Nicole Ari Parker Says Motherhood Is Her Most Gratifying Role In Life

Nicole Ari Parker has been our favorite leading lady since the day we saw those hazel eyes twinkle in Boogie Nights. Her Hollywood persona boasts a woman with impeccable style, undeniable talent, and a soft voice rooted in wisdom. Off screen, she’s a wife and mother who thanks her “Mom Sense” for helping her navigate the winding road of parenthood.

“Mom-Sense kicked in the minute I found out I was pregnant with Sophie,” she says. “Boris and I were brand new, and it was just a fairytale – then reality kicked in, and the real mom sense kicked in of sleepless nights. Self-care went out the window,” Parker tells me in an exclusive interview.

“It’s been quite a journey. She’s 19 now, and Nicholas is 17.”

What is Mom-Sense?

Parker partnered with leading skincare brand, Jergens, on their Mother’s Day campaign, Mom-Sense. This initiative highlights the intuition of mothers and mother figures, and their instinctive connection to understanding and managing their children’s needs.

When reflecting on her upbringing, Parker acknowledges that her mom-sense developed naturally, but she also had stellar examples from the women who preceded her. “I have very powerful women, a very strong mom, and mother figures in my life. As a child, I was given so much love and discipline.”

“It’s how I have raised my kids. That’s all I knew – this very strong, fierce mother’s love and mother’s mom sense,” she continues.

Parker’s partnership with Jergens is tied together with a gold link bracelet that was co-created with Adina Eden.

“It’s a beautiful gold link bracelet highlighting that unbreakable bond symbolized between a mom, a mom figure, and the children they love. It comes with a cherry adornment. I got a chance to add a heart for love, obviously, but also a star. I’m in this business, yet where I feel the most gratification and the most starlike is being a mom. My mom was the first star in my life, so I added the star. When you buy something for $15 or more on MyKoashop.com they’ll get the bracelet for free,” she explains.

Nicole Ari Parker is a member of the Black Don’t Crack collective.

The “Just Like That” actress turns 54 this year, but you can’t tell by looking at her. She is an active member of the “Black Don’t Crack” collective, a group of women who make 50-somethings look like 30-somethings.

“In the last two years, I developed hyperpigmentation out of nowhere. I never had a really strenuous makeup regimen for work. If I’m on set all day, I just take my makeup off and moisturize. But now I wear sunscreen, get facials, and drink water,” she says.

Her commitment to self-care also contributes to her youthful glow. Parker mentioned her routine changed after she had children, causing self-care to take a temporary back seat to other responsibilities. But now that her children are grown, she’s actively prioritizing herself and her needs.

“My spiritual practice is really strong. I make time for it and do not skip it. I’m still a little bit in the third grade about my water intake, so I have to line up the bottles and get the small ones. There’s some feeling of accomplishment, but I’m not in the full jug gallon yet,” she says.

Parker has contributed over 30 years to the entertainment industry, and one of her most valuable lessons has been to stay true to who she is at the core. Despite life’s hardships, she can depend on herself and her inner compass to guide the way.

“I don’t know if this will be too obtuse or out there for some people, but I remember that the truth of who I am is still intact. All of the outside influences, all the ups and downs, all of the struggles that families go through that people go through, that mothers go through – there’s a place inside of me that is still intact, and when I pull back from the chaos, and I land there, all the answers are there, the peace is there, the next step is there. And I get a lot of strength from that,” she says.

And Just Like That…

And Just Like That… Parker is headed to New York to film the third season of the hit show that documents Carrie, Charlotte, and Miranda gallivanting through the streets of NY in their most fashionable threads. The series is a revival of Sex and the City and the evolution of their lives. Parker plays Lisa Todd Wexley, a stylish documentarian with a husband and three children. Like the rest of the cast, her character oozes luxury.

“I gag because Molly Rogers is so incredible,” she says.

SATC is known for its iconic wardrobe, so it’s only right that And Just Like That supersede style expectations. Parker notes that her fitting sessions are just as good, if not better, than filming the show. 

“It’s like walking into Bergdorf’s just for you for two hours. For every character, your fitting is your time. Every designer has sent a bag from all over the world. Then there are the shoe racks that come out, and the purses, the clothes, the scarves, the jewelry, the underwear, the things you can’t even see. Sometimes, I’m wearing a giant Christopher John Rogers coat or Yamamoto, and underneath, I’m wearing gorgeous real diamonds that came in a sealed, locked box. Uh, David Webb jewelry. It’s just endless,” she says.

DON’T MISS…

Boris Kodjoe And Nicole Ari Parker Drop Relationship/Parenting Gems I Will Never Forget

Nicole Ari Parker Joins The Cast Of Sex And The City’s Reboot, “And Just Like That”

Nicole Ari Parker Says Motherhood Is Her Most Gratifying Role In Life  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com