Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman announced on April 11 that she's pursuing a new role: death doula. During a panel discussion with NBC News' chief consumer investigative correspondent Vicky Nguyen at the University of San Francisco, Kidman discussed her unexpected career shift.
The 58-year-old actress traced her decision to train as a death doula back to the loss of her mother, who passed away at age 84 in May 2024.
"As my mother was passing, she was lonely, and there was only so much the family could provide," Kidman said, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. "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.'"
Though Kidman acknowledged that becoming a death doula initially seemed "a little weird," her experience caring for her mother during her final days motivated her to help others navigate grief and loss.
Indeed, a death doula helps navigate end-of-life processes. If you or a loved one are struggling to come to terms with a terminal illness, coping with the death of a loved one, or just seeking some guidance on creating an end-of-life plan, reaching out to a death doula can help better prepare you for the inevitable.
Curious to know more about this unique profession? Click through this gallery.