'Vertigo' star Kim Novak plans to become compost after death
Kim Novak, the Hollywood legend, has chosen a green final act
Former “Vertigo” star Kim Novak, 93, has announced plans to have her body turned into compost after she dies so that the resulting soil can be used to plant trees. The actress, who has lived in Oregon for years, said the idea would let her “continue to grow” and keep her legacy alive in a natural way.
Novak first revealed her intentions a few years ago. “The idea is that I get to live after I’m gone through trees,” she told Fox News Digital. “It’s an exciting adventure because this is what I want after I pass. I want to keep living… I will get to continue to express myself and be an observer of life. To me, it’s a beautiful thought. It’s given me great peace of mind because I’m going to keep growing. So I’m excited about that.”
The actress explained that she is not interested in the conventional options of burial or cremation. “It sounds funny perhaps, but it isn’t really,” she added. “I can’t imagine being turned into ashes or being put under the ground. Both of those concepts are not too attractive to me.”
Novak is a lifelong nature lover. She said the plan allows her to become “one with the soil” and to “help with growth.” She has even chosen forget‑me‑nots as the flowers to be part of her compost. “And with compost, of course, everything grows so much better than if you didn’t have it. It helps with growth. You become part of the process. It’s natural, it’s real, it’s honest, it’s pure,” she said.
The actress lives on a ranch in Oregon, where human composting is legal. Her remains will be transported to the Earth Funeral facility in Washington state, where they will undergo a process known as natural organic reduction. “I’m in Oregon, so it’s not that big a deal,” Novak said. “However, they’re going to have to pack me in ice in order to make it all the way to this place,” she laughed.
Once the composting is complete, Novak plans to send the soil to friends and family. “I’m having all of my compost, once it’s done, delivered to friends and family, a bit of it,” she said. “I have instructions for all of them to plant a tree or a shrub, but preferably a tree, because I look forward to keeping growing. That’s what it’s all about for me. I want to keep growing.”
Novak also said she had considered other options earlier. “Here in Oregon, there was one place where I could have had a tree planted over me,” she recalled. “However, it was only one tree. I’d like to be many trees.”
In addition to her film career, Novak withdrew from Hollywood in 1966 to pursue a private life devoted to painting. “Leaving Hollywood taught me that how I live my life matters,” she explained. “When I left, what mattered the most was being out in nature. I’ve always wanted to be close to nature and live a natural life. Painting has allowed me to continue expressing myself while out in nature.”
She stressed that her decision is also an environmental statement. “I made my decision because I want to do something good for the environment, and others can too,” she said. “After we’re gone, the Earth is still here, and we need to protect it. Life goes on when we’re no longer here. And in some ways, this doesn’t make you feel like you’re dying. You’re continuing to live on becoming part of the environment. It’s something beautiful to look forward to, not dread.”
Novak’s life has been widely celebrated. She was the world’s top box‑office star from 1958 to 1960 and appeared in classics such as “The Man with the Golden Arm,” “Picnic,” “Pal Joey,” and “Bell, Book and Candle.” A documentary, “Kim Novak’s Vertigo,” chronicles her career and personal journey.
She said she does not want to be forgotten. “I don’t want to be forgotten,” Novak said. “I want to be remembered not just for films, but for what it made me into, what it turned me