Nicole Kidman is adding to her repertoire with a new role.
During a talk at the University of San Francisco’s War Memorial Gym, Kidman shared she’s learning to become a death doula while navigating the loss of her mother.
Becoming a Death Doula
Kidman shared her decision on April 11th with USF graduate Vicky Nguyen as part of the school’s Silk Speaker Series.
While she admitted it “may sound a little weird,” her idea came about after her mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, died in September 2024.
She shared, via the Chronicle, “As my mother was passing, she was lonely, and there was only so much the family could provide.” Kidman has four children, while her younger sister Antonia Kidman has six.
She added, “Between my sister and I, we have so many children and our careers and our work, and wanting to take care of her because my father wasn’t in the world anymore, and that’s when I went, ‘I wish there was these people in the world that were there to sit impartially and just provide solace and care.'”
“So that’s part of my expansion and one of the things I will be learning,” Kidman revealed.
What is a Death Doula?
Death doulas, also referred to as end-of-life doulas, help people and their loved ones navigate the dying process with dignity, and provide support for all who need it.
The International End-of-Life Doula Association adds, “And end-of-life doula advocates self-determination and imparts psychosocial, emotional, spiritual, and practical care to empower dignity throughout the dying process.”
Losing Her Mom and Dad
Nicole Kidman has been more open about her grief in recent years, after losing both her mom and her dad. Dr. Antony Kidman passed away in 2014.
A month after losing her mother, her “compass” and “major guide” in her life, she would sometimes wake up “crying and gasping” from the loss of both parents.
Kidman learned of her mother’s passing while at the Venice Film Festival, leaving early to be with her family. The film’s director, Halina Reijn, read a letter on her behalf when she won the best actress award at the event.
In the letter, Kidman noted that she traveled to Venic to learn “shortly after that my beautiful, brave mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, has just passed.”
Kidman has also posted on social media about her parents.
In March 2025, she celebrated what would have been her mother’s 85th birthday. “Missing Mumma and Papa so much on what would have been her birthday today.”
She posted again a year later, writing, “Remembering my Mumma on her birthday. Always in my heart.”