Australian actress Nicole Kidman has revealed that her 84-year-old mother Janelle has sadly passed away.
After touching down in Italy earlier this week where she was to attend the Venice International Film Festival, the mother-of-two was informed of her mother’s death and quickly flew out of the country to join her grieving family in Australia.
The sad update became public knowledge after the director of the erotic thriller Babygirl (of which the 57-year-old won the Best Actress award) read out a statement on Nicole’s behalf.
“Today I arrived in Venice to find out shortly after, that my beautiful, brave mother Janelle Ann Kidman has just passed,” the emotional statement, which doubled as an acceptance speech read.
“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,” director Halina Reihn continued on behalf of Nicole.
“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. We love you all.”
Shortly after, Nicole’s younger sister Antonia was spotted laying a bouquet of purple flowers outside the home of her late mother in Sydney’s northern suburbs.
While a cause of death has not yet been revealed, Nicole has previously spoken of Janelle’s ongoing health issues and made frequent trips to visit her ailing mother in Australia with country singer husband Keith Urban and daughters Sunday Rose and Faith Margaret.
The family is currently based in Nashville, Tenessee, and owns six luxury apartments in the Harbourside apartment building in the prestigious Sydney suburb of Milsons Point.
While they are expecting to base themselves in the inner-city base in the weeks to come, they may also seek some country air as they grieve at their 45-hectare Southern Highland estate, located just two hours south of Sydney.