Julianne Moore on Unconditional Love for Her Kids

She’s stated previously that her career as a successful actress is unimportant to her two children Liv Helen, 6, and Cal, 10 ½, and now Julianne Moore says that that’s the way it ought to be. "I want them to be interested in their own lives and their own accomplishments," she tells Parade, "I don’t want them to be interested in mine. Mine are of no consequence to them. I am their mother."

That’s all I want to be to them — not some artist who discusses her work with them. I don’t care if they appreciate my artistry. I just want them to appreciate my unconditional love.

At no time was that unconditional love more apparent than at Cal’s recent fourth grade graduation ceremony. As the principal proclaimed her son a "middle schooler," Cal’s face "was just so joyful" that Julianne was moved to tears. Even recalling the event for a reporter caused the 47-year-old actress to become emotional yet again. "It was just so great to see him continue to become his own person," she says, "the whole process of parenting is to help them take those steps away from you."

Click ‘continue reading’ for Julianne’s thoughts on how her worldview changed after becoming a mom.

When asked whether there is anything or anyone she would kill for, Julianne immediately answered "my children" — but admitted that it’s difficult to know for sure until confronted with such an awful reality. She shared that, at one time, she was witness to a disturbance in a store where a gun was waved and instead of being strong she "cowered." The experience led her to wonder,

We all could say, ‘Oh, I would be a hero for my children!’ But what if we fail? Maybe we wouldn’t be — which is not to say you don’t love them or wouldn’t do anything for them. But the horrifying thing is that maybe you would fail to be a hero for them.

While being a mom to Cal and Liv has changed her life, Julianne says it hasn’t changed who she is. "It’s not like you disappear, and the person that you were — that you are — doesn’t exist anymore when you become a mother," she says, "you are still there."

Source: Parade; Photo by Marion Curtis/Startraksphoto.com.

Comments

“Just a mom, her career is of no importance to them”. She uses her celebrity to get first in line at every major event in CA and NY and admits it in every magazine that bothers to write about her.

- lindee on August 16th, 2008

I swear she has given birth to minature Bill Gates and Lindsey Lohan! Her kids are virtually identical to them! I do love this family, they seem so down to earth!

- phoebe on August 16th, 2008

I am glad that Julianne Moore knows the importance of keeping her kids from being starstruck – it seems like so many celebrity kids live off the limelight of their parent’s careers, which is so unhealthy. However, I think her career being of ‘no consequence’ to her kids is also an unfair place. It’s important that children know that their parents are fulfilled and happy in other ways, too, other than just being a parent. Her career is a part of her life, also, and they should know about it, just not overexposed.

- Cyn on August 16th, 2008

She sounds like such a down-to-earth mom.

It looks like both her kids have inherited her red hair, too — I knew that Liv had, she’s her mom’s “mini-me,” but I wasn’t sure about Cal, because I hadn’t seen as many pictures of him.

- SAR on August 17th, 2008

Liv is so adorable! And yes her son kinda looks like a mini Bill Gates

- Emaline on August 17th, 2008