Nathalie Kelley Discusses Ryan Phillippe’s Relationship with His Son on Motorheads (Exclusive)
Nathalie Kelley has opened up about her time working with Ryan Phillippe and his son, Deacon Phillippe, on the set of their show Motorheads.
“[Deacon is] the most charismatic, polite, thoughtful young man I have ever met,” Kelley, 40, shared exclusively with Us Weekly on Monday, November 10, referring to Phillippe’s son, whom he shares with ex-wife Reese Witherspoon. She added that he “gives me hope for the entire gender of men.”
“I’m like, wow! If this is what the new generation of men is coming out looking like, sounding like, and acting like, then I feel more at ease about the future of our species,” she continued while promoting the upcoming short film Yachapa, which focuses on Quechua weavers and alpaca families in Peru, as well as her partnership with alpaca fiber apparel brand PAKA. “Honestly, what an incredible young man.”
Kelley also noted how delighted Ryan was to allow Deacon to explore his craft in the Amazon Prime drama.
“I think it was [Deacon’s] first major acting role, and it was so sweet to witness the father-son dynamic and how proud Ryan was,” Kelley said. “Ryan was trying to balance how much to step in and how much to let him be in his own process. I learned a lot from having my own kids on the show, just observing Ryan as a father and realizing how beautiful the cycle of life is.”
Kelley explained that her time on the Motorheads set also “taught me a lot about motherhood,” calling it “a really transformative process for me.”
“By the end of it, I realized that I actually did want to have children, which I hadn’t wanted before. It’s beautiful how art and life mirror and influence each other,” she reflected. “I’ll always be grateful to Motorheads for that awakening.”
Kelley, born in Peru but raised in Australia, has had a full-circle moment through her partnership with PAKA, fulfilling a promise made two decades ago.
“I grew up in Australia, which is [on] the other side of the world from Peru. When I returned home for the first time after moving at a young age, I saw much injustice and many issues in my indigenous community that I wanted to address. I made a promise at 18 that I would do something to right these wrongs for having left,” she reflected. “I’ve never forgotten that promise.”
For Kelley, achieving that goal represents “my sweet surprise full circle moment.” And she remains committed to her mission.
The “Fast & Furious: Tokyo Drift” actress has “found a purpose” through reconnecting with her Peruvian roots.
“It feels like it’s just the beginning,” she told Us. “What they need, beyond help, is allyship. Kris [Cody] with PAKA, and what I can do as a storyteller with global influence, is to be their ally and support them.”
Kelley emphasized the importance of shedding light on “a supply chain that needs justice and reorientation to ensure the people behind the alpaca fiber, along with the animals and ecosystems, are honored.”
She stressed that it’s crucial for local Quechua weavers to be “properly compensated and integrated into the supply chain in a meaningful and equitable way.”
“This is just the first step. Kris and I have a lifelong mission ahead,” Kelley hinted.
