She's The Best! Stars Salute Their Mums

Meet the leading ladies they look up to.

MATILDA RICE & MUM DI

When Matilda signed up for the first season of The Bachelor New Zealand, her mum Di had some sound advice for her – don’t! “It’s fair to say I wasn’t a fan,” says the

business owner. “It’s one of those things that could either go really well or really bad. I’m a feminist from way back, so we discussed things like misogyny and sexism, but ultimately, we all have to make our own decisions and live with the consequences.”

With Matilda and her leading man Art Green more in love than ever, the outcome couldn’t have been better, but Matilda insists her mum’s warning helped her go into the show with open eyes.

“She’s let me in on hundreds of pearls of wisdom over the years, but the greatest lesson she ever taught me is to never rely solely on anyone else,” says Matilda, 25. “Even if you’re in a relationship, it’s still so important to have your own financial independence and be able to stand on your own two feet.”

However, Di, 57, tells Woman’s Day she never doubted her determined daughter would find her own way in life. “One of the things we have in common is we are both strong-willed, which did mean we’d lock horns a bit when she was growing up, but I always believed everything would be OK in the end.

“Even when she was little, Matilda has always been such a happy, positive person who surrounded herself with a terrific circle of friends. She’s independent, lots of fun and she has a great sense of humour. In my books, she’s doing everything right.”

Matilda might be passing her mum’s test with flying colours, but how does Art stack up? “He’s delightful,” tells Di. “And like Matilda, I love him to bits.”