Hollywood Legend Kim Novak, 92, Reflects on Life in New Documentary

Legendary Hollywood actress Kim Novak, now 92, has spoken candidly about aging and her life in the new documentary Kim Novak's Vertigo, which premiered at the Venice Film Festival and earned her a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement. Novak revealed that she is "feeling it's close to the end" and has experienced a profound need to "free something" as she reflects on her life and career. Rising to fame in the 1950s with iconic roles in films like Vertigo, Novak left Hollywood at the height of her career in 1966 to escape the pressures and control of the industry, relocating to Oregon to pursue painting and a simpler life. She described her departure as a survival measure, having lost her sense of self amid Hollywood's demands and had to learn to rely on her inner self, in part through her connection with animals and art. The documentary also explores Novak's struggles with bipolar disorder and her resistance to the Hollywood studio system's attempts to control her identity and career. Novak views the film as a way to "wrap up" her life, sharing deeply personal reflections on her journey, fame, and the realities of growing old.