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A legendary actress of the 1950s, Kim Novak will receive an Honorary Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 2025. The Vertigo star embodies the elegance, rebellious spirit and freedom of a bygone era.
Born Marilyn Pauline Novak on February 13, 1933, in Chicago, Kim Novak was never just another actress. With her sculpted features, melancholy gaze and enigmatic screen presence, she emerged in the 1950s as one of Hollywood’s defining figures. Yet behind that meteoric rise was a fiercely independent woman who resisted the rules of the studio system and whose path – often overshadowed by her personal choices – commands admiration today.
Kim Novak entered the world of show business through modeling. In 1954, she signed a contract with Columbia Pictures, which viewed her as the next Rita Hayworth. She refused to change her name, marking her first act of defiance. Within a short time, she was working alongside some of Hollywood’s biggest stars: William Holden in Picnic (1955), Frank Sinatra in The Man with the Golden Arm (1955) and Tyrone Power in The Eddy Duchin Story (1956). Her icy beauty was captivating, yet it was her contradictions that truly intrigued. She was not the typical Hollywood blonde, but a woman whose apparent softness concealed fragility, depth and a quiet intensity.
This duality reaches its peak in Vertigo (1958), Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece, where Kim Novak plays both Madeleine and Judy. Once underestimated, the film is now ranked among the greatest in cinema history. Novak delivers a dizzying performance, literally. Her character embodies both the male fantasy and the victim of that fantasy in a work that is at once aesthetic, psychological and deeply feminine. Her performance is more than memorable; it’s groundbreaking. She redefined the role of women in American cinema, shifting it from object to subject, from muse to tragic heroine.
By the late 1950s, she was the highest-grossing actress worldwide. But success came with a price. Kim Novak despised the constraints imposed by the studios, the tight control over her image, and the stereotypical “cold seductress” roles she was often given. Growing weary, she gradually distanced herself from Hollywood throughout the 1960s. Her film appearances became fewer and more discreet. She turned down several major projects, choosing to protect her freedom rather than feed the dream machine. In 1991, after filming Mike Figgis’s Liebestraum, she left the film industry for good.
This withdrawal became a way for her to reclaim herself and dedicate her time to what she had always loved: painting, poetry and animals. She settled in Oregon with her husband, Robert Malloy, a veterinarian, leading a peaceful, creative life far from the spotlight. She continued to exhibit her artwork, write and engage with those who admire her, never succumbing to nostalgia or the artificial glare of a forced comeback. This choice has earned her immense respect in the art world. Over time, she has become a beacon of integrity.
At 92 years old, Kim Novak will receive the Honorary Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, held from August 27 to September 6, 2025, in recognition of her entire career. This long-awaited tribute, praised by critics, has been described by Novak herself as “a dream come true.” Alongside this honor, the festival will host the world premiere of the documentary Kim Novak’s Vertigo, directed by Alexandre Philippe, in which she reflects on her collaboration with Hitchcock, behind-the-scenes stories and her relationship with her on-screen image.
The younger generation has not forgotten her. At the 2025 Met Gala, actress Sydney Sweeney – who will portray Novak in the forthcoming biopic Scandalous! – paid tribute to her style by wearing an outfit inspired by Vertigo. The fashion press, from Vogue to Variety, praised the elegance and accuracy of the homage. More than a mere nod, this gesture shows that Kim Novak’s legacy continues to inspire, transcend eras and captivate imaginations.
Kim Novak never gave in to Hollywood’s illusions. She chose instead to forge her own path, navigating between spotlight and silence, between screen and canvas. At a time when the film industry is reinventing itself, her journey stands as a powerful lesson in independence, discretion and quiet strength. An icon, yes – but above all a woman who managed to reclaim her true self.
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