Actress Bo Derek has opened up about her decision not to have children, stating plainly that she is 'not mother material.' The 69-year-old 'Tommy Boy' star made the revelation during an appearance on Bill Maher's Club Ransom podcast, where she discussed societal expectations and her personal journey.
Realizing Motherhood Wasn't for Her
Derek told Maher that she initially felt pressure to have children. 'Everyone says you're going to have kids,' she said. 'When I hit about 32, I thought, 'Uh-oh, I better start working on this and scheduling it.'' However, her marriage to filmmaker John Derek, who was 30 years her senior, influenced her decision. John had two children from a previous relationship and did not want more. 'He didn't want kids. He'd had two kids from a previous marriage. He was older, so he'd done it,' Bo explained.
She added that her husband was not 'father material' either, calling him 'the most judgmental oddball.' Ultimately, she concluded, 'When I thought I wanted it, then I really started sitting down to scheduling, and I thought, I'm not mother material.'
Life with John Corbett
Derek later married actor John Corbett in 2020 after an 18-year relationship. She described their connection as 'an attraction, a comfort.' 'He makes me laugh all the time. He's full of life, full of joy. I became attracted to him and I still am,' she told Maher. The couple lives on a ranch in Santa Ynez, California, and Derek noted they are 'starting to get a little more settled.'
Comparing Kids to Dogs
Derek, an animal activist, drew a comparison between her decision not to have children and adopting a pet. 'I think I spend more time when I decide to have a dog, a new dog, than most people do when they have a kid,' she admitted.
Stepping Away from Fame
Reflecting on her Hollywood career, Derek described her time in the spotlight as a 'fluke.' She never aspired to fame and often felt uncomfortable seeing herself on magazine covers. 'It's very strange. People don't understand it,' she said. 'You know that expression — they would kill to do it, to be famous, to be in movies, and (it's) not for some of us.' Despite stepping away, she and Corbett still attend industry events, and she has appeared in several recent projects.
