Halle Bailey on feeling ‘protected’ as a working mother – EXCLUSIVE

It’s not always easy being a working mother, but Halle Bailey said she felt “so protected” on the set of her new rom-com, You, Me & Tuscany.

In an exclusive interview with HELLO!, the 26-year-old actress revealed that her two-year-old son, Halo, was on set with her throughout the 34-day shoot in Italy. “I felt so protected and loved by our director Kat [Coiro]. She’s amazing and makes you feel welcomed and like you can have your baby around,” said Halle.

“It’s a community. Kat and producer Johanna [Byer] championed for me to be able to,” said the Little Mermaid actress, who stars alongside Bridgerton‘s Regé-Jean Page in the new romance film. 

© Giulia Parmigiani/Universal PicturesHalle Bailey stars as Anna in You, Me & Tuscany

Halle, who shares her son with 28-year-old rapper and streamer DDG, said it was “really special” having Halo with her during filming, which took place between Rome and the Val d’Orcia in Tuscany. 

WATCH: The trailer for You, Me & Tuscany

“I have so many pictures that I’ve actually started framing them. We had a great time,” said the star, who’s perhaps best known as half of the R&B duo Chloe x Halle, with her older sister, Chlöe.

© GettyHalle shares her son with rapper DDG

“It’s really special in this industry when you can meet people and you don’t feel like you have to hide or that this is not something I can have on set because it’s such a big part of who I am.”

© Monica Schipper/Getty ImagesHalle Bailey pictured with director Kat Coiro

“I felt so protected and loved by our director Kat. She’s amazing and makes you feel welcomed and like you can have your baby around.”

Halle Bailey

For director Kat, it was important to “acknowledge motherhood” on set. “I have grown kids now, and when I came up [in the industry], I felt like I had to keep it under wraps and hide it,” she said. “I remember lying about being pregnant because I was worried I would get fired. 

“It’s so fun to now be in this place where I’m like, ‘Bring your baby’. We understand,” she continued. “I think it’s really important for women to be leaders and to keep making progress in breaking the glass ceiling; we have to acknowledge our motherhood.”

Halle on why her character is so relatable

Halle plays free-spirited young woman Anna, who abandons her dream of becoming a chef and spontaneously crashes at an empty Tuscan villa belonging to a handsome Italian, Matteo. 

But when his family unexpectedly shows up, Anna pretends to be his fiancée as a cover story – a little lie that becomes a big problem when she meets Matteo’s charming cousin Michael.

© Giulia Parmigiani/Universal PicturesRegé-Jean Page plays Michael in the new romantic comedy film

On what drew her to the role, Halle revealed that, like Anna, she doesn’t “have it together all of the time”. 

“I felt it was so relatable to see a young woman going through life, the ups and downs, the rollercoaster, learning how to finesse her way and get through it. I love that she has gumption and she doesn’t give up, even though she’s lying her way through.”

Halle on her role in You, Me & Tuscany
© Giulia Parmigiani/Universal PicturesThe story follows Anna, who abandons her dream of becoming a chef and spontaneously crashes at an empty Tuscan villa

“That was really cool to see,” continued the star. “Especially like, right now in my life as a 26-year-old, I feel like I don’t have it all together all the time. I’m still learning every single day. So it felt really good to read that and be like, ‘OK, I feel like this too,’ and I want other people to feel that way when they watch it as well.”

You, Me & Tuscany will be released in UK cinemas on 10 April.