Derek stated that the sudden public attention made her feel disconnected from the reality of her profession.
"I was just always uncomfortable with my image, being all over magazines when I walked down the street.
And I always felt kind of fake and an impostor at the same time 'cuz I didn't work as an actress," she said.
Decision Not to Have Children
The conversation shifted to her decision not to have children, which she initially expected to do because of societal norms before evaluating her schedule at age 32.
"Everyone says you're going to have kids.
When I hit about 32, I thought, Uh-oh; I better start working on this and scheduling it," said Derek.
Derek explained that her first husband, John Derek, was significantly older and already had two children from a previous relationship.
"I kept waiting for my life to slow down. It never slowed down," she said.
"He didn't want kids. He'd had two kids from a previous marriage.
He was older, so he'd done it."
Upon further reflection, Derek concluded that parenthood did not suit her character or her husband's personality.
"When I thought I wanted it, then I really started sitting down to scheduling and I thought, I'm not mother material," said Derek.
"My husband certainly isn't father material. He was the most judgmental oddball."
She compared her deliberate approach to family planning with the care she takes when choosing a pet.
"I think I spend more time when I decide to have a dog, a new dog, than most people do when they have a kid," she said.
