tw: aforementioned alcohlism and abusive parenting; parental death during labour; sibling rivarly
[name_u]Tatum[/name_u] [name_m]Roberts[/name_m] [name_m]Fischer[/name_m] (42), always credited by her full name, is [name_f]Gwen[/name_f] and Maddie’s adoptive mother who’s still working in the film industry, even now [name_f]My[/name_f] Horse’s Calling has finished filming. After such a positive experience directing for the first time, Tatum’s continued pursuing this and is actually currently signing up to her second gig in the chair, a psychological thriller entitled [name_m]Tip[/name_m]. It does sadden her that she can’t discuss the project as much with her girls’ - there’s some very adult content she doesn’t want them exposed to in this script - however they’ve shown absolute support, and she’s trying her best to involve them as much as possible where’s appropriate.
Motherhood is something [name_u]Tatum[/name_u] never quite felt certain about until her late 30s. It wasn’t just that her career has given so much meaning to her life, but she has her own baggage, of which she’s always been open about. Tatum’s mother died hours giving birth to her, as complications arose during the delivery, and it never quite left her mind. Her dad has always been very protective because of this incident, to the point where when he remarried, there were some spats between [name_u]Tatum[/name_u] and her stepsister, who always seemed to have more freedom.
From her stepsister’s perspective though, Tatum’s father loved her much more, and it led to a dynamic both women now acknowledge was the stereotype of blended families, where blood relation seemed to draw lines in closeness. By the time they were in their 20s though, [name_u]Tatum[/name_u] and her stepsister sat down and had a thorough discussion about their experiences, which has led to a strong bond forming subsequently. They consider one another true sister’s now, and Tatum’s always careful in how she treats [name_f]Maddie[/name_f] and [name_f]Gwen[/name_f] in comparison to her niece and nephew, not wanting that sense of disconnect to prompt conflict between the cousins.
Where [name_f]Maddie[/name_f] and Gwen’s father is concerned, she’s likewise very cautious, not wanting to subject them to any more trauma. In particular she knows he was incredibly cruel towards [name_f]Maddie[/name_f] - insulting her in vile tirades while drunk - and it’s paramount to [name_u]Tatum[/name_u] that the girls’ get their say in whether or not they ever have a relationship with him. Thankfully, her own father has been able to provide a healthier paternal role in their lives, having also overcome his incessant protectiveness where [name_u]Tatum[/name_u] herself is concerned.