Brenda Song is keeping it real about motherhood, and it’s not all Instagram-perfect moments and Pinterest snacks.
The actress, now 37, says she’s been so wrapped up in parenting her two young kids, Carson and Dakota, that she sometimes forgets to even take care of herself. She’s juggling so much that her own needs often take a backseat, and honestly, it’s a feeling many moms will relate to.
Talking to People, Brenda admitted that the daily chaos of being a mom leaves her constantly on the go. “You have so much on your plate, even when you don’t realize it,” she shared. “These little people depend on you, [and] you do everything for them. And you forget to sometimes take care of yourself.” That right there sums up the Brenda Song parental stresses she’s navigating while raising toddlers with longtime partner Macaulay Culkin.
But she’s not complaining, at least not all the time. With Mother’s Day coming up on May 11, Brenda’s actually looking forward to a little peace, quiet, and (hopefully) pampering. “That’s what I really love about a day like Mother’s Day,” she said. “You take a second to just take a deep breath. And you know what? We deserve a little bit of appreciation. Moms do a lot.”
Her experience as a mom has even made her see her own mother in a new light. “I look at my mom, and I’m like, ‘I don’t know how she does it.’” Brenda said that just two weeks after giving birth to her first son, she had a moment of clarity. “I looked at my mom and was like, ‘Mom, I’m so sorry for anything I’ve ever done to upset you or hurt you or anything.’” Classic full-circle moment, right?
And while she’s been a household name for years now, Brenda’s journey in Hollywood wasn’t all red carpets and luck. Born in California to Thai parents, she started as a child model at just six years old and said she’s had to “hustle” every step of the way. “I’ve had to hustle my entire life being an Asian American actress in Hollywood,” she told Cosmopolitan. “I’ve just always had to be very proactive.”
It’s that same drive and work ethic that her fiancé, Macaulay Culkin, clearly admires. The former child star, now 44, recently gushed about how much Brenda has helped him through the rollercoaster that is fame. “You’re not only the best woman I’ve ever known, you’re the best person I’ve ever known,” he told her. “You’ve given me all my purpose.”
Between parenting, career, and showing up for the people she loves, Brenda Song is doing a lot, and she’s finally getting real about how hard it can be. But come Mother’s Day, she’s hoping for a breather, even just for a minute. And after all that hustle and heart, she’s definitely earned it.
