News | Entertainment
7 Nov 2025 19:57
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Jodie Turner-Smith opted for a home birth because she feared she'd die in hospital

    The 'Queen & Slim' actress and her husband Joshua Jackson welcomed a baby girl into the world in April, and long before medical facilities began changing their processes due to the coronavirus pandemic, they knew they wouldn't be attending a hospital because of the statistics on "negative birth outcomes" for black women in the US


    Jodie said: "We had decided on a home birth because of concerns about negative birth outcomes for black women in America - according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the risk of pregnancy-related deaths is more than three times greater for black women then for white women, pointing, it seems to me, to systemic racism.

    "We never imagined that in the coming weeks, hospitals around the country would begin restricting who could be present in the birthing rooms, forcing mothers to deliver without the support person or people of their choice. Delivering at home ensured I had what every single woman deserves to have; full agency in determining my birth support."

    The last few months have also seen a wave of Black Lives Matters protest in the wake of George Floyd's death at the hands of police and while Jodie worries about having to discuss the subject with her daughter one day, she's hopeful change is on the horizon.

    She wrote in the new issue of Britain's Vogue magazine: "While my husband has been learning how to change diapers and I've been learning to breastfeed a newborn, the world has been reckoning with tragedy.

    "As a mother, I Feel everything more deeply and I honestly cannot bring myself to watch the video of George Floyd's death, to hear him crying out the word 'Mama as a police officer knelt on his neck until the life left his body. How do I prepare my daughter for the pain of seeing black bodies senselessly cut down? How do I help her reconcile Sandra and Breonna and Elijah and Eric and Philando and and and...

    "Sometimes I Wonder how I will explain to my daughter what it meant to be born in the year 2020.

    "The historic events, the social unrest and me - a new mother just trying to do her best.

    "I think I will tell her it was as if the world had paused for her to be born. And that, hopefully, it never quite returned to the way it was before."

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     07 Nov: Sir Paul McCartney was inspired to form Wings after seeing country star Johnny Cash performing with his wife June Carter
     07 Nov: Sydney Sweeney wasn't affected by the American Eagle jeans controversy
     07 Nov: Kerry Katona sees herself as a "great example" of turning your life around
     07 Nov: Reese Witherspoon is convinced Jennifer Aniston is "not who people think she is"
     07 Nov: Alec Baldwin's wife Hilaria Baldwin is convinced she was voted off Dancing With The Stars because of a social media "campaign"
     07 Nov: Ariana Grande is "beyond devastated" to be missing the Wicked: For Good premiere in Brazil due to flight issues
     07 Nov: Michael Jackson biopic trailer released online after reported legal troubles
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    The All Blacks will wear a white strip against Scotland in Sunday's Grand Slam test at Murrayfield in Edinburgh More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    The Government hopes changes to the screen production rebate will lure more Hollywood productions to Kiwi shores More...



     Today's News

    Entertainment:
    Sir Paul McCartney was inspired to form Wings after seeing country star Johnny Cash performing with his wife June Carter 19:37

    Entertainment:
    Sydney Sweeney wasn't affected by the American Eagle jeans controversy 19:07

    Soccer:
    Concerns from Wellington Phoenix coach Giancarlo Italiano over the A-League's officiating following a season-ending injury to one of his key attackers 18:57

    Entertainment:
    Kerry Katona sees herself as a "great example" of turning your life around 18:37

    Rugby League:
    Kiwis stand-off Dylan Brown is singing the praises of his halves partner ahead of the Pacific Championships final 18:37

    Entertainment:
    Reese Witherspoon is convinced Jennifer Aniston is "not who people think she is" 18:07

    Netball:
    The Silver Ferns complaints which triggered the standing-down of New Zealand coach Dame Noeline Taurua have been revealed 18:07

    Living & Travel:
    Readers on the grief that comes with euthanising a dog 18:07

    Entertainment:
    Alec Baldwin's wife Hilaria Baldwin is convinced she was voted off Dancing With The Stars because of a social media "campaign" 17:37

    Technology:
    An internet outage during NCEA exams yesterday means some students might turn to derived grades to counteract the disadvantage 17:27


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd