Speaking on Good Housekeeping UK’s podcast, the 59-year-old actress shares how she has embraced her empty nest.
Actress Sadie Frost has opened up about the emotional struggles she faced when her four children moved out, admitting she “fell apart” after spending years devoted to motherhood.
Speaking on Good Housekeeping UK’s new podcast, My Life In A Biscuit Tin, the 59-year-old actress and director shared how she has adjusted to life as an empty nester and how she eventually learned to embrace her newfound independence.
Frost, best known for her role as Lucy Westenra in Bram Stoker’s Dracula and for recently directing a documentary about 1960s model Twiggy, revealed that motherhood had been her driving force for decades.
“I’m a bit of a workaholic and I need things to do and to be programmed to do things. Being a mum is the same thing. You get up, you make breakfast, you do the school run, you do all these things.
“When all that stopped, I fell apart. This was what was my engine. This was what was driving me.”
Embracing independence
While initially struggling with the transition, Frost says she eventually found strength in being alone.
“Even though it was difficult when [the kids] all left home, it made me embrace being on my own. I had to face that fear of being on my own.
“I’ve excelled so much more since I haven’t been with somebody because I think there’s a constant thing of having to keep someone else happy.
“At the end of the day, I want to get up at 5am and do my yoga – and I’m not compromising unless it’s for my children and close friends.”
Frost was previously married to British actor Jude Law, with whom she shares three children: Rafferty “Raff” Law, Iris Law, and Rudy Law. She also has a son, Finlay Munro Kemp, from her earlier marriage to musician Gary Kemp.
A high-profile divorce and media scandal
Frost and Law’s divorce in 2003 was widely covered in the press, with private information about their marriage and separation being published in tabloid newspapers.
Years later, it was revealed that details in those articles had been illegally obtained through phone hacking by Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN). Frost was one of many celebrities targeted in the scandal, which resulted in MGN paying out a total of £1.2 million in damages to victims.
Frost was awarded £260,000, while others affected included former footballer Paul Gascoigne, who received £188,250 in compensation.
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Reflecting on that period, Frost admitted the ordeal severely impacted her confidence and mental well-being.
“It took me a long time not to care about what people thought. I had very low self-esteem.
“It really knocked me, going through a very horrible, public divorce and all the hacking stuff.
“I was so weak inside. I wasn’t well really. And it took years to find my feet doing it all on my own, raising four kids on my own and just juggling money.”
A new chapter: Directing and finding fulfilment
Despite the challenges of the past, Frost is now in a happier and more confident place. She has since reinvented herself as a director, recently releasing a new documentary on the life and career of legendary British model Twiggy, also known as Dame Lesley Lawson.
Frost says she feels stronger than ever and is enjoying life on her own terms.
“I’m feeling really happy and content at the moment. I feel confident.”
The full episode of My Life In A Biscuit Tin featuring Sadie Frost is available now on all major podcast platforms.
