone to win an award. What should have been a beautiful thing ended up with that," she reflected. Kidman recalled attempting to leave Venice immediately after learning the news, describing getting into a boat on the canal at night to reach the airport, only to realize she couldn't proceed with her travel plans in her distraught state.
Finding Resilience Through Adversity
Despite the overwhelming grief, Kidman emphasized how such experiences have revealed her inner strength. "But there is the contrast of life, and that's what I always say to people," she explained. "I say that's when I know I'm resilient. That's when I know I can survive pretty much anything."
The actress also addressed her recent announcement about training as a death doula, acknowledging that this revelation has left many people "confused or intrigued." She first discussed this interest during the University of San Francisco's Silk Speaker Series earlier this month, explaining that while it "sounds a little weird," she wants to help people during their final weeks of life.
Personal Experience Informing New Path
Kidman's interest in end-of-life care stems directly from her family experiences. "My father was very involved with palliative care. There are birth doulas and recently I learned about death doulas," she shared at the San Francisco event attended by The Daily Mail. "As my mother was passing, she was lonely, and there was only so much the family could provide."
Both Kidman and her sister Antonia hired a death doula to be with their mother before her passing. "That's when I went, 'I wish there were these people in the world that were there to sit impartially and just provide solace and care,'" Kidman explained. "I feel it's really important to have care on earth for the beginning and the end."
Family Tributes and Moving Forward
Following her mother's death, Kidman and her sister released a joint statement expressing gratitude for the outpouring of support. "My sister and I along with our family want to thank you for the outpouring of love and kindness we have felt this week," they wrote. "Every message we have received from those who loved and admired our Mother has meant more to us than we will ever be able to express."
Kidman left the Venice Film Festival immediately after learning of her mother's passing. Babygirl director Halina Reijn shared a statement from the actress at the time which read: "Today I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after, that my beautiful, brave mother Janelle Ann Kidman has just passed. I am in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her, she shaped me, she guided me, and she made me."
The message concluded with: "I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina. The collision of life and art is heart-breaking, and my heart is broken. We love you all."
Continuing Legacy and Career
In the months following her mother's passing, Kidman has continued to honor her memory while maintaining her professional commitments. Last month, she shared a moving tribute on what would have been her mother's 86th birthday, posting a throwback photo with the caption: "Remembering my Mumma on her birthday. Always in my heart Mumma."
Most recently, Kidman attended 2026 CinemaCon in Las Vegas, where she reunited with Sandra Bullock to tease their upcoming sequel Practical Magic 2. The actress reflected on her personal growth through life's hardships, stating: "Sometimes you're going to have to take it on the chin and that's okay. It's your life and you define it. Who cares what someone else thinks? Don't give your power to anybody else. They don't get to define you."
Kidman's father, Antony Kidman, passed away from a suspected heart attack in 2014 at age 75. The following month after her mother's death, Kidman was seen being comforted by ex-husband Keith Urban at her mother's funeral in Sydney, Australia.
