Hollywood Legend, 92, Says ‘It’s Close to the End’

Kim Novak, 92, is opening up about aging, fame, and why she walked away from Hollywood at the height of her career.

In the upcoming documentary Kim Novak’s Vertigo, the iconic actress reflects on her decision to step away from the spotlight decades ago and embrace a quieter life focused on art and self-discovery.

“It’s not easy getting old,” Novak admits in the film, according to People. “I’m feeling it’s close to the end.”

Novak became one of Hollywood’s brightest stars in the 1950s, working alongside legends like Frank Sinatra, James Stewart, and William Holden. But in 1966, she shocked the industry by leaving it all behind.

“Hollywood swallowed people whole,” Novak said, referencing Marilyn Monroe’s tragic death at 36. “I didn’t want that to happen to me.”

After a mudslide destroyed her Bel Air home, Novak retreated to a cliffside dwelling in Big Sur, where she focused on painting — her “survival mode,” as she describes it.

Reflecting on her first morning after leaving Hollywood, Novak recalled feeling completely liberated: “I thought, ‘Wow, I’m going to live my dream and not for someone else.’ My cat was purring, the birds were singing, the waves were crashing — it was paradise.”

Her manager, Sue Cameron, says the new documentary isn’t about Hollywood gossip but about Novak’s true story. “She turned down a million dollars to write a tell-all book because she didn’t want to sell out,” Cameron explained. “She’s the last living golden goddess of film — a true fighter for women who even started her own production company back in the ’50s.”

Now, at 92, Novak’s legacy shines brighter than ever as she shares her journey of resilience, independence, and self-expression.