Susan Sarandon on Motherhood and Hollywood: I Cooked a Lot of Turkey Stuffing in My Trailer

This story first appeared in the 2014 Women in Entertainment issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine.

Among the myriad revelations that Eva Amurri Martino, an actress, has experienced since giving birth to her daughter Marlowe in August is the reality her mother faced in balancing a family with a busy film career. “She had three kids under 7 at one point. I only have one! I can’t imagine it,” says Martino, 29. “I only realize now how challenging it must have been for her all those years. Seeing her work the entire time we were growing up set an amazing example for me. And getting back to work now, I think, is making me a better mother.”

Read More AFM: Susan Sarandon, Stephen Amell Circling ‘Whatever Makes You Happy’

Susan Sarandon, 68, an Oscar winner (Dead Man Walking) and star of more than 70 films, reveals her signature candor when reflecting on the pressures — and rewards — of a Hollywood career. “My biggest lesson was forgiving myself for not being more on top of it,” she says, of raising Eva (whose father is director Franco Amurri) and sons Jack, 25, and Miles, 22, with her ex-partner, actor Tim Robbins. “I always tried to remember to enjoy my children and not worry that the freezer wasn’t defrosted. Actually, Eva is much more organized than I ever was!” she laughs. “Seeing her thrive as a mother is an absolute joy.”

Sarandon has plenty to say on her early years balancing family and career

“I can’t tell you how many times I made turkey stuffing in my trailer,” Sarandon says. “We actually shot Bull Durham on Thanksgiving, so I taped the parade so we could watch it together the next day. You find a way to cope, like finding teamsters who are good at wrapping Christmas presents.”

Read More Eva Amurri Martino Gives Birth to Baby Girl

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See Mothers and Daughters of Hollywood with Anne Sweeney, Susan Sarandon