Jordana Brewster Says Explaining Surrogacy Makes Motherhood 'More Challenging' as Sons Get Older

"I'm so lucky that [surrogacy] was an option and it was available to me because otherwise I wouldn't have my two beautiful boys," says Jordana Brewster

Jordana Brewster on How Welcoming Her Sons via Surrogate Has Made Motherhood 'More Challenging'
Photo: John Russo for NewBeauty

Jordana Brewster couldn’t be more thankful for her boys — and the way they came into her life.

The Fast and the Furious actress, 39, is the 2020 spring/summer cover star for NewBeauty magazine, and opens up in the accompanying interview about everything from her career to her upcoming 40th birthday and welcoming sons Rowan, now 3½, and Julian, now 6½, via surrogate.

“If [surrogacy is] the only way you can have a baby, go for it,” Brewster advises other parents-to-be in a similar situation as she was. “When I found out I had to have my children that way, I kind of powered through.”

It doesn’t mean parenting has been a cake walk every day since, though. As the star explains, “As my kids get a little older, strangely enough, it’s actually become more challenging — in terms of explaining [surrogacy] to them and framing it in a way they can totally understand.”

“I’m so lucky that it was an option and it was available to me because otherwise I wouldn’t have my two beautiful boys,” Brewster adds. “I love them more than anything.”

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Jordana Brewster on How Welcoming Her Sons via Surrogate Has Made Motherhood 'More Challenging'
Jordana Brewster for NewBeauty magazine. John Russo for NewBeauty
Jordana Brewster on How Welcoming Her Sons via Surrogate Has Made Motherhood 'More Challenging'
Jordana Brewster for NewBeauty magazine. John Russo for NewBeauty

RELATED GALLERY: 34 Famous Families Who’ve Welcomed Children Through Surrogacy

Another hurdle has been the balance of her career and motherhood, which a comment from her nanny recently really made her think about.

“Two days ago, she said something like, ‘Oh, that’s a long time to be away from the kids. You’ve had to do a movie for six weeks,’ ” Brewster tells NewBeauty. “That stuck with me for 48 hours.”

“I had to ask her, ‘What did you mean by that? I need to work. My husband needs to work. And you don’t say that to my husband.’ We kind of had to process it and have a mini-therapy session,” she recalls.

Jordana Brewster on How Welcoming Her Sons via Surrogate Has Made Motherhood 'More Challenging'
Jordana Brewster for NewBeauty magazine. John Russo for NewBeauty

RELATED VIDEO: Jordana Brewster Has One Super Valuable Piece of Advice for Parents

“I internalized it, and I felt really bad,” continues the former As the World Turns actress. “This whole work-family thing is a process.”

As she approaches a milestone birthday, Brewster has no qualms about getting older. In fact, she looks to actresses like Gwyneth Paltrow and Sandra Bullock for inspiration — women “who are older than me who are absolutely killing it” in Hollywood.

“In the past, it might have felt like, ‘Oh no, my career is going to suffer,’ but I don’t feel that way now,” she says in the issue, which celebrates skincare. “It’s better than the alternative. I would rather celebrate the fact that I’m going to be 40, instead of worrying about it. I’m actually really excited.”

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