Recently, I was invited to participate in a mom blogger conference call with feature film actress and mom of two, Uma Thurman. Thurman stars in the soon to be released comedy “Motherhood” which centers on one pivotal day in the life of a stressed out, stay-at-home blogging mom. The Motherhood also stars Anthony Edwards, who portrays Thurman’s husband, and Minnie Driver (love her).
As each blogger chimed in, I could sense that each of us were leading incredibly harried lives. A snapshot of our stretched-to-the-max group included one multi-tasking mom who was racing to the airport. Another was conducting the interview from her kitchen while her toddler rattled off breakfast demands. Line five featured a mom trying to calm her crying infant, while another baby gurgled and cooed on someone else’s line. As a cacophony of baby sounds blasted out the typical muzak you hear before a call starts, we were given instructions on how to mute the phone. I guess a mute button lesson was in order so that when Uma called in, you’d be able to hear a pin drop, rather than hearing someone blurt out, “Mommy, I have to go poop.”
Before we knew it, Uma jumped on the line and was ready for our questions. What follows is an excerpt of our favorite responses:
Question: How do you manage to juggle work and family?
Uma: It’s really hard to do – basically I don’t work at all the same or as often as I used to. I prefer films. It’s just a matter when things get tough, you try to forgive yourself if you missed out. As much as I want to be in eight places, I can’t. I try to have a rich and warm family life with all the time I do have and I try to strike a balance.
Question: Tell us about your character in The Motherhood.
Uma: This is a story where the mother is central to the experience. She’s the one being seen for her actions – she’s not there to focus her attention on how to relate to the person of interest. I just think that Katherine’s character is so honest. She feels fulfilled and compromised in a way by totally being in baby land and not stimulating other parts of her life. I like that she has flaws and anger issues. She’s funny and charming and just sort of real.
Question: How do you feel motherhood is portrayed in Hollywood films?
Uma: I think that motherhood has always been put on the third shelf down. I’ve had one woman say to me – why do I want to watch a movie about my own boring life? We so discredit our own experience and some believe that raising human beings is so unimportant. Some women think it’s not worthy of consideration or they really appreciate it if they’ve experienced it.
Question: Why does your character blog?
Uma: She’s someone who studied to be a writer and she’s a novice novelist. She has also chosen and dedicated herself to raising her child. Having a mommy blog is a way to exercise her creativity that fits in with her life as a mother.
Question: How has having children made you a better actress?
Uma: It changed me completely. You are never the same person before and after you have children. I guess when I do get to work, I feel so appreciative of it because I don’t get to do it all the time. It’s made much more clear lines of my life and my work and I deeply appreciate it.
Question: What was your biggest challenge working on the film?
Uma: I was surprised by what wonderful actors the children who played my kids were and how great it was to act with them. I never really played a realistic mom before and having the chance to work with those kids on such a wonderful and warm script was such a great aspect.
Question: Do you read mommy blogs?
Uma: You know I didn’t get into the blogging world. I feel guilty about it and I apologize. There is still time. I feel so badly telling you that.
Question: What are you favorite things about filming in NY and what are your least favorite things?
Uma: My favorite thing is how close it is to home. My least favorite thing is how noisy it is. The biggest challenge (in New York) is the noise challenge.
“The Motherhood” will be released in theaters this Friday, October 23 in New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, and Chicago. If you’d like the chance to win tickets to a screening in one of these cities, comment now and we’ll be in touch soon if we’ve selected you as a winner!
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