‘She didn't know me. We had no bond’: Christina Ricci opens up about her equation with 2-year-old daughter while filming Yellowjackets 

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Showtimes's "Yellowjackets" FYC Event (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)

Christina Ricci, the acclaimed 44-year-old actress known for her role as a series regular on Showtime's Yellowjackets, recently opened up about the challenges of balancing her bustling acting career with family life.

Ricci, who is a mother to a 2-year-old daughter named Cleopatra and a 9-year-old son named Freddie, shared her experiences and the emotional toll of her work commitments on her relationship with her children.

Christina Ricci spoke up about the relationship with her daughter on Let's Be Clear with Shannen Doherty, uploaded on March 25, 2024. She stated,

"Last year I was commuting back and forth to Vancouver for Yellowjackets. She didn’t know me. We had no bond. So that was very upsetting."

Christina Ricci reveals her feelings for her daughter

In the podcast, Ricci detailed her struggles with maintaining a connection with her daughter, Cleopatra, due to her demanding filming schedule. This confession highlights the actress's struggle to keep a bond with her youngest child amid her professional obligations.

Christina Ricci shares parenting responsibilities for her two offspring between two partners; her son Freddie with former spouse James Heerdegen and her daughter with her present husband, Mark Hampton.

The complexities and hurdles of her personal life have been profoundly influenced by her professional obligations, particularly due to the spatial separation her job often necessitates. She also said,

"My kids do not like it when I travel. When I’m away, I try to take my son with me as much as I can."

Christina Ricci expressed the discomfort her absences cause her children. However, she also pointed out the financial impracticalities of traveling with a family for work.

She explained:

"If you’re a series regular, you have to pay for everything, so I can’t... every time I go up and down, I can’t pay for four people, four flights, you know, and the rooms that you would need and all... it’s just too expensive to travel with everybody all the time."

Ricci speaks up about her relationship with her son

The actress further shared how she tries to integrate her son into her work life to maintain closeness, despite the challenges.

"I try to get back as often as I can."

She said that involving her son in her work-related activities, like conventions, has been beneficial. Yet, Christina Ricci also touched on the complexities of early motherhood and work, revealing,

"There are certain things like my son was never sleep trained because I had to go back to work when he was 2 months old."

Christina Ricci had to manage her professional responsibilities while ensuring her children received the care and attention they needed. Her reflections, especially on the support from her husband Mark Hampton during the filming of Wednesday in Romania, highlight the significance of a supportive partnership in managing these challenges.


Through her honest account, Ricci not only sheds light on her personal life but also speaks to the broader experience of working mothers, making her story relatable to many.

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