Anna Faris Discusses Parenting Son Jack and Confronting Her Fears

Anna Faris recently shared how her son, Jack, encourages her to embrace new experiences — even those that are downright scary.

“I’m incredibly proud that I’m willing to go on any roller coaster or water slide,” Faris, 48, told Us Weekly during a conversation about her latest campaign with Walmart. This initiative showcases Walmart’s new Express Delivery service, which offers health and wellness solutions — including home delivery — to 93 percent of households nationwide.

“I’ve pushed my boundaries for the love of my son on countless occasions,” she continued. “I’m really proud of that, and it makes me happy knowing he can rely on me, and I see that he acknowledges it.” (Faris shares her 12-year-old son with ex-husband Chris Pratt and has two stepchildren with her husband Michael Barrett.)

While her love for Jack propels her to tackle thrilling coaster heights and wild water slides, it is perhaps her family’s resilience in the aftermath of the devastating January L.A. wildfires that truly exemplifies her devotion.

“It still feels surreal,” Faris remarked to Us regarding the loss of her California home in the fire. “We plan to rebuild. It’s going to take time… I suspect that in a year from now, it might not be at the forefront of our minds, but it will still be something we’re managing.”

She added, “I occasionally have these pangs — they’re not overwhelming — but every hour or so, a memory hits me, and while I don’t cry, it does sting a bit.”

Faris lost her $5 million residence in the Pacific Palisades wildfire, part of a wave of fires that destroyed around 10,000 structures, scorched 35,000 acres, and claimed at least 10 lives in the greater Los Angeles area in January, per ABC News.

“As I was evacuating the home — when the time came to leave — I saw my elderly neighbor being assisted out by her son, and we exchanged glances. It was so surreal,” Faris recounted about the day she had to leave. “With the fire approaching and the sky turning red, we were evacuating and just thought, ‘Better safe than sorry.’ Three hours later, our homes were gone.”

She remarked, “I think we all had this notion of, ‘This probably won’t happen. Sure, we’ll evacuate.’ But I reflect on that moment. I passed by my favorite boots, my grandfather’s painting, a stack of photographs I was organizing, thinking, I could grab that, but nothing’s likely to happen. Turns out, I’m really not great in emergencies.”

Although losing her cherished memories and belongings is undeniably painful, the actress expresses that it has also prompted her to “appreciate so many things.”

“I hope that doesn’t sound overly sentimental, but that’s the feeling I’m left with — I feel incredibly lucky,” she explained. “So many of us lost our homes, and not everyone was as fortunate as we were.”

She also noted, “I wish I could come up with something profoundly original [to say], and maybe I will someday, but we are doing well. We are going to rebuild. The kids are really looking forward to it.”