Nicole Kidman Is Shining a Spotlight on the Death Doula Community
You may recognize Nicole Kidman as the spokesperson for AMC Theaters, as the ex-wife of some pretty famous guys, or for any of her 100+ TV and movie appearances — but one of her upcoming roles is a big departure from Hollywood, and it definitely hits closer to home for deathcare professionals. Last week, while speaking at the University of San Francisco, Kidman shared that she is studying to become a death doula.
Coming from a good place
Kidman acknowledged that her surprising and headline-grabbing announcement “may sound a little weird,” but explained that her decision was born out of deeply personal experience following the death of her mother, Janelle Ann Kidman, in September 2024 at 84.
“As my mother was passing, she was lonely, and there was only so much the family could provide,” Kidman said. “That’s when I went, ‘I wish there were 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.”
A misunderstood role
Of course, those people do exist—and have for quite some time. Death doulas, or end-of-life doulas, provide non-medical support that is emotional, spiritual, and practical in nature. They sit vigil, listen, and help families navigate not just logistics, but meaning. Yet despite their growing presence, many outside of deathcare circles still don’t fully understand what they do.
Kidman’s global recognition should be a boon for both practicing and would-be death doulas, educating the public on what they bring to the end-of-life journey, lending credibility to their role, and hopefully encouraging others to consider joining their ranks. The International End-of-Life Doula Association (INELDA), a nonprofit organization that provides training and support for doulas, agrees.
“Nicole Kidman’s decision to become a death doula has shone a spotlight on the care and support work thousands of end-of-life doulas offer around the world,” states INELDA’s executive director Douglas Simpson. “In all communities throughout millennia there have been members who stood with others at the threshold of death. Kidman being called to the role of a doula has ripples for this movement: the more people know about this role and work, the more their loved ones will be able to access compassionate end-of-life care. Her choice illuminates a deeply human desire to support each other.”
Good for deathcare
Like green burial and alternative methods of disposition like natural organic reduction and alkaline hydrolysis, the rise of death doulas is a welcome and interesting evolution in deathcare. According to industry organizations, training and interest in the role have grown significantly, reflecting a public that is increasingly willing to engage with mortality in more personal and proactive ways.
Kidman isn’t the only celebrity to explore death doula training. Actress (and granddaughter of Elvis Presley) Riley Keough completed her training as a death doula in 2021 following her brother Benjamin Keough’s passing. Singer Erykah Badu has been a certified doula since 2001 and has trained in death midwifery, referring to herself as part of the “welcoming committee” for both birth and death. And earlier this year, Nomadland and Hamnet director Chloé Zhao shared that she has also trained as a death doula, spurred by her own fears of death and a desire to “live with a more open heart.”
