Kim Novak Plans for Post-Mortem Composting
The 93-year-old Hollywood icon revealed her desire to become part of a tree after her death.
Ninety-three-year-old Hollywood legend Kim Novak has shared her unique plan for her remains after death: she wishes to be composted so that trees can be planted from her body.
Novak, known for her iconic roles in films like Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 classic "Vertigo" and the 1955 drama "Picnic," has largely withdrawn from the public eye since the 1960s. She has since dedicated her life to pursuits such as painting and caring for animals.
Living on a ranch in Oregon, Novak told People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) that she views her composting plan as a continuation of life. "I now think of it as when I go, it’s okay, because I’m going to become part of that beautiful tree and I will keep growing," she stated.
Novak's life away from Hollywood has been filled with a diverse array of animals, including dogs, birds, horses, a snake named Sincerely, and a goat. She reflected that leaving the entertainment industry allowed her to connect with her true self. "Leaving Hollywood, I moved to an environment where I could have animals around me and learn who I really was," she said. Novak explained that actors can sometimes lose themselves in their roles, and the company of animals, who are "looking for honesty," helped her find her own value and self-trust.
Recently, Novak also commented on the planned biopic "Scandalous!," which was set to focus on her interracial romance with Sammy Davis Jr. She expressed disapproval of Sydney Sweeney's casting as herself, telling The Times of London that Sweeney "looks sexy all the time" and was therefore "totally wrong to play me." Novak felt the film's focus would disproportionately emphasize the sexual aspect of her past relationship.
Novak achieved stardom in the mid-1950s with notable performances in "Picnic" and "The Man with the Golden Arm." She also starred alongside Frank Sinatra and Rita Hayworth in "Pal Joey" and with Jimmy Stewart in "Vertigo" and "Bell, Book and Candle."
After leaving Hollywood in 1966, Novak settled in Big Sur, California, later moving to her Oregon ranch in the 1990s with her second husband, veterinarian Robert Malloy, who died in 2020. She explained her departure from the film industry was partly due to witnessing how "showbiz swallowed people whole," citing Marilyn Monroe as an example.
Novak had a brief return to the spotlight in 2014 when she presented at the Oscars, an appearance that drew criticism for her altered appearance. She later responded to the online mockery, calling the critics "bullies" and confirming she had undergone "fat injections."
