Rebel Wilson says she felt ‘disconnected’ from motherhood due to welcoming baby via surrogate

Rebel Wilson has opened up about how welcoming a baby via surrogate made her feel “disconnected” from motherhood at first.

The Pitch Perfect star announced the birth of her first child, daughter Royce Lillian, in November. Wilson has often spoken about the difficult fertility journey she went through to become a mother.

Now, in a new interview with Today, the 42-year-old has discussed how she initially felt about motherhood the moment her daughter was born.

“Having a baby via surrogate is a bit different of an experience because in a way, you feel a little disconnected,” Wilson said. “Even though I had this gorgeous surrogate who was so loving and it was so awesome to get to do this with her, but then it’s not until the baby literally popped out – it was almost like a comedy scene – and then you hold the baby and cut the umbilical cord and from that moment...it was just amazing and so emotional.”

The Australian comedian also spoke about how she lost all 18 of her eggs after going through three egg-harvesting procedures during her fertility journey.

“I was getting to 40 and I was like, ‘I really do want to become a mother,’” Wilson said. “But at the time, I didn’t have a partner, and so I went to the fertility doctor.”

“It was devastating when I’d gone through three egg-harvesting procedures and then, while I was filming The Almond and the Seahorse, I tried to create embryos from the eggs, and none of them survived,” she continued. “I’d done all this, I lost 80 pounds, being healthy and done everything the doctors had said, and feeling awesome – and then it didn’t work. All 18 eggs that I had, none of them worked. I was like, ‘Oh my god.’ It was such an emotional roller coaster.”

“I was still young enough to try a few more times, and then luckily got my gorgeous baby girl.”

On 5 November, Rebel Wilson announced the birth of her daughter in an Instagram post featuring the newborn.

“Beyond proud to announce the birth of my first child, Royce Lillian, born this past week via surrogate,” she captioned the post. “I can’t even describe the love I have for her, she’s a beautiful miracle!”

In the post, the actor expressed her gratitude to “everyone who has been involved,” but especially for her surrogate, who “carried” and “birthed” the child with “such grace and care,” and who helped Wilson start her “own family”.

“I am forever grateful to everyone who has been involved, (you know who you are), this has been years in the making…but particularly wanted to thank my gorgeous surrogate who carried her and birthed her with such grace and care,” she wrote. “Thank you for helping me start my own family, it’s an amazing gift. The BEST gift!!”

Wilson also shared her hopes for the future with her little girl, with the actor revealing that she is “ready to give little Roycie all the love imaginable”.

“I am learning quickly…much respect to all the Mums out there! Proud to be in your club,” she wrote.

The baby’s arrival comes after Wilson revealed this summer that she’s in a relationship with fashion and jewellery designer Ramona Agruma. “I thought I was searching for a Disney Prince … but maybe what I really needed all this time was a Disney Princess,” she wrote on Instagram at the time, adding the hashtag #loveislove.