Gabriella Wilde Opens Up About Childhood Struggles

Gabriella Wilde has revealed that her childhood was blighted by her mother's battle with addiction.

The Poldark star, 36, is the daughter of model Vanessa Hubbard and businessman John Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe. 

Vanessa was previously married to 'Seducer of the Valleys' baronet Sir Dai Llewellyn.

Speaking on the podcast Lessons From Our Mothers, hosted by half-sisters Cressida Bonas and Isabella Branson, Gabriella said: 'My mother really struggled.

'She felt lost and found it difficult to find her path in the rules that exist in the world and she struggled with addiction and mental health problems throughout my childhood. 

'She finally turned the corner and got sober and well when I was 15.'

Gabriella said her mother also struggled with mental health issues while she was growing up and there was a side to her that was 'quite frightening'.    

'As a child, there was this magical mother who was soft and playful and silly but what came with that was, she struggled,' the actress explained.

'She struggled with depression. She could be quite unpredictable and that could be quite frightening.' 

But Gabriella stressed that her mother recovering from addiction has shown her that anything is possible.

'She's kind of shown me the breadth of it all. She's also shown me that it's always possible to transform. 

'The places she's been to and come back from is quite staggering,' she said. 

Gabriella has three sons with her husband Alan Pownall and her experiences with her mother growing up have taught her to always be honest with them. 

'I've always tried to be honest with my children and tell them the scary thing, rather than give them the half-truth, because I think they know,' she said.

Gabriella is best known for her role as Caroline Penvenen in Poldark which she starred in between 2016 and 2019.

She made her film debut in St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold and she has also appeared in the horror remake Carrie and Wonder Woman 1984 with Gal Gadot. 

She will next appear in the upcoming comedy-drama Mother's Pride alongside Jonno Davies and Martin Clunes.