Rita Ora will be great mum – she's learned it all from me & we all absolutely love Taika, says her psychiatric mum Vera

12/14/2024 04:50 PM

POP star, actress and entrepreneur – over the years, Rita Ora has nailed all these roles.

But her mother Vera thinks the beauty could soon be ready to become a mum as well.

In her first newspaper interview, the Kosovan-born psychiatrist lifts the lid on the close relationship she has with her 34-year-old daughter.

Vera, 63, revealed: "Rita will definitely be a good mum. She had a good example with me. I think she loves children, so hopefully one day soon I'll be a grandmother."

Mum Vera and her husband Nik, a pub owner, are also parents to Elena, 36, and Don, 27.

Vera said: "I've always had a close relationship with Rita, as I do with my other daughter and son.

"We are a tight-knit family and I am so proud of that. We are open and feel like we can talk about anything together.

"Being a psychiatrist is, obviously, a separate job to being a mum, and I try to keep that way.

"However, it does help to keep my children grounded.

"We do talk about the cases and some of the unfortunate situations people can find themselves. So I feel it's like a lesson to them to see both sides and stay down to earth."

Two years ago, Rita — whose movie credits include the Fifty Shades Of Grey trilogy — married New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi, 49, a love match that Vera fully approves of.

She said: "We absolutely love Taika. He's always so happy and funny, making everyone around him laugh.

"We love that. He seems to make Rita very happy, which is really nice. It's so nice to see her smiling. That's the most important thing for us.

"That's all you want as a mum. Nothing else is that important."

Vera laughs when I ask how many years she has been married to Nik.

She said: "We walked down the aisle 35 years ago. I know it sounds like a really long time, but it doesn't seem that long to me.

"I think the secret to long and happy marriage is loving and respecting each other.

"It's really important, and trusting each other. Love, respect and trust."

'Nice to see her smiling'

Despite Rita's hectic lifestyle, Vera has noticed that she is becoming more aware of helping herself as she gets older.

While pictures of the star and her mum grace high street shop windows across the country as part of Rita's latest Primark fashion campaign, Vera revealed: "I don't see Rita slowing down. I don't know if she'll do that.

"But she does have a good knowledge and focus on self care, which I am so happy and pleased about. I am now learning from her.

"Self care is developing so quickly, and we are all becoming so much more informed.

"It's getting better and more transparent — I've noticed that Rita drinks more water, does meditation and gets more sleep than ever.

"I am so happy and pleased for her that she is so organised and aware. Having a healthy lifestyle is important."

Rita will definitely be a good mum. She had a good example with me. I think she loves children, so hopefully one day soon I'll be a grandmother

Vera Ora

In 2005, Vera's world was rocked when she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer.

After chemotherapy and radiation, she had a partial mastectomy.

She has made a full recovery, but she and her daughters have become more aware of checking their breasts for lumps.

Vera said: "It's very important. I always keep reminding my friends, family and even my patients, that it's so important to checked early on.

"And that's what happened with me. I was lucky as I was aware of how important it is to have regular check-ups for better prognosis.

"Fortunately, it's all been good since, so I continue having regular check-ups."

After the ordeal, Rita experienced symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and suffered crippling panic attacks as she struggled to support her beloved mother.

The I Will Never Let You Down singer, who has her own hair care line, said: "I see these things saying check yourself for lumps, but my mother didn't have a lump.

"She had a sharp pain, and she still went and got checked.

"I have done the BRCA test (the hereditary breast cancer test) and the gene test myself and, luckily, I don't have the gene.

"But I still check myself regularly. Genetically, there was no history of breast cancer in my family before my mother, but she still got it."

Vera regularly talks to her daughters about the disease and what they went through.

I was so excited to support Rita, and I genuinely love her new project and line. I wanted to share our connection and relationship with people

Vera Ora

She said: "Of course, when a parent gets ill, children are affected. There's no doubt about it.

"I know it does generate anxiety, especially for the girls. But it's a good reminder for them to be checked.

"And I reassure them that if you check yourself regularly, you shouldn't be worried.

"It's a really important message, so if I can help one woman, I'm happy with that.

We absolutely love Taika. He's always so happy and funny, making everyone around him laugh

Vera Ora

"I just wanted to show other women that you can turn your life around. I know it's a very touchy kind of illness, and it can affect your femininity and your confidence can be ruined.

"But you can bring yourself back. I want to show other women that we can do it."

Vera loved modelling with Rita in the Primark campaign, stepping out in party wear and getting glammed up.

And she wants to encourage other women who are older to embrace their inner style.

'I take pride in my looks'

Vera said: "I was very surprised that Rita asked me to take part.

"I was nervous to pose up for the campaign, as, obviously, I am not a model.

"But I was so excited to support Rita, and I genuinely love her new project and line. I wanted to share our connection and relationship with people.

"Style has always been my passion, so we always compliment each other on styling. So when she was designing this collection, she kept discussing it with me and it came about as a collaborative process. I think it's so important that women take care of themselves and take pride in their appearance, as it can really help the way you feel about yourself.

"It has always been important for me to take care of myself. I do take pride in my looks and I do pay attention to that.

"It does start your day with a kind of a positive outlook. You feel better in yourself and more confident.

"And I think now it's very important for women of my age to keep doing that.

"When you're younger, you kind of do it naturally.

When you're older, you just get on with your work and other obligations. We tend to forget about taking care of ourselves

Vera Ora

"But when you're older, you just get on with your work and other obligations. We tend to forget about taking care of ourselves.

"So it's amazing during the festive season to flourish — because it's a happy time."

Even though Rita is often away travelling the world with her glamorous lifestyle, Vera is safe in the knowledge that she has her sister by her side.

She said: "It's amazing as Elena has always been with Rita.

"I think it's very important for us as parents to be reassured that they're together and they travel together. It's less worry for us.

"Otherwise, I probably wouldn't sleep all night long if I knew that she's somewhere on the other side of the world."

Now, Vera is looking forward to having all her children home for Christmas as a family.

She revealed: "We will be in London and together — which is most important."