Charlotte Riley has set up her first nursery for the film industry.
Charlotte Riley
The 39-year-old actress - who has two children, five and two, with her husband Tom Hardy - co-founded the WonderWorks nursery, which is based near Warner Bros Studios in Hertfordshire, England and she hopes this new venture will help men and women to balance family with work.
She said: "We have so many people, particularly women, who've got to their mid-thirties, want to have children but have gone, 'Oh my God, I'm literally about to direct my first film.' Then they have to choose and that's all kinds of wrong.' The industry chooses to work those long hours, 15-hour days. It's now time for the industry to take some responsibility for its social impact."
And Charlotte says her husband Tom has been "really supportive" of the nursery.
She added to The Times newspaper: "He's been really supportive with all the bits and bobs that we're doing. He knows how vital this is, he really cares about the teams that he works with, anybody will tell you he's the first person there on set, saying good morning to everybody."
Meanwhile, Charlotte previously called for more childcare support for parents in the industry.
She said: "Like most people we rely on family and friends for help with childcare, but that isn’t even a choice for a lot of people. Talking to women within the industry who love children and want to have children, some of them have found it incompatible to have children and a career. Anyone bringing children into the world has to think about the work/life balance, but being a mother is part of who I am now. I bring that into my work.
"It shouldn’t have to be one or the other. So many other industries are years ahead of ours in creating a better work-life balance and helping parents and carers. It’s surprising when you think it’s an industry that’s meant to be about people and creativity that we can’t put that creative energy towards tackling this problem. It’s not just actors, but every department. I know camera people who don’t see their kids at all when they’re working."
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