Nicole Kidman Opens up About the Moment She Found Out About Her Mother's Death During a Film Festival
Nicole Kidman is looking back on the painful moment she was informed that her beloved mother had died.
The Oscar-winning actress, 58, sat down with Hoda Kotb at HISTORYTalks in Philadelphia on Saturday, April 18, and spoke candidly about how she was attending the Venice Film Festival in September 2024 when she was notified that her mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, had died. On an "enormous high" after winning the Best Actress award for her film Babygirl at the festival, she was soon shocked into reality.
"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, ' " Kidman shared, PEOPLE reported. "She was so much a part of my existence. So the idea of being there at that particular moment was parole."
Kidman attempted to depart Venice in the middle of the night to reunite with her family, but could barely function.
"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 recalled. "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."
The experience taught her about "resilience," Kidman shared, noting that she can "survive pretty much anything."
Kidman Honored Her Late Mother On Her Birthday
Back in March, Kidman took to Instagram to honor her mother's memory on what would have been her birthday. Sharing a sweet photo of herself alongside her mom, Kidman spoke candidly about her mother.
"Remembering my Mumma on her birthday. Always in my heart Mumma 💕," she captioned the touching photo.
What Advice Does Kidman Give Her Own Daughters?
Just like her mother instilled lessons in Kidman, the actress is teaching her own daughters how to survive in Hollywood. Sunday Rose Kidman Urban, 17, recently hit the cover of Elle Australia and said that her mother's top piece of advice is to prioritize punctuality.
"The biggest piece of industry advice Mum has given to me is to always be on time," said Kidman Urban, who noted that her mom is one of her biggest influences. "My mum is someone who has always been so creative and my biggest inspiration in life," she said, adding that Kidman is "a key part of everything I do."
Related: Jamie Lee Curtis Sums Up Her Relationship With Co-Star Nicole Kidman in One Word
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This story was originally published April 18, 2026 at 6:25 PM.