There is nothing better than time with your girlfriends! Inspired by a quote from Jennifer Aniston about the importance of her “goddess circle” [a.k.a. share-time with the girlfriends], Digital Chick TV has formed its own Goddess Circle of women — women with various backgrounds, expertise, and interests. It’s our circle of girlfriends, and we’re talking about everything!
I met Jennifer Weedon a few years back on the set of a film, The Triangle Fire. Less than two months ago, Jennifer gave birth to a beautiful baby boy and is currently figuring out how to manage mommyhood and her career, something that so many of my other girlfriends are also going through. Jennifer was kind enough to share some things she’s already learned about time management.
Daryn
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Picture this: I’m up to my elbows in what can only be described as toxic poo (How can such a tiny being secrete all that?), changing my newborn Henry. Hanging off each sore breast is what appears to be a futuristic device of torture, but in reality is a double electric breast pump. Very bovine chic. Droning away in the background is the sound of the Roomba vacuum, cleaning up nearly an entire box of cat litter that the kitties knocked over in protest of my husband and I leaving them for a weekend. Evan is a jazz pianist and had several gigs in the Berkshires over the long weekend. We’ve just arrived back in Manhattan after a long car ride, a gassy little Henry and all his paraphernalia in tow, and Evan is out searching for a parking spot. And now, the unmistakable sound of my cell ringing. This was definitely a time to let the call go directly to voicemail. Until I saw who was calling. It was my manager.
Photo by Ariana Falerni
Yes, yes, yes! While Henry’s arrival has been the most fulfilling chapter of my life so far, there had been a nagging little demon in my mind since the end of my pregnancy, wondering if I would ever work again after his birth. Though I had continued taking classes, worked on a student film, and religiously postcarded throughout my pregnancy, I worried that the time spent without official work or auditions would cause “them” to forget me, or at least think of me as less serious an actor as some of my peers.
In a way, it was the opposite. Having a personal life with something VERY interesting going on made me more memorable to some of my industry contacts. Casting directors and my agents asked for photos of little Henry and sent me notes of congratulations. Henry is now just six weeks old and I’ve started auditioning again… almost as much as before!
Of course, my priorities have changed greatly since his birth. I won’t have time to commit to any non-paying theater projects for a while. I’m very enthusiastic about national SAG commercials because keeping my SAG health insurance is even more crucial now that I have this little monkey. But overall, I’m happy to say, I’m still out there in this big city, trying to follow my dream, albeit with something much more exciting to come home to now.
Some things I’ve learned about life as a new mom who is also a working actor:
-Allot twice as much time to get dressed/made-up as you think you need, because invariably the baby is going to need to eat, poop, or just be held.
-Having a smartphone with email capabilities means you don’t have to wait for the little one to sleep to get to the computer. You can deal with emails, submit on the casting sites etc with one hand while the little bugger is nursing… which they tend to do EVERY hour.
-You’d be surprised how excited some of your actor friends are to help out. Several have offered to meet me outside casting offices and hold Henry while I go in and audition.
-However tired and stressed you thought you were before baby… say the week of tech for a show… is NOTHING compared to how you feel post-baby. I haven’t had more than two hours of consecutive sleep for six weeks. BUT you will be shocked at how well you do on such little sleep. And remember all those acting exercises to get you “out of your head” and have you act on your impulses? The altered mental state from lack of sleep somehow achieves much the same effect.
-Spanx are your friend.
Well, that’s all for now. There’s the most adorable audience of one demanding a dramatic reading of Brown Bear, Brown Bear followed by a nap for both of us. Now that’s my idea of the perfect gig.
Jennifer
Jennifer Weedon is a new mom and working actress who has appeared in films (The Height of the Sky, A Beautiful Mind), commercials (Coca-Cola, Old Spice), and theatre (Under Milk Wood). She lives in Manhattan with her husband, actor/pianist Evan Palazzo. Visit www.jenniferweedon.com for more info.
Thanks for this article! I am due in December and have had many of the same concerns about being a new mom and having a career. It’s great to see that it can be done, and with grace!
Much appreciated.
Jamie