Nicole Kidman is mourning the loss of her mother, Janelle Ann Kidman. The 57-year-old actress had to leave the Venice Film Festival early on Saturday following her mother’s passing at the age of 84.
Halina Reijn, director of Nicole’s latest film Babygirl, accepted the Volpi Cup award for Best Actress on Nicole’s behalf. During the acceptance, Reijn read a heartfelt statement from Nicole about her mother’s death.
“Today, I arrived in Venice only to learn shortly after that my beautiful, brave mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, has just passed,” Reijn read to the audience.
“I’m in shock and I need to be with my family, but this award is for her. She shaped me, she guided me, and she made me.”
“I am so grateful to be able to say her name to all of you through Halina,” the statement continued. “The intersection of life and art is overwhelming, and my heart is broken.”
“We love you, Nicole,” Reijn added in her own words, as the audience responded with applause.
Nicole had previously spoken about her mother’s health during a 2022 interview with NPR’s Fresh Air while she was in Australia.
“We’re down here primarily to care for my mother and have her surrounded by her grandchildren,” she said.
“We were able to take her into the gallery after hours and show her the Matisse exhibit. It was a comforting experience for her, especially as she raised me with a love for the arts.”
Nicole also reflected on the deep connection she shared with her mother during that time. “I’m in a place where I’m seeing the world through the eyes of my mother, who’s 81,” she said.
“It’s an invaluable perspective because she’s still so sharp. She hasn’t lost any cognitive abilities, which is amazing to witness.”
“She’s incredibly bright, direct, and honest,” Nicole continued. “So I’m able to view the world through her lens, and in some ways, that makes me feel almost 80 myself.”
The Big Little Lies star always had a close relationship with her parents. Her father, Antony Kidman, passed away in 2014 at the age of 75.
In a 2020 interview, Nicole shared how her mother had always supported her Hollywood career.
“She gave me the drive to pursue my career because I’ve always wanted to make her proud,” Nicole said. “But she also created her own path and wanted her daughters to have the same freedom to carve out their own journeys.”
“She didn’t get the career she wanted, but she was determined that her daughters would have equal opportunities,” Nicole added.
“That’s given me my life, and she, along with my dad, gave me everything I have today.”
