Nicole Kidman missed out on collecting a major acting accolade at the Venice Film Festival this weekend following the death of her mother, Janelle.
The Moulin Rouge! actor was awarded the Best Actress prize for her performance in the erotic thriller Babygirl, which premiered at the festival last week.
However, she was unable to collect the award during Saturday night’s ceremony as she had already returned home to Australia to be with her loved ones.
Instead, Babygirl director Halina Reijn accepted the honour on Nicole’s behalf, reading out a pre-written speech which said: “I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after that my beautiful, brave mother, Janelle Ann Kidman has 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, and my heart is broken.”
Nicole Kidman, winner of the Coppa Volpi Best Actress award for "Babygirl" at the 81st Venice Film Festival couldn't accept the award in person as her mother just passed away. The film's director Halina Reijn accepted the award for her and shared a message from Kidman. #Venezia81https://t.co/OvjI29NYC3pic.twitter.com/stl8j1CUrT
— ʙᴇʟʟᴀᴅᴏɴɴᴀ???????? (@canyou_sonicme) September 7, 2024
Elsewhere, during the ceremony, Pedro Almodovar’s English-language debut The Room Next Door scooped the top honour of the festival, when it was chosen as the recipient of the Golden Lion.
French actor Vincent Lindon won the Best Actor distinction thanks to his role in Delphine Coulin and Muriel Coulin’s The Quiet Son, with Vermiglio and April picking up the Grand Jury Prize and the Special Jury Prize, respectively.
Other movies to premiere during this year’s Venice Film Festival included the upcoming Joker sequel Folie À Deux, Luca Guadagnino’s Queer (starring Daniel Craig in the lead role), Brad Pitt and George Clooney’s new comedy Wolfs and Maria, the operatic biopic featuring Angelina Jolie as musical legend Maria Callas.
