Jordana Brewster is embracing the idea of paying it forward.
During the This Is About Humanity 6th Anniversary Soirée, held at the Los Angeles home of Henry Winkler and his wife Stacey on Saturday, August 24, the 44-year-old Fast & Furious star spoke about how she's been able to impact other women through her own experiences.
Reflecting on the response she received after publicly sharing her surrogacy journey, Brewster recalled how opening up about her experience, beginning with an interview with Yahoo Parenting in 2015, led to an outpouring of support.
"I had moms reach out to me, asking for guidance or advice," she said, discussing how women approached her about the often private topic.
"And I think life is all about paying it forward. If I can help someone by sharing the struggles I’ve been through, I’m more than happy to do that," Brewster added.
Brewster is a mother to two sons, Julian, 10, and Rowan, 8, whom she shares with her ex-husband Andrew Form. Both children were born via surrogate.
"I didn’t really have a choice about being open, since it was obvious I wasn’t pregnant. For me, surrogacy was a necessity," the Fast X star explained in her 2015 Yahoo Parenting interview. "But I never felt judged; instead, I just felt a bit awkward."
She recounted how people, including a teacher at a parenting class, would often assume that every mother had given birth to their own children. "I couldn’t exactly say, ‘Well, actually…’" Brewster said.
She went on to express that sometimes she feels a sense of loss when other moms talk about their birth experiences, as she wasn’t able to carry her own children. "But I’m fortunate to have a close-knit circle, so I’ve never felt judged."
The Lethal Weapon actress acknowledged that being open about surrogacy is, in many ways, a privilege. "There are so many young women going through IVF who feel they can’t talk about it, and that’s really unfortunate," she told Yahoo Parenting.
In 2022, Brewster married her current husband, Mason Morfit. Together, they are raising a blended family, which includes Morfit's four children.
Brewster expressed her amazement at how quickly her sons are growing up.
"I'm always surprised by how much they change in just a year. My son is in flag football, and in the past, he might have talked back to the coach or cried if things didn’t go his way," she said, referring to her 8-year-old son Rowan. "But now, he's fully engaged, following directions, and I was so proud when he scored two touchdowns yesterday. I was just like, 'Yes!'"
She also humorously admitted that she considers herself "a total stage mom" when she watches Rowan play sports.
The Quran - Chapter Al-Mulk : 24 - 25
˹Also˺ say, “He is the One Who has dispersed you ˹all˺ over the earth, and to Him you will ˹all˺ be gathered.”
˹Still˺ they ask ˹the believers˺, “When will this threat come to pass, if what you say is true?”
