{"id":293628,"date":"2025-11-18T23:32:19","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T23:32:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/293628\/"},"modified":"2025-11-18T23:32:19","modified_gmt":"2025-11-18T23:32:19","slug":"why-claire-danes-felt-shame-over-having-baby-at-age-44","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/293628\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Claire Danes Felt \u201cShame\u201d Over Having Baby at Age 44"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally appeared on E! Online<\/a><\/p>\n

Claire Danes<\/a> isn\u2019t immune to so-called societal expectations.<\/p>\n

The Homeland star reflected on welcoming her 2-year-old daughter<\/a> with husband Hugh Dancy in July 2023, admitting that having a baby at age 44 wasn\u2019t exactly on her vision board.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was so old when that happened,\u201d she said during the Nov. 17 episode of the Smartless<\/a> podcast. \u201cI didn\u2019t think it was possible. I really didn\u2019t. I was terrified, but it was all OK.\u201d<\/p>\n

The 46-year-old explained that she \u201cdid not foresee\u201d getting pregnant at that age \u201cat all,\u201d and while she embraced the newest addition to her family, she admitted to experiencing unexpected emotions along the way.<\/p>\n

\u201cSuddenly, I felt a funny shame,\u201d she explained. \u201cI was \u2018naughty.\u2019 I\u2019d been caught fornicating past the point I was meant to. It was weird, and it was like I found an edge that I hadn\u2019t been quite conscious of. I was going outside of the parameters a little bit. That was wild.\u201d<\/p>\n

To see what more celebrity moms have said about parenthood, keep reading.<\/p>\n

More from E! Online<\/p>\n

But now that Claire has settled into life as a mom of three\u2014she and Hugh also share sons Cyrus, 12, and Rowan, 7\u2014the Emmy winner couldn\u2019t help but marvel at her kids\u2019 differing life stages.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s about five years between each,\u201d she continued, \u201cbut it\u2019s a trip. I have a teenager and a toddler.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prior to welcoming baby no. 3, Claire revealed that her boys were resistant when she told them they\u2019d soon have another sibling.<\/p>\n

\"Claire<\/p>\n

Jamie McCarthy\/NBC<\/p>\n

\u201cCyrus was resigned to it,\u201d she said on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon<\/a> in January 2023. \u201cI mean, the worst has already happened. His name is Rowan.\u201d<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Rowan was more vocally opposed to becoming a big brother.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe said, \u2018When it comes out of your tummy, we’ll give it to a family that doesn’t have a baby,\u2019\u201d Claire went on. \u201cHe was less than thrilled.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fortunately, the My So-Called Life actress found an unlikely angle to get her son more excited about her pregnancy.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe talked about how when the baby comes out, it’s going to be pretty dumb, doesn’t know a lot,\u201d she joked. \u201cThat was interesting to him. He liked the idea of being a condescending presence. So now he\u2019s a little more optimistic.\u201d<\/p>\n

To see what more celebrity moms have said about parenthood, keep reading.<\/p>\n

Khloe Kardashian\"Khloe<\/p>\n

Khloe Kardashian’s best quotes on motherhood are simply in the constant sweet messages she publically shares to her daughter True.<\/p>\n

“Everyday I give thanks that I was chosen to be your mommy,” the Keeping Up With the Kardashians star shared on Instagram<\/a>. “I’ll never ever take this role for granted! Thank you Tutu! I will easily love you until the end of time!”<\/p>\n

Kim Kardashian\"Kim<\/p>\n

Kim Kardashian is the proud mama to four kids who she values above all else.<\/p>\n

“I have such unconditional love for my kids. No matter what, I will always love them and support them in anything they choose to do in life. My family was so close growing up; now that I’m a mom, I understand the bond my mom and dad felt with us,” she shared on her website<\/a>. <\/p>\n

“There can be ups and downs with kids but no matter what, I always learn so much from them. Being a mom is the most important job I have.”<\/p>\n

Kylie Jenner\"Kylie<\/p>\n

The self-made billionaire shared in an interview with Kim all about how much she thinks about<\/a> her little Stormi.<\/p>\n

“I think more about the future because of her. Every time I leave and I’m stressed about leaving her, I’m like, \u2018I’m doing it for you,'” Kylie told Kim. “Everyone says you change completely when you become a mom, but I really feel the same, just better.”<\/p>\n

Kourtney Kardashian\"Kourtney<\/p>\n

The mama of three shared with Parents<\/a> her mentality on being a parent when she was pregnant with her second child.<\/p>\n

On motherhood, Kourtney stated it’s, “Definitely my favorite role in life. It has changed me and made me realize there is nothing else I would rather do with my time. Being a mom is what life is about. I hope people realize what the priorities in life should be and know not everything has to be perfect.”<\/p>\n

Kristin Cavallari<\/p>\n

\"<p>Kristin<\/p>\n

In an interview with Modeliste Magazine, via People<\/a>, Kristin Cavallari expressed her experience of being a mother to her three kids.<\/p>\n

“There’s just so much more love in your life. I finally feel like I have a real identity,” Cavallari shared. “I feel like I have a purpose here in life now. I’m a mom to these three amazing little babies, and my whole world just kind of opened up.”<\/p>\n

Shay Mitchell\"Shay<\/p>\n

Shay Mitchell gave a candid interview<\/a> to Vogue on the stresses and expectations of being a mom.<\/p>\n

“There is a lot of stress and anxiety,” she admitted. “I’d heard all these things from my friends saying, ‘You’re going to second guess a lot of things you do, you’re going to feel guilty when you leave her.'”<\/p>\n

But the mama to Atlas has started to feel more secure in her role, adding, “[It’s been all about] just taking the time to get ready and be by myself to [say,] ‘Okay cool, now I can handle this, I’ve got this, so many people have done this before me, and so many people have felt the same way.'”<\/p>\n

Hilary Duff\"Hilary<\/p>\n

“I don’t always balance it all, I do the best that I can, and some months are crazier than others,” Duff told E! News<\/a> in an exclusive interview. “I’m a mother first, so [Luca]’s always my number one priority. And then my decision-making process is like, ‘Hey can I make this work? Is he going to get enough of what he needs from me?'”<\/p>\n

Now that Hilary Duff has two kiddos, we are sure that the balancing act is even tougher, but that the mama is rocking it all the same!<\/p>\n

Beyonc\u00e9\"Beyonc&eacute;\"<\/p>\n

The powerhouse singer is a huge inspiration to all of us, but turns out the mother also makes sure to be the same for her own children.<\/p>\n

“I realized why I was born and more than anything, all of the things I want to pass onto my child and the best way of doing that is not by preaching or telling her but showing her by example,” she said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Anne Hathaway\"Anne<\/p>\n

When it comes to great parenting advice, Anne Hathaway shared that she got some A-plus list from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle!<\/p>\n

“They get down on the child’s level and speak to them eye-to-eye to make their child feel empowered,” she tells The Sunday Times<\/a>. “I thought that was really cool. I started doing that with Jonathan.”<\/p>\n

Mindy Kaling\"Mindy<\/p>\n

While the Mindy Project actress is a mother herself, she also has a sweet quote on how she viewed her own mom.<\/p>\n

“I would say that my mother is the single biggest role model in my life, but that term doesn’t seem to encompass enough when I use it about her,” Kaling said<\/a>. “She was the love of my life.”<\/p>\n

Vanessa Lachey\"Vanessa<\/p>\n

“We talked about how we would have cared for a daughter and the things we would teach: how to grow up to be a strong, independent, and confident woman who knows she is loved,” Vanessa said<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Mila Kunis\"Mila<\/p>\n

While she plays a “Bad Mom” in movies, in real life Mila Kunis couldn’t be a better parent to her two children, who she credits to changing her whole outlook on life.<\/p>\n

“I reprioritized my life, in all honesty,” the star shared during her Bad Moms press junket<\/a>. “I traveled through all my 20’s and I was very selfish\u2014in a good way, not in a way I regret. And I think having a kid made me realize how incredibly selfless I want to be.”<\/p>\n

Megan Fox\"Megan<\/p>\n

Megan Fox\u2014who shares sons Noah, Bodhi and Journey with her ex-husband Brian Austin Green, and daugther Saga with ex-fianc\u00e9 Machine Gun Kelly\u2014has a lovely approach to her parenting style.<\/p>\n

“I don’t think I need to teach my children with harsh words or with punishment. I believe that if I love them the right way, there’s no need for that,” she told Harper’s Bazaar Arabia<\/a> of her philosophy. “I’m a free-spirit mother.”<\/p>\n

Blake Lively\"Blake<\/p>\n

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynold’s couple goals include being amazing parents to four children, including all the funny moments that come with being a parent.<\/p>\n

“It’s tough when you get pooped on and barfed on, but having a baby is wonderful,” the mother joked<\/a> to NW Magazine in 2016. “Even when it’s tough and I’m exhausted, I think, ‘I am so fortunate.'”<\/p>\n

Angelina Jolie\"Angelina<\/p>\n

The mother of six, who has worked with organizations like UNICEF and is a UN Goodwill Ambassador, makes it a priority to share those same humanitarian values with her children.<\/p>\n

“With my family, I’m trying to raise them to have respect for all people and make friends around the world and feel at home with the world and really live a truly global [life],” she once said<\/a>. “I think it’s what forms them and it’s really important to me.”<\/p>\n

For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News App<\/p>\n