Latest news with #emptyNestSyndrome
News.com.au
01-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News.com.au
Johnny Depp lifts lid on life after Amber Heard legal drama
Johnny Depp has opened up about struggling with empty-nest syndrome, revealing the only place he has ever felt at 'home' was the French property where he and ex-partner Vanessa Paradis raised their two children. In an interview with the Sunday Times, Depp, 62, shed some light on what his life has been like since his highly publicised defamation lawsuit against his former wife, Amber Heard, came to a dramatic end in 2022. The 'Pirates of the Caribbean' star took his ex to court in Virginia over accusations she made in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed, Realtor reports. The 'Aquaman' actress claimed that Depp had been physically abusive to her during their relationship — allegations that he vehemently denied. His courtroom victory against Heard was widely seen as the spark of a career 'comeback' for Depp, who many believed had been intentionally sidelined from projects after Heard's claims were brought to light. However, he insists that wasn't the case. He told the Times he 'didn't go anywhere', adding that — had he left the industry — he would 'never' have come back to it. While Depp is eager to look ahead in his career, he admitted to feeling somewhat nostalgic about his personal life — specifically the time he spent living in the South of France with Paradis and their kids, Lily-Rose and Jack. Describing himself as being 'of the empty-nest syndrome' now that his children have grown up and found homes of their own, Depp recalled a portrait he began painting of his daughter when she was just 10. 'I never finished it. She was 10 then and 25 now. Years get away from us, don't they? I'm of the empty-nest syndrome,' he confessed. Depp said he missed having his children at home with him, revealing they referred to him as 'Papa' when they were being raised in France. 'Oh man, my kids growing up in the South of France in their youth? I was 'Papa.' I cannot tell you how much I loved being Papa,' he said. However, he revealed things changed when the family packed up and relocated to Los Angeles. 'Then, suddenly, 'Papa' was out the window. I was 'Dad.' But 'Papa' was awesome and I'm getting old enough for 'Papa' to possibly come back,' he added. Although their move helped Depp's career blossom, the Hollywood heavyweight confessed Europe is the only place he has ever considered 'home.' 'Truly, the first time I felt I had a home was the place in the South of France where Vanessa and I raised the kiddies,' he confessed. 'That's the only place that ever felt like home'. He noted he doesn't spend much time in the US, before revealing he usually lives out his days in his 'Bahamas joint'. It is a far cry from his childhood — which began in Owensboro, Kentucky — where Depp was born. However, Depp and his family — mum Betty Sue, father John, brother Daniel, and sisters Debbie and Christi — moved around plenty before putting down roots in Florida. He admits his childhood was not always easy, particularly because of family tensions. 'My brother had his problems with the parents. There were many episodes of conflict — he and my father would duke it out — and Debbie had her problems with them, too. 'Then Danny got married. Soon Debbie got married, too, so it was only me and Christi,' Depp recalled. 'Then Christi got married, so it was only me. And dynamics changed. 'It was almost as if I was used to conflict. It was not abnormal. I did my best to just step in and out.' He noted his vision for his own children is much different from what people had of him when he was growing up. Lily-Rose is following in her father's footsteps by showcasing her acting chops on 'The Idol' and 'Nosferatu'. However, Depp confessed he didn't want her to head down the same path as him. 'Sometimes kids say to me, 'I want to be an actor, what's your advice?'' Depp revealed. 'And I say, 'Don't be!' 'I know what's coming for them. I was chucked on that road, and the only advice that I can give is, 'Don't allow anyone to make you something you are not.' 'They'll want you to be a poster boy, and it's tempting — a lot of money. 'And if that's the direction you want? Go for it. But don't let anybody choose for you.' Depp holds the keys to a number of opulent pads across the globe, including an 850-acre estate in England, which he snapped up for $US17.5 million ($A26.8 million) in 2014. It comes with 12 bedrooms and eight bathrooms, and it is believed to be his primary residence. He also owns a cluster of properties in the Hollywood Hills, including a Sweetzer Castle and a Gothic Revival mansion, which he purchased in 1995 for $US2.15 million ($A3.29 million). In France, Depp owns a chic village near St. Tropez, and it holds multiple cottages, a chapel, and a restaurant. Although he attempted to offload the residence in the past, he still owns it. Lastly, the actor owns a home in the Bahamas, which he snapped up for $US3.6 million ($A5.5 million) in 2004.
The Sun
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I've spent £350 on a reborn doll to battle my empty nest – my hubby is ‘weirded out' by it but it's been life-changing
A MOTHER has revealed that she has splashed £350 on a reborn baby so that she doesn't get empty nest syndrome. The influencer, who has previously been labelled as a 'human Barbie ', is overjoyed with her new lifelike doll, but claimed that her hubby thinks it's 'weird'. 6 6 6 The model was left feeling 'empty' now that her son, Rodrigo, 23, is all grown up. As a result, Marcela Iglesias wanted something she could 'nurture' again. She did her research and came across a reborn doll shop in the UK. While it's helped to satisfy her maternal needs, it's left her husband, Steve, 57, feeling 'confused' and quite 'weirded out'. Marcela, who has 1.2million Instagram followers, told NeedToKnow: 'I've always felt a strong maternal instinct, even after my own children grew up. 'I started thinking about getting a reborn doll when I began to feel a sense of emptiness at home. 'I wanted something to nurture again, without the demands of a real infant. 'I actually discovered them by accident. I was scrolling on Instagram and saw a video of someone holding what I thought was a real baby - but it was a reborn doll. 'I went down a rabbit hole after that, watching videos, reading forums, and eventually looking at artist shops on Etsy. "My husband was a little confused at first and felt a bit weirded out. He has now come around to the idea. "He sees how happy the doll makes me." Marcela revealed that she even used photos of herself as a baby to inspire the doll's look. She chose a baby girl, which she has named Sofia, but she is open to the idea of changing the name to Cleopatra. The influencer now spends each day changing her outfits and pretending to feed her tot with a bottle. And in the next few weeks, she hopes to take Sofia on walks in a pram. Marcela continued: 'It was a big decision, but many of these dolls are handmade with incredible detail. 'I saw it as a bit of an investment in my emotional well-being. 'Opening the box felt like meeting someone I already loved. What is empty nest syndrome? Empty nest syndrome is a psychological condition that some parents experience when their children leave home, typically for college, work, or to live independently. It's not a clinical diagnosis, but rather a period of grief, sadness, loneliness, or loss of purpose that can occur when the daily responsibilities of raising children come to an end. Common Symptoms involve: Sadness or depression, loss of purpose or identity, anxiety about children's well-being, marital stress (if the couple is now alone together again) and feelings of loneliness. To combat this, some coping strategies including: reconnecting with personal goals, hobbies, or career, strengthening your relationship with your partner or friends, seeking support from other parents or a therapist and/or maintaining healthy but non-intrusive contact with your children. 'I held her for a long time, just taking in the detail and weight. 'It was strangely calming, and I was actually quite emotional. 'It's not exactly like having a real baby - but the motions, the care, and the attention feel very real and comforting.' Marcela, who is originally from Buenos Aires but now lives in Los Angeles, US, explained that her son, Rodrigo, thought the idea of having a reborn sister was 'cool'. She highlighted: 'Rodrigo thinks it's cool in a weird way and even asked to hold her once, very gently. 'It already has been a life changing experience for me. 'It gives me a routine, something to focus on that feels peaceful and grounding. 'It's not for everyone, but for me, it fills a little emotional space I didn't realise was so empty. 'Whether it's grief, anxiety, or loneliness, these dolls offer a form of comfort that's very real. 'I just want people to understand that for many of us, reborn dolls aren't toys – they're emotional companions.' Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club 6 6
Daily Mail
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
'Human Barbie' spends £350 on lifelike baby doll so she doesn't get empty nest syndrome (and she even dresses and feeds the toy)
A woman has revealed how she spent hundreds of pounds on a lifelike baby doll - in a bid to avoid empty nest syndrome when her son left home. Marcela Iglesias, who is originally from Buenos Aires, in Argentina, but lives in Los Angeles, labels herself as 'human Barbie' and has spent thousands on plastic surgery. And the elaborate spending hasn't stopped there, with Marcela splashing out £350 on a lifelike reborn baby doll after her 23-year-old son grew up. The influencer, who has one million followers, treats the doll - named Sofia - like a member of the family, pretending to feed the doll and planning to take it on walks in a pram. Marcela, 47, modelled the expensive toy on photographs of herself as a baby. But she has admitted that her husband Steve, 57, is 'weirded out' by the new addition. The mother said that while her son Rodrigo still lives at home, she needed something she could 'nurture' again. 'I've always felt a strong maternal instinct, even after my own children grew up,' she said. 'I started thinking about getting a reborn doll when I began to feel a sense of emptiness at home. 'I wanted something to nurture again, without the demands of a real infant.' Marcela said her husband was 'a little confused at first and felt a bit weirded out'. She used photographs of herself as a baby to help design the doll, which she has named Sofia. Her days now include changing the doll's outfits and pretending to feed her, and she plans to take Sofia on walks in a pram in the coming weeks. 'I saw it as a bit of an investment in my emotional well-being,' Marcela said. 'Opening the box felt like meeting someone I already loved. 'I held her for a long time, just taking in the detail and weight. 'It was strangely calming, and I was actually quite emotional. 'It's not exactly like having a real baby - but the motions, the care, and the attention feel very real and comforting.' She added that for many people, reborn dolls are not just toys but 'emotional companions'.
