Nicole Kidman bids farewell to her mother at intimate funeral
Nicole Kidman has said a tearful goodbye to her beloved mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, during an intimate funeral service held at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Lavender Bay, Sydney.
The 57-year-old Oscar winner was supported by her husband, country music star Keith Urban, and their two daughters, Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret, as family and close friends gathered to honour Janelle’s life.
84Janelle Kidman, 84, passed away in early September after a long illness. The family, including Nicole's sister, journalist Antonia Kidman, and Janelle’s eight grandchildren, shared moving tributes at the service. Among them was TV host Lucia Hawley, the eldest of the grandchildren, who gave a heartfelt speech.
The service was also attended by a number of notable figures from Australia’s entertainment industry, including actor Russell Crowe, broadcaster Peter Overton, and his wife, television personality Jessica Rowe.
The news of her mother's passing reached Nicole while she was in Venice, Italy, for the Venice Film Festival on September 8, where she was being honoured with the Best Actress award for her role in the upcoming thriller Babygirl. Unable to attend the ceremony, director Halina Reijn accepted the award on her behalf and read a touching message from Kidman, in which the actress expressed her grief.
“Today, I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after my brave and beautiful mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, had just passed,” Kidman’s statement began. “I’m in shock and I have to go to my family, but this award is for her. She shaped me, she guided me, and she made me. I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina. The collision of life and art is heartbreaking. My heart is broken.”
Janelle Kidman’s cause of death has not been publicly disclosed, but she had reportedly been battling health issues since 2016 when she suffered a suspected heart scare. Her passing comes nearly a decade after the death of her husband, Dr Antony Kidman, who died of a heart attack in Singapore in 2014.
Kidman, who divides her time between Nashville, Manhattan, and Australia, remains close to her family despite her international career, often speaking about the pivotal role her mother played in her life and career.
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