Exactly what Death Doulas do as Nicole Kidman announces plans to become one

Nicole Kidman is adding a new if morbid feather to her cap, revealing that she is training to be a 'death doula', in addition to her massively successful career in film and TV, as well as being a recording artist, philanthropist, and brand ambassador.

The 58-year-old Oscar-winning actor announced recently that her next role would be 'a little weird', with the star taking instruction so that she can help people through the biggest and final stage of their life.

Kidman was inspired to take on a new career after watching her mother die at the age of 84 in 2024, telling the San Francisco Chronicle: “As my mother was passing, she was lonely, and there was only so much the family could provide.”

With a busy movie career, Kidman wasn't able to devote the essential time to be there to assist and comfort her mom as she died, leaving her wishing that someone could 'sit impartially and just provide solace and care.' Then she learned about death doulas.

Nicole Kidman and her mom Janelle in 2004 (Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc)

While many people will be familiar with a normal doula, someone who provides emotional and physical support to someone before, during, and after childbirth, the concept of a death doula is more recent.

In the same way that these birth doulas help parents with all of the inevitable logistics, as well as negotiating with doctors and midwives while the mom is preoccupied, their death equivalent does the exact same thing - just at the opposite end of life.

Rather than giving parenting advice, a death doula helps with the non-clinical sides of someone's life ending. From facilitating difficult conversations with friends and family to offering emotional and logistical support.

This can also help with ensuring that someone's wishes are met in their final moments, with death doulas able to negotiate with medical staff over whether an individual can die at home, as seven out of 10 people would choose.

Kidman has previously explained how she had learned of her mother's death while attending an awards show in Venice, a moment that inspired her new career path.

Nicole Kidman was about to go on stage at the Venice film festival in 2024 when she found out that her mom had died (Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

"I was about to go on stage, and I found out my mother had died. I went right back to the room in Venice, got into bed and was completely devastated," she told Hollywood Reporter.

This difficult moment was traumatic for the mom-of-four, with Kidman sharing the panic that she felt: "I remember getting into a boat in the canal, and literally at night trying to find my way to the airport, and then turning around and going, I can’t even do this.

"And then went back into the bed, and I was alone. My husband wasn’t there. My children weren’t there. I’d gone to win an award. What should have been a beautiful thing, ended up with that. But there is the contrast of life."

The actor explained more of her motivation to become a death doula in her interview with the Chronicle, saying: “As my mother was passing, she was lonely, and there was only so much the family could provide.

“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 any more."

Explaining how her hard experience had made her want to help others with the difficulty, she said: "So that’s part of my expansion and one of the things I will be learning."

With Kidman now deep in training, some people on death's door may soon find Satine from Moulin Rouge! holding their hand as transition through their final stage in life.