‘I DON’T WANT MY KIDS TO KNOW I’M AN ACTRESS’ — GABOUREY SIDIBE’S SURPRISING APPROACH TO MOTHERHOOD

Gabourey Sidibe may be a familiar face on screen, but at home, the award-nominated actress is simply “Mom.”

In a recent interview with PEOPLE, the Precious star opened up about raising her 2-year-old twins, Cooper and Maya, with her husband, Brandon Frankel — and revealed why she is in no rush for her children to discover her Hollywood career.

Sidibe explained that she and Frankel try not to make her acting work a major part of family life. At their age, the twins are far more interested in cartoons than in their mother’s films or television appearances.

But there is one little personality trait that has Sidibe thinking ahead: her daughter Maya reminds her of herself.

The actress joked that if Maya discovers she can make a living simply by being entertaining and charismatic, she might decide there is no need to learn another skill.

Sidibe said she wants her daughter to understand that there are many different jobs and opportunities in the world before making any decisions about a possible acting career.

She is not necessarily ruling out the entertainment industry for her children. Instead, she wants them to have the chance to explore their interests and develop their own abilities without feeling that following their mother’s footsteps is the obvious choice.

One particularly funny moment came when Sidibe recalled letting the twins watch an episode of Doc McStuffins in which she appeared. They did not recognize her at all — a humbling experience she said she actually loved.

For now, the children’s idea of a superstar is much simpler: Elmo remains the biggest celebrity in their household.

Sidibe’s comments offer a relatable glimpse into the challenge of balancing a public career with private family life. Despite her fame, she wants her children to experience childhood on their own terms, with room to discover who they are beyond their mother’s profession.

And for the moment, that means keeping Hollywood in the background while cartoons take center stage.

Source: PEOPLE

Additional source: The Cut