It has to be said that it came as a surprise when Driver announced on Jay Leno’s chat show in March 2008 that she was pregnant — no one had known that she was even dating. Having been stung by several messy public break-ups, including John Cusack and Matt Damon, she has learnt to keep her love life strictly under wraps. To this day, she has not revealed who is the father of her 17-month-old son, Henry. All she will say is “he’s English and in the same sort of business, and he lives in California. Everybody is cool with the situation.” Throughout the interview she refers to him as her “partner”, often with the prefix “great”, but from what she says she hasn’t actually seen him since November.

It would be understandable if her views on relationships, fidelity and marriage had been coloured by the fact that her mother, Gaynor, was her father Ronnie’s other woman. But that didn’t stop the actress’s overwhelming desire to be a mother, and, despite a rocky first trimester, her pregnancy went smoothly.

“I had terrible, terrible morning sickness for the first four months of my pregnancy, but I soldiered on, and I walked and practised yoga until the day Henry was born in September 2008, in Los Angeles.”

I ask her if she’d like more children. “Growing up, I thought I’d have at least five kids,” says Driver, who turned 40 at the end of January. “I’m surprised I have only one; I really want more. It was never my intention to leave it until I was in my late thirties, but it was never the right time, right place or right person. Too many women put it off until everything is in place, but there’s never a perfect time, is there?”

Motherhood has also helped Driver to put the public highs and lows of her career into perspective. After her critically acclaimed performance in Circle of Friends in 1995 and then two years later in her Oscar-nominated performance in Good Will Hunting, her career has lurched from bit parts in low-budget films and animations to releasing two albums that were met with disproportionate derision.

“I wouldn’t change a thing about what I’ve done in the past because what may have been bad choices have all led me to this moment,” she says defiantly. “I’m incredibly happy because I’ve got my beautiful baby and lovely partner.”

When I meet her in Glasgow, where she is filming a new BBC drama, The Deep, she seems relaxed and happy. The inner city is a long way from the windswept Malibu property she shares with Henry and their black labrador Bubba, but, Driver, who was born in London, says: “My whole family is in the UK, so it’s been great for Henry to spend time with his cousins. Could I move back? No. I live my life outdoors, surfing, hiking, riding and running along the beach in the sunshine, having barbecues; even though I miss home, I couldn’t do the things I wanted to, personally and professionally.”

It could be argued that some of the things she wants to do professionally might be tricky with a baby in tow, but, luckily, her son seems as much of a pro as his mother.

“Henry was four months old when I started filming with Hilary Swank in sub-zero temperatures in Michigan last February,” Driver says. “Luckily, he was a good sleeper and was feeding on schedule every three hours by then, but I felt so fat and milky and sleep-deprived. It was hilarious watching these massive Michigan teamsters boom in their deep voices across the set, ‘Everything’s gotta stop! Henry’s gotta eat; it’s breast-feeding time’. The cast and crew doted on him.”

Driver credits the parenting guru Rachel Waddilove for helping her to settle Henry into a routine. “There’s no way, as a new mum, I could have let Henry cry for long; a little bit maybe. Besides, once you get your feeding sorted, their sleeping patterns fall into place. I’ve never brought Henry into bed with me, which was very hard, but I wanted to teach him that his bed isn’t a scary, isolated place. Now he’s the happiest, funniest, sweetest and most adaptable baby; he has slept in more drawers, walk-in closets and hotel bathrooms than you can imagine. We’re proper gypsies.”

Driver glows as she talks about Henry’s first words and learning to walk “like a little drunk Frankenstein”. But despite the obvious joy that motherhood has brought her, the actress recently had to deal with the sudden death of her father. “When my dad died in December after a heart attack, just a week into shooting The Deep, it was one of the very worst times of my life, but I’ve never felt so loved and taken care of,” she says. “Burying him two days before Christmas was so hard, but [co-star] Jimmy Nesbitt and the crew rallied round and really helped me get through it.” She wore a red dress to his funeral as a tribute to his sense of humour “because my father always used to tell me that I was the kind of girl who would wear a red dress to a funeral”.

It was acknowledging how important that support was to her, and realising how “motherhood has given me a much broader perspective about what hardship really is” that led Driver to become an ambassador for the 3 Rifles regiment through the sale of Love Bullets, a specially decommissioned bullet set with a Swarovski crystal. The money raised will be used to help the families of dead and injured soldiers.

“Regardless of your feelings about the war in Afghanistan, the lack of moral and physical support given to families of serving personnel, the injured and the bereaved is an insult and embarrassment,” she says. “These are women struggling to hold their families together. The hardship of others really makes you put your own life into perspective.”

GALLERY LINKS:
Motherhood: Movie Posters
Motherhood: Promotional Stills

Now, Driver is learning as she goes while raising her son Henry, who spends almost as much time on film sets as his mom.

Parade.com’s Jeanne Wolf found out that Driver had some moments when she thought she’d gone a little too far for her role.

Talk about method acting.
“They needed an actress to play pregnant, but I offered them the real thing. I was so pregnant in this film that I was in a kind of different world. You shouldn’t really be on a film set when you’re that pregnant, you need to be at home with your feet up. I wouldn’t do it again. They took care of me. They were lovely and very sweet, but you should be getting ready for your baby to come and taking it easy, you shouldn’t be out making movies.”

Getting ready to become a mom.
“I’ve been around kids my whole life. My sister has three children and it’s like I knew what it was like. But, honestly, my mind was just on the impending birth and the immediate future. Having a little baby is very different than dealing with your kids when they’re older. You’re not juggling school schedules and stuff. I’m sure that all will come, but the first year of Henry’s life has been just an insane earthquake for me.”

Henry is getting an early introduction to filmmaking.
“Now, I’m back to work and taking him with me on film sets. It was incredibly challenging. The first one I did, Betty Anne Waters with Hilary Swank, when Henry was five months old, was really hard. We were in Michigan in the middle of winter and it was ten below. I was like, ‘What am I doing?’”
Why her recording career has been on hold.
“There’s no time. If he’s sleeping, I’m trying to sleep and when you’re breast feeding, you’re the milk machine. There’s no time to, like, pick up the guitar and write a song, much less go for a walk or have a beer. It’s like, ‘Good luck.’ But I’m going back in the studio and I’m just about to start another record.”

And a special live performance.
“I just came back from Nashville where I played at The Grand Ole Opry. Unbelievable, standing on the stage with Ernest Tubbs, Hank Williams, Patsy Cline and Loretta Lynn. It was absolutely daunting.”

What’s on her iPod.
“I’ve been listening to this band Delta Spirit, which is on my record label and they are unbelievable. I’ve been listening to a lot of Brandy Carlisle, I think she has one of the most beautiful voices, and Alison Krauss. I could listen to the ‘Alison Krauss Songbook’ forever.”

No price is too great to pay to be a mom.
“I waited a long time to have children because I had this career that was kind of like my kid, it required as much nurturing and as much attention. Now, I’ve discovered there’s no amount of hassle that could ever be bigger than my love of Henry and the hilarity and joy that he’s brought into my life and continues to bring.”

Internet mommy support.
“I use the site called ‘Mamapedia’ that’s amazing, where you can ask questions and mothers across America can answer, so you can get maybe ten answers and it’s kind of a cool resource. But sitting down and reading about somebody else’s tough experiences of being a mother, you’re suddenly like, ‘My God, I’ve got a kid and I don’t have time to read about this. I’ve got to go do it.”

Trick or treat.
“This Halloween, he’s going to be the Crocodile Hunter and I’m the crocodile. My crocodile head just arrived in the mail. I got Henry a little blond wig because he doesn’t have much hair and he’s going to be Steve Irwin, may he rest in peace.”

An uncertain future.
“I always took the best thing that came along. I’ve never had the luxury of being really choosy. I’ve never planned out years in advance the films that I’m going to be making, and nobody was ever structuring the financing of a movie around me. But, good stuff always comes, although it’s a little frustrating not knowing what I’m going to be doing next.”

And Driver certainly isn’t complaining about parenthood, because she’s never looked or felt happier since becoming a mother. Driver’s pregnancy was written into the “Motherhood” script so that Driver’s impending motherhood could mirror that of her character Sheila, a sassy Brit preparing for life as a single mom in New York City. Sheila is the best friend of writer Eliza Welch (played by Uma Thurman), who has a website where Eliza blogs about motherhood. Being a first-time mom was very much on Driver’s mind when I caught up with her at the “Motherhood” press junket in New York City, where she opened up what her life has been like since giving birth, what her are plans for her next album, and how she feels about paparazzi who target children.

If you could blog about anything, what would it be and why?

Whoa! Well, I’m actually writing at the moment this thing. Sometimes when you see these pictures, like when you’re followed by paparazzi. I would love people to know really what the history is behind an actual photograph: what was going on, like what actually preceded it, what went before the kind of day you were having, to sort of humanize that experience so that people go, “It’s not just that kind of oh, they shouldn’t whine about being photographed.” But somehow to go, “I’d actually had five stitches in my foot that day, my son had fallen over and we were on our way to the pediatrician, and I was running and the paparazzi wouldn’t get out of the way.”

Whatever it is, like whatever things that sort of go on. I always thought that’d be kind of interesting to blog about just cause it’s an angle that people, you read one of those hellish magazines and you’re sort of like, “Oh look, she got kind of fat!” And that’s sort of it and it’s like, “Wait a minute, there’s a person in here and a story and a life and a human being.” And I like the idea of humanizing this rather than cannibalizing celebrity.

Would you do that on a personal website?

No, I’m going to do it in a book, I think, which I might publish electronically. I don’t know. It’s tying in with sort of a bigger thing, but that’s one aspect of it. So, yeah, I think I’d blog about that. I probably end up will be blogging about that quite soon. That seems how books are done these days.

It’s a great way to test the material and see how people react.

I think so. Definitely get very immediate. People leave comments. “This sucks! I don’t care! What are you wearing to the Oscars?” [She laughs.]

What’s the one thing about parenting that has just thrown you?

The love. The unquantifiable love. It just takes my breath away. My son’s face in the morning, or if I hear him [say], “Mama, Mama, Mama!” And I go and he’s just sitting there in his crib in the dark, because often he wakes up early and it’s still dark outside. When I turn the lights on he’s like “Mama!” And it feels like Christmas. It’s the thing of loving something more than you can [imagine] … It’s sometimes terrifying and … you can’t go there thinking of the absence of that. It’s so extraordinary, and everyone tells you that and everyone says that. You can’t know until you have it. It just blows your mind. Yeah. Henry.

How was it acting in this movie while you were pregnant?

It was horrible. I don’t recommend it. It was really sort of a great idea. It was me in my previous incarnation thinking, “Oh, it’ll be fun!” I’d just been on tour and that had been a bit tough but I was like “Oh, it’ll be fine. It’s a small part.” You forget, like, it was a heat wave in New York. It was 100 degrees. You’re on New York City streets, the stink, I’m in a long-sleeve T-shirt with overalls. I was so hot and uncomfortable and waiting around. You should just be at home.

How pregnant were you?

I was seven-and-a-half months.

That wasn’t even a very small part. You’re in a lot of the movie.

Really? That’s good. I think that she had a big impact but I don’t think I did. I hung around more than I worked, which is usually fine if you’re not that’s part and parcel. I rarely noticed it because I was so pregnant. And we went over [the production schedule] a little bit and I had to stay longer than I’d anticipated. And I remember I was close to tears one evening and I was on the phone with my mom and I was like, “I just want to go home and iron onesies. I just want to do laundry, Mom!” She was laughing and she goes, “You’ll have plenty of time to do laundry, love. Don’t worry. There’s loads coming.”

But I did want to be nesting. I’m glad I did it … The whole of my adult working life has been chronicled on film, and I didn’t want this part to be an exception. I’m really glad that I made it — selfishly … for my own history.

Do you have anything to say about your TV series “The Riches”?
Oh yeah, it was totally eighty-sixed, 100 percent. Yeah, it was devastating. Really sad. Really, really awful. It’s just terrible when a great show is canceled. But I’ve made a couple of really beautiful films this year. Really amazing. I just finished one; that’ll be great.

Can you tell us more?

I just finished this movie ["Barney’s Version"] in Montreal with Dustin Hoffman, Paul Giamatti, which will be, I truly believe, kind of epic and wonderful. And then the one before that was ["Betty Anne Waters"] with Hilary Swank — she was absolutely incredible — and Sam Rockwell and Juliette Lewis — just beyond amazing actors — and Peter Gallagher, and that’s going to be great. Those will be out in [2010].

Do you have anything else coming up?

I’m just about to make another record. I’ve worked back to back and had a baby. [She laughs.] I’ve got to have break! Hold on! Stuff usually comes up but I need to do the record. I need to do this cause it needs to be done before I think next year it’s going to be busy.

How is your next album going to sound? And will the lyrics be influenced by you becoming a mother since your previous record?

I’m actually doing a covers record. I think there’ll be one original [song] on there, and it’ll be a bonus track. This [album] has been in the works. The stuff that I’m writing … is interesting. You have to be careful that you don’t get terribly sappy. [She jokes in a sing-song voice] “I love everything.”

Do you think you’ll have another child?

I want to. I really want to. I’m 39. A part of me wishes I started 10 years ago, but I know where I was 10 years ago. Ten years ago, I was getting nominated for an Academy Award, and the whole thing was just sort of beginning and roiling and boiling — and there was no way! I’m expecting to have another baby at some point. And if I don’t, it’ll be fine, because I’ve got my Henry. So we’ll see.

How has motherhood affected how you want to choose projects. Anthony Edwards says that being on a series like “ER” helped him be home more often for his kids …

It’s kind of what I want to do. I want to get a show so I can be home. That’s my plan.

You’ve done a tour for every album you’ve done. Will you take Henry on tour?

Oh yeah. He goes everywhere I go.

What would you say if Henry wants to be an actor when he grows up?

I would say, “Good luck! Good luck and I’ll always cook for you when you’re totally broke.” [She laughs.]

You’ve been able to maintain your dignity in dealing with the paparazzi and how they literally stalk celebrities …

I have it easier than a lot of people. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t know how you would live in the world of Angelina Jolie or Jennifer Aniston and being stalked. It’s just brutal.

So what do you wish would change about how celebrities are covered by the media?

There should be legislation about children. In England, we have laws where [the paparazzi] can’t take pictures of children, because of things that can be done on the Internet — and that should be addressed in this country … That is legislation that should categorically be passed. And when you children get frightened, when [the paparazzi] are up in your face, with flashing light bulbs, it’s scary for them … There’s something rabid about those photographers as well, because they’re not seeing you as humanity; they’re seeing you as what they can sell to magazines.

And those editors [who use paparazzi photos] have a responsibility that they’re not taking. They say, “Well, the public has an appetite [for these photos].” Well, the public didn’t have an appetite before. They [the editors] can say, “We’re not going to publishing photographs of such-and-such, endless photographs of babies on the swings in parks and on play dates.” It’s gross! Those poor children have done nothing to deserve it to be born to famous parents. I don’t think a public has a right to [intrude on] a childhood. What I chose to do is my business. My son didn’t choose it.

That’s where I stand on it, and it’s hard, because I haven’t gotten in trouble with those guys [the paparazzi] yet, but God knows, if they did anything to come near my kid and do something … If you see me in jail, come and support me with a banner. Get moms together!

Source.

The actress stars as parent-to-be Sheila in Motherhood alongside Uma Thurman and Anthony Edwards.

Driver told Parade: “They needed an actress to play pregnant, but I offered them the real thing. I was so pregnant in this film that I was in a kind of different world.

“You shouldn’t really be on a film set when you’re that pregnant, you need to be at home with your feet up. I wouldn’t do it again.”

She added: “They took care of me. They were lovely and very sweet, but you should be getting ready for your baby to come and taking it easy, you shouldn’t be out making movies. Now, I’m back to work and taking [my son] with me on film sets.

“It was incredibly challenging. The first one I did, Betty Anne Waters with Hilary Swank, when Henry was five months old, was really hard. We were in Michigan in the middle of winter and it was ten below. I was like, ‘What am I doing?’.”

The star also said that she is planning to record another album now that her son has stopped breastfeeding.

The 39-year-old actress claims Henry is already a hit with the ladies, and draws admirers wherever he goes.

She said: “He blows kisses at ladies in the supermarket. He’s a big flirt! Big blue eyes, white-blonde head of hair – he’s very handsome.”

Minnie – who has not revealed the identity of Henry’s father -is amazed by how quickly her son is growing up.

She explained to In Touch Weekly magazine: “He’s walking, he’s starting to say a few words, he snuggles with the dog. He is just heaven!”

Minnie is not the only celebrity to have a flirty son.

Gwen Stefani’s three-year-old Kingston – her child with Gavin Rossdale, who she also has 13-month-old Zuma with – is hugely popular with his playmates.

A source said: “All the little girls in Kingston’s class are enamoured of him. He is a total flirt! They are constantly surrounding him, especially at story time. He is very popular.”

The 45th edition of the Windy City festival kicks off Thursday with Katherine Dieckmann’s high-energy comedy “Motherhood,” starring Uma Thurman, Anthony Edwards and Minnie Driver.

Kutza is hoping Dieckmann’s film, as well as Lars von Trier’s “Antichrist,” Russian director Valery Todorovsky’s “Hipsters,” Lee Daniels’ “Precious,” Ken Loach’s “Looking for Eric” and local favorite Brian Caunter’s “Chicago Overcoat,” fill seats and garner attention.

“We’ve searched out first- and second-time filmmakers for the past 45 years,” Kutza said. “We’re always looking for that brand-new director.”

Kutza is keen on Todorovsky’s musical “Hipsters,” which travels to 1955 Soviet Russia to glimpse young Russians getting a taste of American hype and greed. He wants it to be this year’s “Slumdog Millionaire.” He also points to Romania’s Corneliu Porumboiu-directed “Police, Adjective,” which carried home trophies from Cannes, along with John Woo’s “Red Cliff” and Daniels’ “Precious” as the top films he has secured.

The founder started the event in the mid-’60s — making it one of the oldest ongoing U.S. fests — with “Who’s That Knocking at My Door,” which helped launch the career of Martin Scorsese. The CIFF has since brought new films from Werner Fassbinder, Wim Wenders, Quentin Tarantino and Andy Davis, among others. Kutza also championed “Slumdog” last year, and the CIFF had a U.S. premiere of Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds” this summer.

This year, all 112 films will unspool at one of the Loews Complex downtown theaters, which Kutza said is something the audience wants.

Kutza also responded to criticism from Sony Pictures Classics co-partner Tom Bernard that the fest was not that aggressive in soliciting films from that company for inclusion.

“Chicago wasn’t banging on our door a lot,” Bernard told the Chicago Tribune.

Fest coordinator Mimi Plauche said she discussed taking several SPC titles, including “Broken Embraces,” which is closing the New York Film Festival, but the logistics didn’t work out.