Hollywood Legend Kim Novak Champions Animals in Rare New Interview With PETA

For Immediate Release:
October 7, 2026

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

In a rare and deeply personal interview with PETA, Hollywood legend Kim Novak—whose performance in Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo made her one of the most celebrated actors of the 20th century—has opened up about her lifelong commitment to animals, revealing, in her own words, how childhood trauma, a perfume-hating goat, and the unconditional love of animals helped her find peace after spending years in the spotlight.

Novak’s compassion for animals and her lifetime of advocacy began at an early age, when she witnessed her father’s abuse of the family’s puppy, Snappy. “He was just a sweet, loveable little guy, but he was a puppy, and of course, he made messes in the house when he was learning,” shares Novak. Her father’s anger got the best of him. “It was just absolutely horrible. And so, early on, I learned how not to treat them.” Novak also credits animals with teaching her authenticity—something Hollywood couldn’t offer. “The reaction from animals is so genuine, whether it’s fear or pride or love,” she says. “To be able to win over the love of creatures meant everything and helped me to love myself.”

When Novak left Hollywood 60 years ago, she was eager to shed the various roles she had played during her film career and discover who she really was and what she believed in. Drawn to the honesty of animals, she planted roots on a ranch in Oregon where she could be surrounded by dozens of beloved animals. “They aren’t looking at how much money you make or where you live. They’re looking for honesty,” says 93-year-old Novak, a two-time Golden Globe winner and recipient of the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 2025 Venice Film Festival. “When they learned to trust me, is when I learned to trust me the most.”

Hollywood has long wanted a telltale book from Novak with gossip and anecdotes from her life on the silver screen, but she says she’d prefer to write about animals. “The book I want to write is called Creature Teachers,” Novak shares. “People are always trying to teach [dogs] things. Well, I want to listen to them, hear what they’re going to teach me.” She also believes that every species has their own unique way of expressing what they know best. “Animals have a knowledge of their own that is instinctual, and it is so to be respected, because it is where we could learn from them,” she says. In one memorable example, Novak’s goat taught her an unforgettable lesson about being true to herself. When she wore perfume, he would stand on his hind legs and come at her with his horns. “He totally thought I was impersonating me, because it looked like me, but it didn’t smell like me,” she explains. “So I gave that up entirely.”

Novak even has an unconventional plan for after her death: She’s arranged to have her body turned into compost so friends can plant trees over her remains. “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 says. “[When I die], it’s going to be a new adventure. And of course, I’ll get to see all the animals who have passed.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.