Stage Fright! Nicole Conquers Her Fears

How the actress found courage in her kids.

- Ashleigh McEnaney

When actress Nicole Whippy gave birth to her second daughter, Vida, two years ago, she was determined to stay at home and focus on her baby for as long as possible.

The first year was a “fairytale”, she says, but like many women, Nicole found herself struggling to retain her sense of identity and soon felt she’d lost her way.

“She was the most settled baby and we had an incredible bond, but by the time Vida was about 16 months old, I could feel I was heading for a breakdown. I kept thinking, ‘Remember you? Remember your life before kids?’ I felt like I needed to reclaim myself.”

For Nicole, that meant bravely returning to the craft she loves. First, she set up a drama school in her neighbourhood to inspire youngsters. While the bubbly star doesn’t care a jot if her young students go on to become actors, she’s passionate about nurturing and building the confidence of Kiwi kids. But through her teaching, it was Nicole, 39, who learnt the biggest lesson of all.