Nicole Kidman was visibly emotional during a speech about her late mother (Picture: Getty)
Nicole Kidman was moved to tears in a poignant speech dedicated to her late mother as she accepted an acting award.
The Australian actor, 57, took to the stage to receive the 2025 Palm Springs International Film Festival’s international star award for her acclaimed turn in Babygirl.
Babygirl, directed by Halina Reijn, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September to widespread praise including Nicole being awarded the best actress award.
Sadly, the screen star was not able to accept the award in person after leaving the festival ‘heartbroken’ following the death of her mother Janelle, aged 84.
In her new speech, Nicole told the audience she was ‘still grieving’ her mother.
She said: Thank you for giving me the chance to say, “This is for my mom”. My whole career has been for my mom and my dad, who are not here now.
The actor starred in Babygirl, which premiered at Venice Film Festival (Picture: Invision)
The star dedicated the award to her late mother (Picture: Invision)
And reflected on the impact she had on her life (Picture: Invision)
‘I’m still going to keep working and giving to the world because I love what I do and I love you all, and I’m so grateful for the privilege to be a part of the film community.
At this point she was visibly emotional, adding: ‘I’m sorry that I’m crying, I didn’t want to do that. But I feel my mom right now so this is for you.’
The actor has been open about her grieving process from the very beginning. When Halina accepted her Venice award on her behalf, she read a statement written by Nicole.
It read: ‘Today, I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after my brave and beautiful mother, Janelle Anne Kidman, had just passed.
‘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.’
In December, she appeared on CBS Sunday Morning where she revealed the last words her mother said to her over the phone.
Jamie Lee Curtis presented her with the award (Picture: Invision)
She stars opposite Harris Dickinson in Babygirl (Picture: Everett/Shutterstock)
She has been promoting the movie for months in the lead-up to awards season (Picture: Everett/Shutterstock)
Nicole continued: ‘The final words my mama said to me, I was gonna get on a plane, and she said “Maybe wait a minute, because you just need to take care of yourself, Nicky.”‘
And the powerful, and touching, sentiment has stayed with Nicole.
‘I’m doing that more, and I say that to other people in the world. Particularly women. I think we tend not to care of ourselves. We take care of everybody else but the last person is here,’ she said.
‘My grandmother left me with “Be happy” and my mother said, “Take care of yourself.”
‘I’m an older mother so I wanna be around a long time for my girls, they’re amazing girls and I’m lucky to have them so taking care of myself so that I can take care of them.
‘I would like to be around for a long time. Who knows? I don’t get to choose that.’
Promotion for her movie with Harris Dickinson is fully underway as we dive headfirst into awards season.
She is up for best actor in a drama at the Golden Globes alongside fellow stars such as Kate Winslet and Angelina Jolie.
Nicole shares two children with her ex-husband Tom Cruise, Bella, 31, and Connor, 29 and two with Keith Urban, Sunday, 16, and 13-year-old Faith.
The actor recently made a rare red carpet appearance with her Faith.
The pair attended a star-studded industry event together at the end of last year where Nicole made a speech about mentoring the next generation and was honoured with leadership award.
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