Teenage "Whale Rider" actress expecting

by Rachel Mosteller (Subscribe to Rachel Mosteller's posts) Oct 6th 2006 2:06PM

Actress Keisha Castle-Hughes, best known for her role in 2002's "Whale Rider," is expecting her first child with her boyfriend of three years. Keisha, who played Paikea in the film, is 16-years-old.

She has taken on few roles after Whale Rider, which makes me believe that she is in school. I saw on another site where people were saying she obviously is financially well-off to take care of this child, but I doubt that is the case. I'm sure she had some money from the film, but usually 12-year-old unknowns aren't paid as well as say, Tom Cruise.

According to People Magazine, Keisha and her boyfriend, who is 19, are expecting the baby in the Spring. And while I do not believe that becoming a teenage mother is an end to one's life (my OB, in fact, was a teenage mother) I think it will make her grow up much faster than she should have to.

If you could give advice to a teenager that is expecting a baby, what would you say?

Comments (30)

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

ann adams 10-06-2006 @ 2:28PM

After the fact?

If it were my child who was pregnant, I'd be as supportive as possible. I'd try to help her reach decisions and plan for her future.

Before the fact?

I'd tell them they have many years to have kids; that yes, babies are adorable but they require a lot of work and sacrifice.

I'd remind them of the ways to prevent it happening.

Then, if it happened anyway, I'd do what I said above. I'd hope so would most parents.

Nancy Toby 10-06-2006 @ 2:40PM

The truth? I'd advise her to abort it, if I heard about it soon enough.

trisha 10-06-2006 @ 2:52PM

abort it??! that is the absolute LAST think I would advise a pregnant teen to do. If a teen didn't want or couldn't take care of a baby, then PUT IT UP FOR ADOPTION. Period. Being pregnant will be a hard time, but it's temporary and then the little life she helped create will have a LIFE and a famiy that it deserves.

Nancy Toby 10-06-2006 @ 2:56PM

Nope, that would not be my advice. I wouldn't advise a teen that wasn't planning on keeping a baby to spend 9 months of her life dealing with a pregnancy and then childbirth. No way.

I believe in safe, legal, and rare abortion. And for 16-year-olds? Yes, this is one of those cases I would strongly advise it.

JustLinda 10-06-2006 @ 3:03PM

I was a pregnant teen. Been there, done that.

I'm now 41 years old with 5 daughters. I've always told my daughters that there is plenty of time for babies later, when they're established. I tell them that when they have a child, they will want to give that child the world - to give their beloved baby the best they can. And, if they go there too soon, when they're young without an education or job or maturity, they will unfortunately have to settle for giving their baby LESS than they would want to.

My two oldest girls know that lesson well. They were with me during the lean years. They lived that life.

If any of my girls came to me and said "Mom, I'm pregnant." I would ask her how I could help support her and I would do my best to do right by her.

But please-oh-please don't let it happen to one of them at 16!! hahah (two of them are already past 20 so only three more to go... knock on wood.)

Christine 10-06-2006 @ 3:00PM

Adoption causes a lifetime of pain, though.. I would never advise that unless for some reason it was necessary. Just the mere existance of a pregnancy doesnt equal the necessity of ripping a hole in your life.

I would be as supportive as possible.. what is done is done... now we would have to make a plan of action so that everyone's needs are met. Like the OP said... she will have to grow up (well, she has a career, sort of, so she really already has...), but that is something that we parents are here for. If our children take a wrong turn while under our guidance, we should not condemn them, but rather keep guiding... perhaps we in hindsight may be able to see where our guidance was flawed..

sister to young mother 10-06-2006 @ 3:04PM

I whole heartly disagreee... I would support my daughter fully.

My sister found out she was pregnant at 16, and the familys first reaction was to protect her future.

Thank goodness we all remembered one of God's truely most amazing things on this earth - the birth of a baby.

My neice is truely an Angel, and we can't imagine life without her.

Heather 10-06-2006 @ 3:13PM

Finish school!
Don't get your GED get your diploma.
Not all adults are know it all's who trying to tell you what to do because you are young. sometimes it is just advice because we have been there and this is what worked for us. I was a teen mom and I understand.

Ceallach 10-07-2006 @ 8:55PM

Well Assuming that all decisions about keep and carry, or terminate are made....

1. You made the right choice for you. (we all need to hear that we are making good choices)

2. Despite what anyone says, having a baby is not the end of your life, the end of dating or the end of life as we know it. It is a change....change is good.(how many folks told me this when I was pregnant at 28, married and financially secure?? Hello!)

3. Welcome to the biggest adventure anyone can ever know....being a parent and raising a new human.

Sarah 10-06-2006 @ 3:35PM

Support her with all the love and knowledge that you can provide. Being a young mon is a difficult task and the more support she recieves the better off both the babe and young mom will be.

Love and support goes a long way - but why not make sure she is aware of all her choices. Adoption and abortion are both choices that should be supported as well. We live in a country where we are free to make these choices and I don't believe anyone has the right to judge another persons decision. You have no idea what its like to walk in their shoes....

India 10-06-2006 @ 3:38PM

I Was 16 When I Became Pregnant With My First Child, And Now At 19 Am 6months Pregnant With Another And They Are Both The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me, Everyone Always Wants To Speak So Negatively About Teen Moms And Me And My Husband Are More Responsible Then Most "Older Parents" Weve Been Living On Our Own Since I Was 17 And Him 16 And We Couldnt Be Any Happier, I Dont Kno Why The First Thing That Comes Out Peoples Mouths Is Abortions God Doesnt Make Mistakes He Blesses People With Babies, But If She Was a 40 Year Old Woman On Drugs With No Place To Go And Other Children In Protective Services No One Would Ever Have Anything To Say About It.

Amanda. 10-06-2006 @ 3:45PM

To take care of herself. A pregnant teenager is fairly high risk- she needs to grow herself while growing her baby at the same time. Being a young mother will be hard enough so there is no need to add the potential for health problems into the mix.

Eva 10-06-2006 @ 3:56PM

Keisha recently finished filming the part of the Virgin Mary in Nativity Story. That is what I call seriously ironic.
Whale Rider isn't the only movie she's done so I'm guessing she probably is fairly financially independent. I'm curious as to her parent's reactions. Her boyfriend is 19 and she is only 16. If they chose, they could press statutory rape charges against him.

Angelica 10-06-2006 @ 3:55PM

I am wondering what the age of consent is in New Zealand...in her region they must have SOME sort of rules.

And, because she has the fortune to be in the spotlight does not abstain from the fact of:

1. Where are all the grown-ups?
2. Where are all the grown-ups?

Were they living together? I think I hate People Magazine...their articles are always so vague.

But I suppose that is the point.

Ginny 10-06-2006 @ 3:58PM

Pretty bold statement Nancy. I have to agree with you tho. OK I said it! If my dd found herself pregnant at 16, I'd certainly explain the choices she has legally available.

Stacie 10-06-2006 @ 4:02PM

Age of consent in New Zealand is 16.
And very very few jurisdictions will prosecute statutory rape if the age difference is 3-4 years or less, in any case.

Besides...if I had a 16-year-old daughter, pregnant by a boy/man a few years older -- I'd rather that boy/man not be in jail. Child support -- or for that matter, taking an active role in raising the child -- is difficult from jail.

(Thankfully, for now, I only have one 4-year-old stepdaughter, so we've got awhile to worry about that.)

Tanya 10-06-2006 @ 4:13PM

I'm a teen mother. I was 17 when I got pregnant but I was 18 when he was delivered. I got pregnant with my 2nd at 18 and had her at 19. I got pregnant with my 3rd at 19 but had him at 20. I would just say, get school out of the way 1st. I did graduate, my son got to see me graduate, even tho he was 3 months old. Now I'm starting college in January, when I could have started sooner if I waited to have children. I work full time and will be going to school full time, so its very difficult. My children are very close in age too. My 1st is 15 months from my 2nd and my 2nd is 15 months from my 3rd.

LB 10-06-2006 @ 6:09PM

I'm very 100% pro-choice, which means I'd support my teen or any teen who came to me with this in which ever way she wanted to go. If she really had no idea what the heck to do I'd do my best to find some info from all aspects. Anecdotally I've heard bad and good abortion stories, good and bad adoption experiences and good and bad teen mom journeys. There is no one "size" fits all here.

As for the age of Keisha's partner, I guessing there is probably a "Romeo & Juliet" clause down under that helps bridge romances within a few years apart as they reach majority, for all we know he turned 19 yesterday. Who knows.

Joey & Ally's Mom 10-06-2006 @ 9:40PM

My mother got pregnant at 16. If she had an abortion, I wouldnt be sitting here right now. And I wouldnt have given life to my two beautiful children.
How anyone who has children could ever support killing them in utero is beyond me. Children are a gift and deserve only the best.
If you think adoption is to painful you should have considered that before you got pregnant. Killing a child shouldnt be justified because the mother is uncomfortable with the idea of adoption.

Belinda 10-06-2006 @ 11:44PM

Pregnant teen, even though they are NOT an adult, they have made an ADULT choice to have sex. I would treat my daughter as one. Give her the choices abortion (if early enough), adoption (open or closed), or keep the baby. With each choice there are MORE to do.

If she choices abortion I will be first in line to get her a could councling appointments, before and after the fact to be sure that it is something she is capable of dealing with. It is her body and it is HER choice.

If adoption I will make SURE she is ready to go through 9 months of having your body almost put through hell (I didn't have an easy pregnancy and don't know of many teens who did) and then give the baby to someone else and also if she did, does she want to grow up as the baby's aunt or something or just not know the baby ever.

Then if she chooses to KEEP the baby she will need to figure out how she is going to finish school, care for the baby (I will help, but the baby is not my responcability), and all the above (and sign her up for Mother's Helper with social services).

And on top of it BOTH her AND the child's FATHER WILL be involved and I will even bring in the child's father's parents into the decision. Marrage will NOT be forced on them (I am not married to my fiance, we have one baby and are planning another) that would be hyporcitical, but they BOTH WILL take responcability!!

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