Lydia West has talked about her new role as a mother after having her first baby in secret.
The 30-year-old actress known for playing Jill Baxter in Channel 4’s It’s A Sin, and more recently shining as Eddie in Big Mood has shared her happy news while promoting the current project.
During an interview, she casually apologized for any ‘snuffling’ that a journalist may hear, before revealing it was her newborn.
‘Life is so different now,’ she told Stylist.
Lydia, who has also starred in Dracula, Suspicion, The Pentaverate, Inside Man and Gray, later talked to another publication about fearing for her career after learning of the impending motherhood.
‘When I found out I was pregnant, my immediate thought was, “Oh my god, my work”.’
She added to Cosmopolitan: ‘I had a very difficult pregnancy with sickness, so I had to be quite rational about what I could do based on the condition I was in.’
The decision to start a family is something that Lydia thinks can be difficult for Millenial women (those born between 1981 and 1996).
‘I’ve always wanted a family. For our generation, it’s so hard. We have to be career-minded. It’s amazing that women have so many opportunities now, but you do feel like you have to make a choice. Do you focus on your family? Or your career?’ she mused.
Lydia found there can be pressure to stay relevant, which led to her worrying about when the next job would come. However, despite the concerns Lydia is thinking carefully about what work she agrees to make and wants to continue making impactful pieces which has been the theme of her career so far.
In 2021, It’s A Sin focused on a group of gay people living colourful and fun lives, who were cruelly impacted by the ongoing HIV pandemic. Lydia’s character Jill was based on a real woman supported and held the hands of the gay community as they were dying. The show encouraged a wave of #BeMoreJill posts created by inspired viewers, and Lydia was nominated for a Bafta.
Big Mood shows Eddie and Maggie (Nicola Coughlan) navigating their long-term friendship through their 30s – it unflinchingly covers the realities of bipolar disorder and how it can change relationships. Lydia loved being part of it so much that she’s up for a series two.
Lydia has not spoken about the sex of her baby or revealed their name. She also has decided not to disclose if she had her baby with a partner.
Big Mood airs Thursdays at 10pm on Channel 4. The full series is available on their streaming service
