Nicole Kidman has revealed she’s taking on a very different kind of work after experiencing a profound loss in her personal life.
The 58-year-old has built a long-running and acclaimed screen career, with credits spanning Eyes Wide Shut, Moulin Rouge!, and Paddington.
Now, however, Kidman says she’s pursuing training that sits far outside the world of acting.
While speaking at the War Memorial Gym on the University of San Francisco campus in California, during the Silk Speaker Series, she shared that she is working toward becoming a “death doula.”
Many people are familiar with birth doulas, who offer non-medical guidance and emotional support during childbirth.
But doula support can extend beyond birth, helping individuals and families through other major health events and life transitions.
One area of focus is end-of-life care, where specially trained doulas provide comfort and companionship to those approaching death, along with support for their loved ones.
Kidman said her decision to pursue this path came after the death of her mother, who passed away at 84.
“As my mother was passing, she was lonely, and there was only so much the family could provide,”
Back in March 2025, Kidman posted a message online honoring her mom on what would have been her 85th birthday.
“Missing Mumma and Papa so much on what would have been her birthday today.”
She also shared a similar tribute on her mother’s birthday in 2026.
“Remembering my Mumma on her birthday. Always in my heart.”
Explaining what drew her to end-of-life doula training, she spoke about the pressures and responsibilities her family was juggling while trying to be present for her mother.
“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.”
Unlike doctors or nurses, doulas are not medically trained clinicians; their role is typically centered on emotional support, practical comfort measures, and compassionate presence.
The International End-of-Life Doula Association also notes that this kind of support can extend to families and wider circles of care, not only the person who is dying.
They said an end-of-life doula is ‘a nonmedical companion who provides personalized and compassionate support to individuals, families, and their circles of care as they encounter and navigate death, loss, and mortality.’