NICOLE KIDMAN SAYS SHE IS TRAINING TO BECOME A DEATH DOULA FOLLOWING HER MOTHER’S PASSING. (PHOTO).

 Nicole Kidman says she is training to become a death doula following her mother’s passing

Academy Award–winning actress Nicole Kidman has revealed that she is training to become a death doula, describing the decision as a deeply personal response to grief following the loss of her mother.

Kidman discussed her new direction during an appearance at the University of San Francisco as part of the school’s Silk Speaker Series. She explained that her interest in end-of-life care was shaped by her experience during her mother’s death in May 2024.

Kidman said her mother, who was 84, experienced loneliness in her final days, and that despite the family’s efforts, they struggled to provide the level of constant presence and comfort she felt was needed. That experience led Kidman to reflect on the role of non-medical support during dying and bereavement.

She said the idea of becoming a death doula initially sounded “a little weird,” but added that it grew into something meaningful after witnessing her mother’s final days. Kidman described it as part of her personal growth and said it is something she intends to study further.

According to the International End of Life Doula Association, death doulas are non-medical companions who provide emotional, spiritual, and practical support to individuals facing death and to their families.

Kidman also referenced earlier personal losses, including the death of her father, who died in 2014 after an accident while visiting family in Singapore.