EXCLUSIVE: Radar Reveals Real, Heartbreaking Reason Nicole Kidman is Training to Become a Death Doula
Nicole Kidman is said to be training to be a death doula.
April 25 2026, Published 1:00 p.m. ET
Nicole Kidman is training to become a death doula after a deeply personal experience with grief – with sources telling RadarOnline.com the actress is taking the role as she is determined to ensure no one else endures the same sense of loneliness and emotional trauma she faced while caring for her dying mother.
The 58-year-old Babygirl star recently revealed she has begun studying end-of-life care following the death of her mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, who died in September 2024 at the age of 84.
'It's Helping People in the End Stage of Life'
The movie star is believed to be training to be a death doula.
Kidman and her sister, Antonia, were by their mother's side in her final days, and the actress has now spoken candidly about the emotional strain of balancing caregiving with family and professional demands.
Speaking at a HISTORYTalks event in Philadelphia over the weekend, Kidman described her growing interest in the doula role, which involves supporting individuals and families through the final stages of life.
Outlining her motivations and her belief that she is suited to the work, Kidman said: "It's helping people in the end stage of life. It's helping the families. It's being present, impartial. I think it's fascinating. It's, it's a really fascinating, it's very beautiful and you have to be a certain personality to be able to do it, but I found out that I'm actually that personality."
Nicole Kidman Helping Others Grieve After the Death of Her Mother
Kidman has been grieving the death of her mother, Anne, who died in 2024.
Sources close to the actress told us her commitment goes beyond curiosity, with one insider saying: "What Nicole went through with her mother has left a lasting emotional imprint on her, and she is determined to channel that experience into something constructive rather than just carry the pain.
"She is deeply focused on becoming the kind of calm, supportive presence she sometimes wished had been there more consistently, and this is not just theoretical for her – she is actively considering integrating a death doula into her own family environment so that the people closest to her are never left navigating that kind of grief or loneliness on their own."
The actress also emphasized the importance of alleviating suffering at the end of life, describing the role as both practical and deeply emotional.
She added, "It's very important to me. There is always suffering in life, right? But if there (are) people there who can help with that and can help those final stages be less painful, you can feel the connection and the love, then that is a lovely thing to be able to do. So that's what I'm exploring."
The 58-year-old wants to help 'those final stages be less painful.'
A second insider said Kidman's approach is driven by a desire to change how death is experienced within families.
They added: "She is approaching this with real purpose. There is a sense of urgency in wanting to make sure that people have support structures in place, that there is dignity and care, and that families are not left carrying that emotional weight alone in the most difficult moments."
Kidman has also spoken about the broader need for death doulas in modern society, pointing to longer life expectancies and the isolation that can accompany aging.
She said the role addresses the "loneliness" some people face and the way individuals are treated in that stage of life, suggesting there is a growing gap between medical care and emotional support.
Nicole Kidman's Mother Was 'Lonely' as She Was Dying
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Earlier this month, speaking at the University of San Francisco's War Memorial Gym during a Silk Speaker Series event, Kidman reflected on her mother's final days and the limits of what families can give.
"As my mother was passing, she was lonely, and there was only so much the family could provide," she noted. "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."
Other public figures, including Riley Keough and Chloé Zhao, have also spoken about undertaking death doula training, citing personal grief and a desire to better understand the process of dying.
