“You need to be teaching them”: Julia Fox reveals how she’s breaking down gender norms with her son

Julia Fox, 35, says she is taking a deliberate approach to parenting her four-year-old son, Valentino, by challenging gender stereotypes early on. In an exclusive interview with Us Weekly published on September 11, 2025, the Uncut Gems actress said boys and girls should be raised with the same expectations and awareness.

"I think you just need to raise your boys the same way you raise your girls. I feel like we put so much pressure on our girls, and we fill their heads with so much more cautionary tales. You need to be teaching them too, that they can grow up and their fists can be weapons," she said.

Fox talked about a moment while watching a movie with her son, in which a male character appeared wearing a wedding dress. Her son asked why, and she used it as a chance to discuss gender roles.

"As soon as they start making those remarks, we have to start deconstructing that. That’s a little seed that has been planted. I just don’t want him to be that person," she stated.

More about what Julia Fox said about parenting

In her exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Julia Fox said that her parenting style is somewhat affected by her own upbringing, which she talked about in her memoir Down the Drain. Becoming a mother has changed how she sees her parents’ decisions.

"A lot of the way that I parent is in direct opposition with the way that I was parented. I have so much more sympathy for my parents now that I’m a mom. I think you really don’t get it until you’re a parent."

The actress said that for her, parenting is about being proactive, even when the conversations are uncomfortable.

"That’s really what it is all about: communicating and having those uncomfortable conversations, trying to get them to understand in a way that a 4-year-old can."

Julia Fox welcomed Valentino in January 2021 with her ex-husband, private pilot Peter Artemiev. The couple was reportedly married from 2018 to 2020.

More about Julia Fox's exclusive interview with Us Weekly

In her exclusive interview with Us Weekly, Julia Fox shared that she and her ex-husband, Peter Artemiev, are currently “in a good patch” when it comes to coparenting their four-year-old son, Valentino. The actress said that while most of the parenting responsibility falls to her, the situation is relatively smooth compared to others she has seen, saying,

“In a couple months, he might do something and then we’re not anymore, but compared to a lot of other coparenting situations, mine’s heaven."

Julia Fox attends the Film Independent Live Read of "Cruel Intentions" in New York City (Image via Getty)

Past conflicts with Artemiev have occasionally played out publicly, but Julia Fox said she has no regrets about sharing details on social media, and that social media has become "the way to connect with people."

"In the moment when I do it, it’s about me just being like, ‘Hell, yeah,’ like, whatever. It always ends up being super therapeutic for me and my community. It always ends up being the way to connect with people," she said.

Talking about the future, Julia Fox says her goals are mostly creative. She hopes to write a second book, direct, perform on Broadway in a new play, and act in films by directors she admires, including Greta Gerwig, Yorgos Lanthimos, and Zach Cregger.

She also said that she is content with her personal life and has shifted her priorities toward stability and creative work, focusing on projects and choices that align with what she wants for the future.

About the author

Devangee Halder is a Food and Pop culture writer at Sportskeeda. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics and a Master's Degree in International Studies. A bibliophile and foodie, her academic background, with the intersection of history and cultural studies, has deepened her love for reading and writing.

With over a year of experience, including an internship at Indian Express, which she landed through correspondence with editor Raj Kumar Jha, she transitioned into her current role at this company.

When not working, she enjoys cooking and reading, alongside her newfound interest in weightlifting. Among her favorite personalities are Sarah Todd and Vikas Khanna, and she admires the late chef Jock Zonfrillo for his work on indigenous food habits and ingredients.

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Edited by Devangee