‘Mothers have been so devalued’

Actress and singer-songwriter Jessica Oyelowo spoke with Muyiwa Olarewaju, head of Premier Gospel, about stepping away from the limelight to support her family, the struggle for her identity – and why she wanted to honour motherhood in her latest album 

Muyiwa Olarewaju (MO): Most people know your husband, David, for all these great roles. And there are also those who know you for your work as an actress. But it seems you made a decision to focus on being a mother and homemaker – why?  

Jessica Oyelowo (JO): When I first became a mum I was 23, and I was working all the time. I had another baby three years later, and I continued to work. When we lived in the UK I was working as an actress in plays, film and TV and we had a nanny. There’s no way we could have done it without help. But when we moved to America it was such a different industry. There is so much going on in Hollywood; there is fierce competition. I realised: “I don’t understand this business.” Also, I was pregnant a month after we arrived, my agent retired, I fired my team because I found out there were things going on that I didn’t agree with. So, I was suddenly pregnant with a third child with no management, no agent, no team. I just thought: “I’m going to take some time out. Everybody needs mummy right now.”