Nicole Kidman’s sheds light on her secret heartache amid career success

Nicole Kidman is seemingly doing her best to keep going after her mother’s death, Janelle Ann Kidman.

While talking to The Hollywood Reporter at the premiere of Lioness season 2 in Los Angeles on October 23, missing her late mother, Kidman said, “I wish my mama was here,” and added, “that’d be the one thing I’d say. Everything is great with work but I wish my mama was here.”

She shared that managing the loss has been “hard” and “it’s a hard road. I’m hanging in there.”

“Every message we have received from those who loved and admired our Mother has meant more to us than we will ever be able to express,” Kidman added.

For those unversed, on Sept. 7, Babygirl director Halina Reijn shared at the Venice Film Festival that Kidman had left the event early because her mother had died at age 84.

The Oscar-winning actress won the Best Actress award at the Venice Film Festival last month for her role in Babygirl.

Rejin read Kidman’s statement aloud, in which she spoke about her “beautiful, brave mother,” saying, “I’m in shock, and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her. I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you.”

Singing praises of her late mother, Kidman noted that she “shaped me, she guided me, and she made me. The collision of life and art is heartbreaking, and my heart is broken.”

Moreover, this was not the first time she discussed her mother’s involvement in her journey to success. In November 2023, Kidman told PEOPLE that her mother was “really involved” in what she wore to events.

Her mother and grandmother “loved beautiful clothes,” and she watched them “sew, embroider, and knit, crochet.”

“I think when you grow up seeing the people in your household do that, then you love that,” Kidman highlighted by saying. 

It is pertinent to mention that despite her big loss, Kidman is working relentlessly to help “create job opportunities for people,” and her upcoming project, Lioness season 2, is set to debut on Paramount+ on October 27.