Keri Russell is open about the highs and lows of parenthood.
The actor shares a son, River, and daughter, Willa, with ex-husband Shane Deary. She also has a son, Sam, with her partner and “The Americans” co-star Matthew Rhys.
In honor of her birthday, we’ve rounded up 17 Russell quotes about being a mom.
On How Parenthood Changed Her
“You instantly become less selfish. You can’t be the biggest person in the world anymore ― they are. It really grounds you.”
On Approaching Each Child Differently
“I think it’s just different [based on] the kid. You never know. You get what you get, and they’re all so different and wild and weird and good in their own way.”
On Embracing Imperfection As A Parent
“You do the best you can every single day, and some days are bad days. I feel like people need to remember that more. You get it right sometimes, and then you don’t get it right. We’re probably failing disastrously.”
On Work-Life Balance
“Luckily, right now, the schedule I get to keep with film really allows me [to balance work and family]. ... I get to work really hard for three months, but then I get to be home for four months where I get to put him to bed every night. ... I like getting to be in the adult world a little bit and then getting to be in the mom world and cook dinners. And, for me, that balance is what makes it nice.”
On Her First Pregnancy
“The thing that surprises me is how great it is. You hear horror stories. I have a few friends who are pregnant and they’re so sick ― miserable sick ― and I’m having such a nice experience. Knock on wood. I haven’t been sick. I’ve been really active. I’m not too huge yet. I’m kind of a tiny girl anyway. But they say at this point every week the baby gains at least a pound. So, we’ll see how that will change. It’s thrilling. It’s like a daily science experiment.”
On Holidays
“Christmas time gets more fun the older my kids get. In fact, I’ve been saving River’s Christmas lists. Last year he asked for a cheetah. Yes, a cheetah. That and a red T-shirt. How crazy is the cheetah and how mundane the red tee?”
On Not Wanting Help At First
“I tend to think I can do everything myself. I don’t even like the word ‘nanny,’ so I call them babysitters. Is that weird? I recently read ‘A Moveable Feast’ by Ernest Hemingway, documenting a time in Paris when Hemingway and his wife were just starting out. They were totally destitute ― literally, they had no money ― and even they had a sitter!”
On Taking Breaks From Acting
“I like working hard, but my life outside of my career is equally important to me. Maybe I’m not ambitious enough, but I’m just as interested in my friends and my relationship with my family.”
On What She Wants To Teach Her Kids
“I’m just starting with, ‘Don’t be a jerk.’ ... Mine were all nice at 2, but I feel like as they get older, [the lessons are] being a good friend, being a loyal friend and don’t talk about your friend. It’s more like that kind of stuff: ‘If you start a team, you have to stay on it. You don’t get to quit just because they’re bad.’”
On Her Mom Character On ‘The Americans’
“Honestly, I relish the kind of mother she is ― especially these days when we’re all supposed to be craft-making, cookie-making, have a career, be sexy, have a great body, go to Pilates. She’s not at home making Halloween costumes or inviting her kids’ friends over for cupcakes. It’s totally refreshing.”
On Being A Working Mom
“I make the school lunches and I show up and bring cupcakes to preschool and drop the kids off at a play date. But I have a whole world that happens to me outside of that.”
On Hiding Her Pregnancy On ‘The Americans’
“There was a lot of winter-coat wearing. We justified it, like, ‘My mind is full of so many things, and I’m so worried that I just keep my coat on, even in the bedroom.’ I held a lot of giant salad bowls.”
On How Parenthood Changed Her Philanthropy
“I just think you’re so much more vulnerable and kind of exposed emotionally, you can’t go to one of these events without sobbing. You’re just more vulnerable to it, which is good.”
On Her Newborn Son
“He’s so good. He’s big and fat and nice.”
On Parenting In The Trump Era
“Our 5-year-old said this morning while I had NPR on about some report on whatever Donald Trump was doing at this hour, and she said, ‘That’s not fair! Why does Donald Trump get to do everything that he wants to do?’ And I said, ‘Exactly!’ And she said, ‘Well, I want to go to Disney World. I don’t get to go.’ But I was like, ‘Exactly. Not everyone gets what they want.’ But she said, ‘Donald Trump does!’ And I go, ‘You’re right. It’s a bummer. He’s not playing by any rules. No rules.’”
On Turning 40 While Pregnant
“I’d be a lot more excited if I could have, like, five glasses of wine. When I think of turning 40, I really think of being at the top of my game — looking great and being reckless and carefree and dancing with my girlfriends. And instead I’ll be barely digesting my dinner, about to deliver a baby. It’s not going to be that idealistic moment of being a woman, like, ‘This is where I am before it starts to turn.’ But maybe when I’m 41?”
On How Motherhood Affected Her Acting
“Anything that opens you up emotionally is going to impact your acting. Parenthood, becoming a mom, certainly does that. For one thing, you practice storytelling at its most basic.”