“The Birds” star, 93, told PETA she thinks animals are the best teachers and the key to a better, kinder world

NEED TO KNOW

• Kim Novak, 93, moved to an Oregon ranch after leaving Hollywood 60 years ago
• The actress says animals helped her rediscover her identity beyond the roles she played
• Novak hopes people will listen to animals more and treat them with greater respect

Kim Novak left Hollywood 60 years ago for a ranch in Oregon and has been learning from some of her favorite teachers ever since.

“People are always trying to teach animals, especially dogs. Well, I want to listen,” Novak, 93, shared in a recent intimate interview with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which PEOPLE obtained exclusive access to.

In the interview, the two-time Golden Globe winner reveals how animals, including her pets over the years, have deeply impacted her and how she views the world.

“In Hollywood, you get confused as far as who you are, your identity, when you play different roles, and you become different characters, and you start to lose yourself in them. So when I moved away, it was an important thing for me to find out what my value was, what I believed in, and the best way to know was to get a response from animals,” Novak said.

She continued that animals were key to her self-discovery later in life because “they’re not looking at how much money you make or where you live, and all that. They’re looking for honesty. When they learned to trust me, that’s when I learned to trust myself the most.”

For Novak, everyone in the world should spend more time listening to and trying to understand animals, because, according to the retired actress, that would lead to a worldwide increase in respect and communication, and a decrease in conflict of all kinds.

“The response from animals is so genuine, whether it’s fear or pride or love or all of those things,” Novak said, adding that when she can win an animal’s trust and respect, “it gave me a sense of value.”

The Birds star also shared stories about individual animals and pets she remembers fondly, especially for their companionship and support.

“I had a bird who I fell in love with. He had fallen from his nest and my husband, who was a veterinarian, stitched the wing and fixed him. And I thought, he’ll go back, but he didn’t want to leave. He stayed,” Novak explained.

She added that the bird, a stellar jay later named Shadow, became a fixture in her home.

“My husband would make pancakes on Sunday, and he’d always make little ones for Shadow, and Shadow would pick them up, and he’d bring them to all of his friends,” Novak shared. “I loved him. I kept the window open always so he could fly in or out. He was free.”

During her time in Oregon, Novak has cared for and befriended countless animals and pets, including a snake named Sincerely, who adored slithering across the actress’ shoulders while she played cards, and she learned from all of them.

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She told PETA that she hopes her connection to animals inspires others to seek the same and find the same peace she has.

“They’re living creatures, and there is so much to learn from them. They have their own individual gifts that they alone can give or hold back. I wish people would give them more respect and relate to them more,” Novak said.

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