Nicole Kidman has captivated audiences for decades with transformative performances in ‘Moulin Rouge!’, ‘Big Little Lies’ and ‘Babygirl’. He has mastered the art of delving into the deepest emotional wounds of characters, peeling back the layers of human fragility on screen. From Oscar-winning roles to critically acclaimed television, Kidman has dominated entertainment for more than three decades. Now, the 58-year-old Australian icon is changing career paths in a way no one has seen before.According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Kidman revealed at the University of San Francisco’s War Memorial Gym on Saturday, April 11 that she is embarking on a complete career change by training to become a death doula. As part of the school’s Silk Speaker Series, Kidman admitted that her departure from show business “might be a little weird,” but explained that her mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, was born in September 2024 at the age of 84.
Why Nicole Kidman made this decision
Kidman told attendees that she found a void in her mother’s final days of care that no amount of family devotion could fill. “When my mother was passing, there was loneliness, and the only thing family could offer,” Kidman said via the Chronicle.He explained the challenge his family faced. Her, her sister Antonia and their ten children combined, managing and caring for their careers was overwhelming. “Between my sister and I, we have so many kids and our careers and our work, and we want to take care of her because my dad wasn’t in the world, and then I said, ‘I wish there were these people in the world who were there to sit impartially and provide comfort and care,'” she shared.“So that’s part of my expansion and one of the things I’m going to learn,” he added.
What is a death doula ?
Death doulas provide support to people and their families approaching the final stages of life. According to the International Association of End-of-Life Doulas, “A death doula advocates for self-determination and provides psychosocial, emotional, spiritual, and practical care to empower dignity throughout the process.”
A history of mourning
According to People magazine, Kidman has spoken openly about her grief following the loss of both parents. His father, Dr. Antony Kidman, passed away in 2014. A month after her mother’s death, Kidman described Janelle as the “compass” and “main guide” in her life and revealed that she sometimes woke up “crying and sighing” under the weight of losing both parents.In September 2024, he learned of his mother’s death while he was at the Venice Film Festival, preparing for the premiere of the film ‘Babygirl’. He left early to be with his family. During her acceptance speech for Best Actress, the film’s director Halina Reijn read a letter on behalf of Kidman, in which she wrote that she had traveled to Venice to learn “shortly after the recent death of our beautiful and brave mother, Janelle Ann Kidman.”“
