“It is the nine months of pregnancy that actually prepares you for motherhood,” says Lisa Haydon

The model turned actor opens up about pregnancy, bodyshaming and her marriage

One thing you wish you could change about yourself is…?

I wish I was less emotional and that I could be calmer in my not-so-calm moments.

The most Malayali thing about you is...?

My hair, absolutely! And my love for coconut curry!

Three things not many people know about you are...?

That I don’t wear make-up when I am not working. I tend to put a lot of salt in my food. And I don’t go to the salon.

One thing about motherhood that no book on parenting prepared you for...?

I don’t think anything can really prepare you for motherhood. It is the nine months of pregnancy that actually prepare both your body and mind for motherhood. You are in a different mindset when you conceive. But by the time you are ready to deliver you are almost a different person.

Have you ever been bodyshamed or had any kind of body image issue?

Yes, for sure. Today, when people say “Oh you are so thin!” they mean it as a compliment. But I was very skinny as a kid and that was no less demoralising than being overweight, especially in school. I remember I had a classmate who would often mock me saying that she can hold my thigh with one hand. I was that thin and I was forever struggling to gain weight or keep the weight.

One thing you struggled with the most when you started modelling...?

I think nerves mostly. In fact, that’s one thing I find most models struggling with even now.

The sexiest thing about you according to you is...?

I am a free spirit. I don’t plan my life. I think that is something I love about myself. I find that sexy!

The most filmy thing you have done in real life..?

My marriage. The way I met my husband and the wedding is stuff you see in a romantic movie only.

What is your take on plus size models. Do you actually see that becoming mainstream any time soon?

I think inclusivity and appreciating different kinds of beauty is an international trend. But, I think for the sake of simplicity, designers make clothes in a particular size. To make clothes that fit various kinds of body types, the designers need to finalise the models before they get the clothes made. That will be working backwards and I don’t see that happening this soon.

From HT Brunch, February 18, 2018

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