Candice Bergen is a television screen staple. The actress has been in multiple shows and movies over the years, and has earned a solid reputation for herself!
And when critics come to silence her, she shows that she is someone who will not be messed with! She really is someone who lives life on her own terms.
Candice Bergen started off her career as a model, working for magazines likе Vogue. Since then her career has sky-rocketed and she has become a household name. Her role in the show “Murphy Brown” led her to five Emmy wins.
But her iconic role came to her with a few hardships involved. In an interview, she revealed that the role was meant for a younger actress, namely Heather Locklear.
circa 1967: American actor and model Candice Bergen. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)
But her audition caught the writer and producer Diane English’s eye who insisted that she was the one for the role.
The show and her role were a huge hit and women all across the country adored her portrayal of a reported. Bergen fondly recalls, “That character gave me permission to be my brattiest, bawdiest self.”
She was nominated for seven Emmys for the role and won five of them. But apparently, after her fifth win, she asked not to be considered for an Emmy again.
The reason for this was because of how the actress’ priorities changed and she decided to live her life differently. In her Memoir “A Fine Romance,” she revealed that she was more focused on herself, talking about how she did not care if she was ‘fat’ because she loved to eat!
She talked candidly in the book about her relationship with food, revealed that in the last 15 years, she has gained about 30 pounds but does not care about it.
She plainly in the book, “Let me just come right out and say it: I am fat. I live to eat. None of this ‘eats to live’ stuff for me.”
She also shаrеd stories of her enjoying decadent meals at dinner parties with her husband, and getting smug looks from other dinner guests but that she pays no mind to them. She wrote, “I am a champion eater. No carb is safe — no fat, either.”
She went on to talk about how women in their 50s are so caught up with trying to maintain their youth that they often forget to enjoy their current selves. She has opted out of trying to maintain her youthful looks or figure, and is very much enjoying her decision to do so.
While her friends focus on their diets, Bergen is clear that she focused on food. She wrote, “dieting is out of my purview. I crave cookies, all the things that dilate my pupils.”
She talked of women she knows who ‘vomit’ out their meals after eating them to maintain their figures, strongly saying that she would never do such a practice.
She wrote, “They maintain their weight by routinely vomiting after major meals consisting of a slice of steak or a filet of fish. I am incapable of this.”
Now the actress is in the second stage of her life, as a mother and grandmother. Her first marriage to French director Louis Malle lasted 15 years, ending upon his dеаth from cancer in 1995. She had her daughter Chloe Malle from that union.
She married Marshal Rose in the 2000s, her second marriage which is still going successfully.
She is now also a grandmother to her daughter’s children. Her grandson Arthur Louis Albert was born in 2020, and her granddaughter, Alice Malle Albert, followed in April 2022.
The actress has publicly talked about the excitement she feels for her daughter on becoming a mother, she said of her daughter, “She is the love of my life.”
She shаrеs sweet moments from her life on social media, and the actress is clearly smitten with being a grandmother to two toddlers.
I Took My Grandchildren to Disney World and Now My Dil Is Mad at Me
When my son, Ethan, set up this account for me and insisted I share my recent dilemma, I was skeptical. According to him, my understanding of what’s normal and acceptable has always been a bit off-kilter.
He was convinced that once my story hit the internet, a wave of virtual finger-wagging would set me straight. So here I am, recounting the tale that led to my current status as the family pariah, all because I took my grandkids to Disney World.
A grandmother greeting her grandson | Source: Getty Images
Ethan and his wife, Sarah, had been planning to attend a friend’s wedding in Mexico. It was supposed to be a chance for them to unwind without their kids. While they were away, they wanted me to babysit their children, Lily, 5, and Jack, 4, for what would be a stretch of four nights and five days. Initially, I laughed at the idea.
Not only did it seem like a marathon of caregiving, but Sarah had previously made it clear that her family took precedence over ours. The notion didn’t sit well with me, and I found it particularly irksome that they would ask me, despite her mother being the apparent go-to for such favors.
Two siblings playing together | Source: Getty Images
However, Ethan’s emotional plea swayed me. He argued that it was a rare opportunity for them, a plea that tugged at my heartstrings, even as a voice in the back of my mind accused them of manipulation. I was supposed to be there for the kids whenever they wanted, apparently. But, I agreed.
During their absence, an invitation to a birthday party at Disney World came my way. It seemed like a splendid opportunity to do something special with the grandkids, and it honestly didn’t cross my mind to consult Ethan and Sarah. I thought, since I was the one looking after them at the moment, I could take them wherever I wanted, within reason, of course.
A grandmother with her grandson | Source: Getty Images
In my defense, Sarah often talked about taking the kids to Disney “some day,” but it always seemed like one of those far-off dreams, not an imminent plan. It was the Magic Kingdom. I had to take the kids. Seeing how Sarah’s plan to take them was probably years away, I knew I had to show them around the place. And what better time than while their parents were away?
The trip wasn’t too bad and we had a great time. I honestly felt like I was truly bonding with the kids. They tried almost every ride they could go on, we took photos with every costumed hero and princess, and they had bucketloads of treats. It truly was a magical time.
Upon their return, I was blindsided by Sarah’s reaction. The news that I had taken Lily and Jack to Disney was met with tears and accusations. She was devastated, claiming I had robbed her of a milestone — witnessing their first Disney experience. Her words stung, branding me as entitled, which only poured salt on the wound given her past demands for childcare.
A girl and her grandmother at Disney World | Source: Getty Images
Ethan, ever the mediator, asked me to apologize, to mend fences over what he deemed a significant oversight on my part. But I couldn’t bring myself to do it. The bitterness of being labeled as entitled, coupled with their disregard for my initial reluctance, hardened my resolve. I saw no reason to apologize for enjoying a day out with my grandchildren, especially when the decision to babysit had been a concession on my part.
The fallout was immediate. Ethan insisted that an apology was necessary, not just for the sake of peace, but because Sarah felt robbed of a precious moment. To them, my actions were thoughtless, a blunder that eclipsed the joy of the birthday celebration. But to me, it highlighted a deeper issue, a lack of appreciation and respect for my boundaries.
An angry woman | Source: Getty Images
Our standoff has since grown into a chasm, with Ethan hoping that sharing this story would enlighten me to my supposed misstep. Yet, as I lay all this out, I find myself grappling with the complexity of family dynamics, the expectations we place on each other, and the weight of decisions made with the best intentions.
I can’t help but wonder if the issue at hand is not just about a trip to Disney, but something more. Perhaps it’s about understanding, communication, and the unforeseen impact of our actions on those we love. Or maybe it’s about the boundaries we draw and the spaces we navigate as family, where the lines between right and wrong blur in the face of love and responsibility.
An older woman fighting with her son | Source: Getty Images
As I share this tale, I realize that my son’s prediction might come true. The court of public opinion may indeed find me at fault. But more than seeking others who would tell me that I wasn’t in the wrong, I find myself reflecting on the intricacies of human relationships, the mistakes we make, and the lessons we learn along the way.
I realize that I could have let the parents know that I was taking their kids to Disneyland. I see how I robbed them and their mom of a bonding experience, but I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to get closer to my grandkids. Maybe this will blow over, but in the meantime, I have to reflect on my actions.
A woman asking advice online | Source: Getty Images
In the end, maybe Ethan is right. Perhaps the internet will deem me the villain of this story. But as I think about the events that unfolded, I can’t help but hope for a resolution that bridges the gap between us, one that acknowledges the complexity of our feelings and fosters a deeper understanding among us. I seriously hope my son, his wife, and I can overcome this. But in the meantime I really want to know: Do you think I was wrong?
Here’s another story about a grandmother who was given strict rules when babysitting her grandkids.
My DIL Handed Me a Humiliating List of Rules for My Grandkids, So I Taught Her a Lesson
I’m a doting grandmother. I love spending time with my grandkids. Even before I became a mom, I couldn’t wait to be a grandmother!
But then this happened, and things took an unexpected turn.
My son, Michael, his wife, Linda, and their three children live about thirty minutes away from me. Michael is constantly popping by with the kids on Sunday afternoons. Ice cream and pool time at Grandma’s has become a norm.
Three children looking at a tablet | Source: Pexels
Recently, Michael and Linda asked me to babysit the kids for a weekend while they visit Linda’s ill mother. It made sense because I knew that Linda’s mother was battling cancer, and the thought of having my three grandkids run around her home just made me anxious for her part. She needed peace and time to recover from her chemotherapy — Michael told me that she recently started it.
Anyway, it seemed like a simple request, right?
I agree.
Chemotherapy IV bags | Source: Pixabay
That was until Linda came over two days before they were scheduled to leave for their visit. She popped in during her lunch break to hand me a list of rules.
“These are important to Mike and me,” Linda said, leaving the envelope with the instructions on the table.
Rules to look after my grandchildren?
At first, I wasn’t angry because I knew all parents do things differently. But as I sat down with a cup of tea and read through them, I was utterly stunned.
Person opening an envelope | Source: Pexels
The first rule was a real kicker — no touching their fridge for myself. The refrigerator was off-limits for me, and I was instructed to take my own food.
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