Samara Weaving balances three film releases and new motherhood

Australian actress Samara Weaving is reflecting on one of the most fast-paced chapters of her life, balancing a surge in her film career with becoming a new mother for the first time.

In an exclusive conversation with People, Weaving said she is “still processing it all” after releasing three films within just a few months while also welcoming a baby girl with her husband, writer-director Jimmy Warden. 

Despite the whirlwind schedule, she described the period as “exciting” and “wonderful,” noting that she is focusing on both her family life and her continuing momentum in Hollywood.

Her latest project, the romantic crime drama Carolina Caroline, sees her starring alongside Kyle Gallner and Kyra Sedgwick. 

The film, which follows a modern Bonnie-and-Clyde-style story, marks her third release since March, following the horror sequel Ready or Not 2: Here I Come and dark comedy Over Your Dead Body.

Weaving admitted that while she can adapt to demanding on-screen challenges—such as training for opera in Chevalier and learning to drive for Eenie Meanie—she struggled with the con artist techniques featured in Carolina Caroline. 

Referring to the character’s quick-change scam tactics, she said she tried to understand them but ultimately could not: “I have no clue how it works. I tried so hard and then just had to give up. I couldn’t.”

She added with humor, “I’m just not cut out for crime life.”

Now 34, Weaving has built a steady Hollywood career since her early acting days in Australia on series such as Out of the Blue. 

The niece of actor Hugo Weaving, she said she once viewed Hollywood as distant and intimidating, recalling how difficult it was to secure auditions and representation early in her career.

Over time, she gained recognition through supporting roles in projects like Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017) and later established herself as a leading presence in genre films, particularly with The Babysitter and Ready or Not. 

She credits persistence and gradual growth for her success, though she also acknowledged ongoing self-doubt, saying she still experiences impostor syndrome, even if it has lessened over the years.

“Years of not knowing when you’re going to work again… I don’t know if that ever goes away,” she said, adding that she has learned to trust the process more.

Alongside her career achievements, Weaving described motherhood as a transformative experience. Calling it “weird” in a positive sense, she said it has brought new daily discoveries and a deeper sense of self-awareness. “My heart is now on the outside of my body,” she said.

Looking ahead, Weaving expressed interest in collaborating again with her husband on future creative projects, while emphasizing that her current focus remains her family and selecting roles that feel meaningful.

“I’m kind of just taking it one day at a time,” she said. “If there’s something I can’t say no to, we’ll figure it out. And if not, I’ve got a pretty good role of being a mom.”

Carolina Caroline is now playing in theaters nationwide.