My voice has always been kind of distinct – even when I was four years old, my mom told me that people would be like, ‘Why does your daughter always sound like a chain smoker?’ I’ve always had this deep, raspy voice.
My mom has always been my champion. She was very smart and grounded. She said, ‘Save your money. Pay your taxes. Don’t put everything in one basket,’ but she let me explore and be creative.
My mom was onstage when she was pregnant with me.
My name is Leland Tyler Wayne. My mom wanted to give me a name where, no matter what I wanted to do, I’d be able to do it. An astronaut. President. Whatever.
My mom has a rare talent for being able to open up the refrigerator, and with the peas, the leftover eggs, the cream, the spinach, the cheese, and a little rice, she can just whip up incredible risotto.
I wouldn’t say I had a hard childhood because my mom always made sure we was Gucci, you know what I mean. Growing up, she made sure we ain’t have to want for nothing. She did what she had to do; she made her money, and we was always good.
My mom is an art teacher and my dad owns a women’s shoe store, so they’re not actors by any means. Well, I guess to sell women’s shoes, you have to be an actor.
I’m a big fan of my mom’s cooking.
I did drama at school and when I was doubling Xena, one time for my birthday mom and dad bought me an acting course ‘cause I’ve always liked the performance side of anything.
Mom was all about hellfire and brimstone. Her Old Testament God was a colossal, ancient brute, a maelstrom of blood and fire, of appetite and wrath.
My dad was an FBI agent. My mom and dad were straight arrow types, and I had a conservative, suburban Orange County upbringing.
I didn’t grow up with a musical family. My mom had a lot of CDs in the house, particularly Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Celine Dion, ABBA, all the sort of like diva icons. She’s Swedish, so she loves pop music.
I am emotional, honest, and sensitive and a great human being because of my dad. Tough and independent woman because of my mom.
We understood, growing up – ‘cause it was taught in our family home, my mom and dad – to respect women, for instance. To respect yourself. That you respect your name. Those are the kind of things we were taught.
I think in a lot of ways unconditional love is a myth. My mom’s the only reason I know it’s a real thing.
My mom named me Pom because she said it sounded like a combination of Korean words that mean ‘spring’ and ‘tiger.’ So, it’s very unique!
I’m not a perfect mom, but I’m perfect for my kids.
My wife goes to Birmingham five times a week. My mom lives in Birmingham now after moving from Myrtle Beach. It’s not just the job. A lot of people don’t get that. My life is here.
You know the best part of being a mom is getting that love. Honestly, you know, my son’s love… a child’s love is so pure, it just makes you feel so good no matter what.
That’s a big deal for kids, when they come into the kitchen and the teacher is drinking coffee with mom. They react differently on the next day when you say: ‘Sit down and shut-up!’
My kids don’t call me ‘Mom’ because I don’t want them to. They’re Michael’s children. It’s not that they are not my children, but I had them because I wanted him to be a father.
Even as a little girl, my mom never wanted me to watch BET, but when I was at my grandparents’ house, and my older cousins were there and I could watch it, I was infatuated with the idea that I could one day be a DJ or the host of a show.
My mom taught me to live by the three p’s: to always be passionate, persistent, and prepared.
I will share a personal experience: my father was posted in Jammu & Kashmir during the Kargil war. I remember my mom sitting in front of television throughout the day reading tickers which had name of the martyrs.
We always do a white elephant gift exchange on Christmas Eve, but my mom always gets really nice gifts for it. And we hang out in our PJs on Christmas Day.
