Nicole Kidman 'in shock' as she announces sudden death of her mom at Venice Film Festival

Nicole Kidman arrived in Italy for the Venice Film Festival , but left shortly after following the sad news her mother has died.

The actress , 57, had been at the festival to pick up her award for Best Actress for her performance in Babygirl , but had to leave following Janelle Ann Kidman's sudden death. A note was read out to the audience by the film's director Halina Reijn .

The statement read: "Today I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after, that my beautiful, brave mother Janelle Ann Kidman has just passed. I am 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."

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It continued: "I am beyond grateful that I get to say her name to all of you through Halina, the collision of life and art is heart-breaking, and my heart is broken. We love you all."

Brady Corbet, who accepted the Silver Lion for best director following the announcement, offered his condolences to Nicole in his speech. Nicole had revealed her mother was ill in January 2022, but did not provide any other information at the time.

During an appearance on NPR's Fresh Air podcast, Nicole had said: "We're down here [in Australia] primarily to take care of my mother and to have her surrounded by her grandchildren. So luckily, last — yesterday, even though [COVID-19 strain] Omicron is raging through this country, we were able to take her into the gallery after hours and show her the Matisse exhibit, which, coming from a mother who's raised me in the arts was very, very – it was soothing balm."

Nicole also paid tribute to her mom earlier this year as she became the first Australian to be honored with the American Film Institute Lifetime Achievement Award. Explaining that her mother hadn't joined her due to ill health, the actress said: "My mama is not here, but she sent me a card and I was weeping.

" So this is for her, she's been there through all of it since I was a little girl crying on the bed, going, 'Mama, they didn't want me, I'm not pretty enough, I'm too tall, I'm covered in freckles, I'm this, I'm that.' And she's always cheered me on, so this is for her."

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