She can star in the Fast & Furious movies, but in real life, the actress says that last spring she taught her valuable lessons on how to take it easy.
As with many of us, last spring she turned Jordana Brewster’s life upside down. Her latest film, the ninth installment in the hit Fast & Furious franchise, will be released in late May. But as COVID-19 became an increasing threat, the release was delayed by a full year. So instead of traveling the world to promote a box office hit, she found herself at home with her 4- and 6-year-old children, trying to navigate the children’s school.
Jordana also turned 40 on April 26. She intended to have a massive celebration. Instead, she had a quiet night where, she says, she ended up being wonderful. Of course, these things are just small flaws compared to the devastation that so many people have faced, something that Jordana quickly recognizes.
As she spoke to us, it was important for her to be clear about her appreciation that her family is healthy and to show compassion and concern for people who have had unbearable difficulties. And while she says this whole situation has caused her anxiety, it has also taught her some valuable lessons. Here, Jordana opens up about realizing that she needs to slow down in her life, how she has spoken to her young children about the serious nature of what is happening in the world and how she is taking care of her mental health.
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How have you managed the entire COVID-19 experience and social distancing?
I’m definitely not relaxed about it. Although, in some ways, it has been good because it has pushed me to return to mental health. I am doing therapy and acting and writing classes through Zoom. It has also been very difficult to create a structure when there really is no structure.
It is great that you are taking care of your mental health during all this. How about your physical health?
I am very lucky because I have been doing FaceTime workouts with my coach, Harley [Pasternak]. I also go hiking, which is really nice. I need to get in. I need to be outside and breathe fresh air. I am so lucky to live in Los Angeles, where I can do that because otherwise, I would be absolutely crazy.
How did you explain what is happening in the world to your children?
It is really sad because it became part of our lexicon and of our day today. It was just on the news, and we were talking about it, we’re pretty open. My youngest son plays a doctor, and that’s why he’s treating him with an imaginative game. He says, “Mommy, you have coronavirus.” And then it gives me a chance. It is heartbreaking. But I feel that honesty is the best policy because even when we go out and have to wear masks, how do you explain that? Somehow, I think my anxiety level has dropped because it’s like, “OK, there’s a real problem, and everything else pales in comparison.”
Have you found any silver garnish?
Everything has been greatly simplified. I’m a bit like a hamster on a wheel. And I feel like I often give myself a to-do list because I want to feel like I’m accomplishing something. But in reality, it is achieving nothing. Now I am spending time with my children, reading, and hiking. And I’m noticing, “Oh my drawers need cleaning.” It is making me much more practical, and that is really essential. I really hope I don’t go back to the rat race, keep going down a bit and keep simplifying. I think that is the greatest gift.
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The ninth Fast & Furious movie will be released last spring but was delayed a full year due to COVID-19. From your perspective, what makes those movies so special?
It is like lightning in a bottle. When I first heard the title, Fast & Furious, I thought, “Guys, I don’t know if this movie is going to work.” And then there was this massive success, and it resonated with so many people. The good thing about this franchise is that none of us takes that for granted. Vin [Diesel] works hard to make sure the films continue to have integrity and that the themes resonate. And Justin [Lin, the director] also works hard. We want to put something great in the world, and we all work very hard. We go to each other’s birthdays and I text Vin to ask him for advice: we are all very close.
You recently turned 40. Did you have any feelings about it?
I really see it because I am so grateful to be here. I am very grateful. I have two children and I am still working. Thank God, most of the women I admire, like Sandra Bullock, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Cate Blanchett, are over 40 years old and still working and thriving. So I feel like the only way to go is to go up from here.
Let’s go back a bit, how was your childhood?
So my mom is Brazilian and my dad was an investment banker. She could jump a lot, and I guess she liked doing that. So we moved long before I was 10 years old. And then we settled in, which was good because high school was in New York. [All that movement] gave me the fish out of water syndrome. You always feel like you really don’t belong anywhere. Like, in New York, I felt very Brazilian. In Brazil, I felt like a grin. So there is always a feeling that I don’t fit in anywhere. Which may have contributed to wanting to act, something like immersing myself in roles and pushing myself in that way.
Was your mother a big influence on beauty?
My mother was a model and she appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated: it’s a very old beauty school. I remember when I was a kid if a party started at 6 p.m., we’d start getting ready at 3 p.m., and we’d put on masks, wash our hair, and put curlers. And it was fun. But now it seems so silly to me. Now, I’m like, “Oh, I’m going to go to Drybar and do this as fast as I can.” And I drive while I have masks. It’s very different. But there was one way he really enjoyed it, and it was more of a ritual, which is really nice.
In what way are you like your mom?
I think her work ethic: I get up at 5:15 a.m. every morning to run. I like treadmills: my knees hurt too much to run outside. [My mom] is still a member of [a gym]. She is around 60 years old and exercises. So I really got that from her, and I’m still putting it off. When I went looking for Botox the first time, I took it because I was very scared. I was like, “Mommy, come look.” I wonder, “Let’s make sure we don’t sound crazy.” I trust her more than anyone because she is not afraid to tell me the truth.
Have you always had a healthy relationship with your body and your food?
No. Uh-uh. When I was emerging in this business, it was all about: “Oh, let’s get on the cover of Maxim and put on a bikini or lingerie.” And now it’s not about that anymore, which is really refreshing. Even with a movie like Fast & Furious, it’s amazing that we all wear pants. Of course, there were loot dance scenes around the car, but they are gone. Now it’s about strength and loyalty to each other. I almost wish I had been born 20 years later so I could really prosper in what is happening right now in the industry.
So did you struggle with body image when you were younger?
I struggled a bit because I went through many different phases. When you gain weight, you are not in one place. My sister earns a butt and breasts, and I become SpongeBob. I just get bigger and more square. So when I was a teenager I started having smoothies and bars all the time. I’m a control freak, so I went through phases where I was obsessed with the number on the scale and didn’t want to stray. I was never anorexic, but I was definitely too controlled to be healthy. Now, I’m just trying to think of modeling good behavior for my kids, who love treats. And, paying attention to whether I am full or just eating without thinking.
At this point in your life, what does wellness mean to you?
It’s about balance and feeling comfortable in your skin. I think sometimes you have to shake off your complacency to get back to wellness. For example, I love sugar, I am a sugar addict. Harley recently said to me, “You have to figure this out.” I appreciated her frankness because she was right. I would have Swedish fish with my kids, and the M&M and Tootsie rolls are my weakness. And he often replaced lunch with frozen yogurt instead of real food. Not good. I hate smoothies and I hate juices. I like to chew. So I steam tons of vegetables and add avocado. And then I have chicken or salmon soup for at least one of my meals. And then I get all my vegetables in one meal, and I really don’t have to worry about that after that. So it’s about signing up and making sure you live as balanced a life as possible.
