Iconic Actress, 92, Looks Gorgeous While Receiving Top Honor at Venice Film Festival: PHOTOS

“Vertigo” star Kim Novak was honored with the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement on September 1 at the Venice Film Festival, a radiant return to the spotlight after decades away from Hollywood.

(Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

At 92, the actress was greeted with a standing ovation before filmmaker Guillermo del Toro delivered a moving tribute.

Novak Looks Gorgeous In Venice While Accepting ‘Golden Lion’

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She looked stunning. At 92, Novak radiated elegance and timeless grace as she took the stage of the Sala Grande to accept the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement from Venice Film Festival director Alberto Barbera and filmmaker Guillermo del Toro.

(Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

The honor comes nearly three decades after she was recognized in Berlin in 1997, but this one carried a deeper meaning for her.

(Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

“Those gods up there, not one in particular but all of them, have made my life truly special, and being here is an absolute privilege,” Novak said.

Novak’s Legendary Career

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Novak first captured global fame in the 1950s and ’60s, becoming one of the era’s most bankable stars.

(Photo by Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images)

Her career highlights include Joshua Logan’s Picnic (1955), Otto Preminger’s The Man with the Golden Arm (1955), George Sidney’s Pal Joey (1957), and Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958), where she delivered her defining performance in dual roles.

A Rare Return to the Spotlight After Decades

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Novak was first spotted when she made a rare and heartwarming appearance in Venice on August 28, just days before the official ceremony, turning heads on the red carpet at the festival’s 81st edition. It was her first major public outing in more than a decade.

(Photo by Baron/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)

The actress, who left Hollywood in 1966 to build a quieter life in Oregon, looked radiant as she accepted the recognition of her remarkable career.

The Golden Lion honor not only celebrates her lasting impact on cinema but also her choice to live authentically and on her own terms.

When Novak Reflected on Leaving Hollywood

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In a recent interview with The New York Times, Novak shared how leaving the entertainment industry gave her freedom. “When I left Hollywood, it isn’t like I just wrapped up my life,” she explained. “Suddenly I was free to express everything on canvas and not have to be the canvas.”

She has been candid in the past about the struggles she faced during her acting years. “I had to leave to survive,” she told People in 2021. “I lost a sense of who I truly was and what I stood for. I fought all the time back in Hollywood to keep my identity.”

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Alongside the Golden Lion ceremony, Venice also premiered “Kim Novak’s Vertigo,” a documentary produced by her longtime manager Sue Cameron and directed by Alexandre Philippe. The project, in development for over 15 years, chronicles her life and legacy, including her childhood struggles, her rise to stardom, and her decision to step away from fame.

By the 1980s, Novak devoted herself to painting and caring for animals at her home in Oregon’s Rogue River Valley. “I needed the Pacific Ocean to inspire me, the animals, the beauty,” she told People.

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