Thandiwe Newton believes people have to “earn the right” to be called “mama.”
The All the Old Knives actress has Ripley, 21, Nico, 17, and Booker, 7, with husband Ol Parker, but she feels there is more to being a parent than just having children.
She said: “I hope I earn the right to be called “mama” every day because you don’t get to just be called “mama” — you have to earn it.”
The 48-year-old star credited having her children for making her “love [herself]” more than she did before.
She explained to “Extra”: “I look in the mirror and I realize that I look a bit like my children and that makes me love myself. I look at my mom and I look in the mirror and I see me … It makes me love me more than I did before, so that’s a gift for me and the gift that I give them.”
Despite her years of acting success, Newton views herself as just a “regular” person.
She said: “This is what a regular person is if they just get to have had beautiful encounters with people. This industry, the arts, to be able to be a freak and be embraced in an industry which allows for our ideas to evolved continuously so we get to make mistakes and still be accepted.”
To prepare for her role in All the Old Knives, the actress spent time with a “wonderful” CIA consultant and they bonded over their shared experiences and insecurities.
She said: “I shared a lot with her about my own insecurities and she shared a lot about hers, you know, being in the CIA as a woman of color.
“It was actually really incredible witnessing two women from different industries who reached success and paying it forward in however we can.”
