Actor Nicole Kidman revealed she is training to become a death doula. While the profession may seem unusual for an actor, her decision stems from a deeply personal experience tied to her mother’s death in 2024.
Speaking at the University of San Francisco on Saturday, Kidman said her decision to train as a death doula followed her mother’s death. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, she said, “As my mother was passing, she was lonely, and there was only so much the family could provide.”
She added, “Between my sister and me, we have so many children, our careers and our work, and we wanted to take care of her because my father wasn’t in the world anymore. That’s when I thought, ‘I wish there were people who could sit impartially and provide solace and care.’” She continued, “So that’s part of my expansion and one of the things I will be learning.”
Kidman’s commitment to her family was evident when she missed the September 2024 Venice Film Festival, where she won the Best Actress award for her role in Babygirl, to be with her mother during her final days.
In addition to training as a death doula, Kidman has recently starred in Prime Video’s Scarpetta and Apple TV’s Margo’s Got Money Troubles. She is also set to appear in Practical Magic 2 later this year.
Doulas are non-medical professionals who support pregnant women through the birthing process. Similarly, death doulas have become increasingly common, offering non-medical support and companionship to those navigating death, loss and mortality. According to the International End of Life Doula Association, they provide emotional, psychosocial, practical and spiritual support.
A recent episode of HBO’s The Pitt depicted a death doula—also known as an end-of-life doula—supporting a terminal cancer patient.
Director Chloé Zhao, known for Nomadland and Hamnet, is also training as a death doula. Speaking to The New York Times in January, Zhao said, “I have been terrified of death my whole life. I still am. And because I’ve been so afraid I haven’t been able to live fully … And because I’m so scared of it, I have no choice but to start to develop a healthier relationship with it, or the second half of life would be too hard. It shouldn’t be this terrifying that I can’t even live.”
Zhao’s latest film, Hamnet, has received widespread acclaim, winning multiple awards, including Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Performance by a Female Actor for Jessie Buckley at the 2026 Golden Globe Awards.