Whale Rider's 16-year-old actress pregnant with first child!!

[laneyrachel]

I heard about this from a friend .. it's disappointing, she was great in "Whale Rider" and now her image is shattered for the most part. Unfortunate for her as well, she'll miss out on a lot.

 

[Artemis]

That, my friends, is called statutory r*pe

Actually, no. The age of consent is 16 in NZ, as kissmesweet said.

 

[factory girl]

i hope her and her baby are happy and healthy and that they have an amazing life together xx

 

[KhaoticKharma]

Well when push comes to shove, she's preggers and is keeping her baby, no matter what people say or think. And that is an honorable thing to do.

 

[sugarpea]

^^ its an honorable thing to keep your baby? is it dishonorable, then, to decide not to keep your child? i dont think honor has anything to do with a decision to keep your child or not.

 

[Heroin_Chic]

...well, at least they have the financial abilities...let`s hope money can buy happieness for that child...

 

[*Princesse*]

Though I don't condone getting pregnant at 16, nor am I saying that she is mature enough to handle it (I'm a fairly mature 16 year old myself, and I'm just growing up myself. I could never handle helping another living human to growup while I'm just doing it myself, or know of anyone my age who could do so), I like the fact that she's taking responsibility for being pregnant and going to raise the child. I don't want to make this into an abortion debate, but I'm sick of people being against abortion and then looking down their noses at a teenager who is taking care of their child. That teenager had sex, and someone might not condone that, but respect the fact that they've chosen to have the child.

 

[Pencey]

^ what a lovely honest statment i completely agree

 

[vintageamour]

wow how unexpected! i could have never handled a baby at age 16. Major kudos to people who can, i know that's got to be extremely tough.

 

[KhaoticKharma]

^^ its an honorable thing to keep your baby? is it dishonorable, then, to decide not to keep your child? i dont think honor has anything to do with a decision to keep your child or not.

I merely think that it is honorable for her to face her problems head on, to release her statement. It would be equally honorable for her to choose one of the other options- but it is certainly a testament to her own strength and determination to choose to raise a human being. I doubt that I would choose that option, and I'm almost sixteen myself.

 

[VainJane]

When I was 16 I thought I was pretty mature for my age....looking back though, I realize that I wasn't as mature as I thought. I still had a lot of growing to do.

She's a pretty successful actress so she can afford (financially) to take care of a baby at the age of 16. But I think that people have this pre-conceived notion that it's a huge no-no because the majority of 16 year-olds can't afford to take care of babies, both financially and emotionally.

Oh well, have fun kiddo

 

[Nemova]

When I was 16 I thought I was pretty mature for my age....looking back though, I realize that I wasn't as mature as I thought. I still had a lot of growing to do.

She's a pretty successful actress so she can afford (financially) to take care of a baby at the age of 16. But I think that people have this pre-conceived notion that it's a huge no-no because the majority of 16 year-olds can't afford to take care of babies, both financially and emotionally.

Oh well, have fun kiddo

That's why a 16 year old is still a kid. At that age people think they are really smart and mature but once they grow up they realise that life is nothing like they used to think it would be - it is harder and way more complex than they can fathom at such young age.

 

[kissmesweet]

Someone told me that it's hard to give birth at a young age because your body isn't as developed.

I am not sure about this, does anyone know anything that can back that up?

 

[chocolatestain]

I'm 17 now and last year I sure as well wasn't ready to have a kid. I don't think I'll ever be ready for many more years. I guess it depends from person to person. I hope everything turns out well for her.

 

[ckashie]

I don't think anyone here can judge as she is Maori (native New Zealander) and their culture is very different. In Maori culture, 16 is not considered particularly young to have children.

 

[Whitelinen]

That's why a 16 year old is still a kid. At that age people think they are really smart and mature but once they grow up they realise that life is nothing like they used to think it would be - it is harder and way more complex than they can fathom at such young age.

Now I think your being quite rough. I'm fifteen, and I don't think I'm smart. The opposite. I'm ashamed of my age. While I am at times maybe a little bit more mature than some of my peers (ie my world does not revolve around makeup-boys-The OC-drinking, I do not enjoy dumb giggling...), I do think I have a lot to learn.

I lived three weeks on my own abroad last summer. I'm not saying it was easy, but the way it was harder was more "physical"; bills, place to stay for a night, eating, money...not that much "mental". Still, it brought freedom, which was better than the "teen life".

But if my life is going to be even harder than it is now when I'm adult, then thank you very much but I'd rather shoot myself. I don't think my life can be anymore complex than it is right now (I cannot trust my mind, I'm pondering whether to *********** or not). Maybe even this is only teen-angst, but it is complex as hell.

Have to say, that being a 20-something does not mean you're mature at all. Judging from the people that age around me, there's nothing else in their life except booze and sex, sometimes studying.

 

[brokenenglish]

^ You're 15!!?!! I'm shocked.

 

[Whitelinen]

Really? I thought I sound like such a teenybopper. I hope your "image" about me isn't overly negative now. Usually older people don't like people of my age.

 

[brokenenglish]

^ Not at all.

 

[CelineChic]

I don't think anyone here can judge as she is Maori (native New Zealander) and their culture is very different. In Maori culture, 16 is not considered particularly young to have children.

I was waiting for someone to bring this up. Thank you.
It's about time that someone posted something relatively intelligent.

The Maori culture is not similar to the Western culture where success is judged by education, money and employment. They put far more emphasis on family to build and maintaining their community. To them, having large families and carrying on tradition within their families is equal to success.