After a devastating personal loss, Nicole Kidman is training for a role that has nothing to do with acting
The thing about grief...
Nicole Kidman is taking a major step into a new, unexpected profession as she trains to become a death doula. The actress shared this update during the University of San Francisco’s Silk Speakers series this past weekend. While she acknowledged that the career move might sound a little weird to some, she views it as a significant part of her personal expansion following the loss of her mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, in September 2024.
According to Page Six, during her mother’s final days, Nicole felt the limitations of what a family can provide on their own. She noted that between her own work, her sister Antonia Kidman’s career, and the responsibility of raising children, there were moments when they simply couldn’t offer the level of presence she felt her mother needed.
Since her father, Antony Kidman, passed away in September 2014, the family was navigating a very difficult landscape. Nicole realized that her mother was lonely, and she found herself wishing for someone impartial to step in and offer care and solace during that transition. That desire for someone to sit with the dying is exactly what she intends to provide for others now.
It’s clear that Nicole’s decision is deeply rooted in her own experience with grief
For those who might be unfamiliar with the term, death doulas are non-medical professionals who provide support to individuals and families as they navigate death, loss, and mortality. According to the International End-of-Life Doula Association, these professionals are there to provide comfort and guidance during one of life’s most challenging experiences.
It’s a profound shift for Oscar winner Kidman, but it highlights a very human desire to make the end-of-life journey less isolating for others. The timing of her mother’s passing was incredibly difficult for her.
Nicole had just arrived in Italy for the Venice Film Festival to accept an award for her role in Babygirl when she received the news that her mother had died at age 84. She immediately cut her trip short to be with her family, later releasing a statement through her director, Halina Reijn, saying she was in shock. She described her mother as a woman who shaped, guided, and made her who she is today.
In the months that followed, Nicole has been open about the reality of her grief. She shared on a December 2024 episode of CBS Sunday Morning that her final conversation with her mother stuck with her in a way she hadn’t anticipated. Nicole had been planning to fly back to see her, but her mother told her to wait and take care of herself instead.
That advice has become a guiding principle for Nicole, who mentioned that she is trying to prioritize self-care more often, especially as a mother to her own children. She emphasized that women often neglect their own well-being, and she wants to model that care for her daughters so she can stay present for them for a long time.
This journey has been a long road for the actress
After the loss, she made her first public appearance at the Balenciaga fashion show in September 2024 and later spoke emotionally on the red carpet for the season two premiere of the thriller series Lioness, admitting that while her work life was going well, she simply wished her mother was there to share it with her.
It’s a powerful transition for someone who has spent so much of her life in the spotlight of the film industry. By training to become a death doula, Nicole is choosing to channel her personal experience into a role that focuses on quiet, impartial support. It’s a reminder that even in the highest levels of fame, people are still seeking ways to find meaning and purpose through the universal experience of loss.
While fans are genuinely interested to see how she balances this new path with her acting career, it’s clear she is committed to this new chapter. She is taking the lessons from her mother’s final words and turning them into a way to help others navigate their own moments of transition.
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