At 92, the iconic silver screen siren Kim Novak is preparing for a triumphant return to the spotlight. The Venice Film Festival is set to bestow upon her its highest honour, the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement, a moment she describes as feeling "like a miracle".
In a rare and candid interview, Novak opens up about her complex relationship with fame, the typecasting that plagued her career, and the profound legacy of her most famous role in Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece, Vertigo.
Escaping the Hollywood Glare
Novak's retreat from Tinseltown was legendary. She swapped the glare of studio klieg lights for the tranquil beauty of the Oregon coast, where she has lived for decades with her husband, veterinarian Robert Malloy. "I never liked the word 'retirement'," she clarifies. "I just chose a different kind of leading role—my own life."
She speaks with refreshing honesty about the pressures heaped upon her by Columbia Pictures boss Harry Cohn, who famously moulded her into a marketable product. "I felt like a commodity, not an artist," she reveals, discussing the intense control over her image and personal life.
The Enduring Spell of Vertigo
The conversation inevitably turns to Vertigo, the 1958 film that cemented her place in cinematic history. Novak shares her initial hesitations about the role of the enigmatic Madeleine Elster/Judy Barton and her complex, sometimes tense, collaboration with the meticulous Hitchcock.
She reflects on the film's initial mixed reception and its incredible journey to being crowned the greatest film of all time by the Sight & Sound poll in 2012. "It's a film about obsession that people became obsessed with," she muses. "It’s gratifying to be part of something that is still being discovered and discussed."
A Legacy Reclaimed
Receiving the Golden Lion is, for Novak, a full-circle moment of validation. It's not an award for fame, but a recognition of her enduring artistic contribution—an accolade that finally aligns with how she always wanted to be seen: as a dedicated actress.
Her message is one of resilience and self-preservation. She has no regrets about leaving Hollywood on her own terms, prioritising her mental health and personal happiness over perpetual celebrity. Kim Novak's story is not just one of classic beauty, but of a woman who ultimately defined success on her own terms.
