Nicole Kidman is reflecting on a devastating time in her life. In a recent public appearance, the actress recalled the moment of learning about her mother’s demise. Kidman shared she learned of the tragic news when she was set to take the stage at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, where she won the Best Actress award of the evening for her role in ‘Babygirl.’
Nicole Kidman looks back at the devastating moment
While speaking at HISTORYTalks in Philadelphia, the actress recalled how she was experiencing an “enormous high” at the time, having won the award. “I was about to go onstage, and I found out my mother had died, and I went right back to the room in Venice, got into bed and was completely devastated and thought, ‘I do not know how I’m gonna move forward or function now,’” Nicole, 58, said, adding of mom Janelle Ann Kidman. Calling her mother “so much part of my existence,” Kidman said, “So the idea of being there at that particular moment was parole.”
Nicole Kidman attempted to leave the festival right away
Nicole went on to recount her attempt to leave Venice in the middle of the night to be with her grieving family. “I remember getting into a boat in the canal, literally at night, trying to find my way to the airport, and then turning around, going, ‘I can’t even do this,’ ” she told the audience. “Then I went back to bed. And I was alone. My husband wasn’t there, my children weren’t there. I was there to win an award, which should’ve been a beautiful thing. That there is the contrast of life.”
Nicole Kidman recalls her mother’s sacrifices
Nicole said the painful experience reminded her that she is “resilient” and can “survive pretty much anything.” That echoes a valuable lesson she said she learned from her late mother that she’s passed on to her children: “Don’t ever let anyone break your spirit.” “She came from an era where she wasn’t given the career advice she would’ve loved,” Nicole explained. “She raised us, supported my father, helped him get his PhD. She basically gave to her family and didn’t have the career that she would’ve loved to have had. She was exceptionally smart.”
‘Babygirl’ director Halina Reijn accepted the award on Nicole Kidman’s behalf
At the film festival on September 7, 2024, ‘Babygirl’ director Halina Reijn read a written statement on Nicole’s behalf during what would have been the actress’ Best Actress acceptance speech. Nicole wrote that she had flown in to Venice, only to find out “shortly after that my beautiful, brave mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, has just passed.”
