Madonna’s daughter Lourdes Leon gave a rare interview detailing why she felt compelled to forge her own path in life after growing up in the limelight.
“We don’t get any handouts in my family,” Lourdes, 25, the daughter of Madonna and Carlos Leon, explained while chatting with Interview Magazine in a story published on Thursday, October 14. “Obviously, I grew up with extreme privilege. There’s no denying that. But I think my mom saw all these other kids of famous people, and she was like, ‘My kids are not going to be like this.’”
The Los Angeles native, who described herself as more of a New Yorker at heart, said she worked hard to pay for her college tuition and her own apartment in Brooklyn.
“I feel like if your parents pay for things, then it gives them leverage over you,” Lourdes added, noting it motivated her to make her own money and find a career path that better suited her personal hopes and dreams. “My mom is such a control freak, and she has controlled me my whole life. I needed to be completely independent from her as soon as I graduated high school.”
As a model on the rise, Lourdes said she is finding her footing in the industry and trying to expand horizons for other hopefuls. “I don’t know how I feel about acting yet,” the Vogue cover girl shared about transitioning into movies and TV. “I think it’s about finding a role that wouldn’t be too far off from who I am already. Honestly, actors really annoy me and I can’t be around them. As for music, I can sing. I just don’t care about it. Maybe it’s too close to home.”
Lourdes told Interview Magazine that she does appreciate the advice her mom gives her about the fashion world, noting the “Papa Don’t Preach” singer told her to “proceed with caution” and think about what she wants to be “known for.”
“My mom is very insistent on making me think about what I want to be known for beyond my looks,” she continued. “That’s not what I want people to remember me by. It’s not real.
When asked about her reaction to hearing Madonna’s songs on the radio, Lourdes said she never cringes. In fact, she has a newfound respect for her mom’s work.
“I’m increasingly able to recognize how influential and amazing this woman is, and how empowering to other women and ahead of her time she has always been,” Lourdes gushed. “I didn’t fully comprehend that until I realized the importance of empowerment and what it means to be a woman. She’s probably the hardest worker I’ve ever seen. I didn’t inherit that, unfortunately. I inherited her control issues, but not her work ethic.”
Source: InTouch
