Show Notes
For years, Jordana Brewster quietly lived with a life-altering diagnosis that few people knew about. After suffering a seizure at 28, she learned she had a cavernous malformation (CVM), a rare vascular condition in her brain that made carrying a pregnancy dangerously high-risk. While continuing a successful acting career, she privately managed her condition, navigated fertility treatments, and ultimately chose gestational surrogacy to grow her family.
In this candid conversation, Jordana joins Mary Alice Haney to share the emotional realities behind IVF, infertility, surrogacy, and the difficult decisions that come with protecting both your health and your dream of becoming a parent. She also opens up about undergoing awake brain surgery, overcoming the stigma of living with a neurological condition, healing from disordered eating, and how divorce, blended family life, and finding love again gave her the courage to embrace a completely new chapter.
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What You’ll Learn
- What a cavernous malformation (CVM) is and how it can affect pregnancy and neurological health
- How Jordana's first seizure led to a diagnosis that changed the course of her life
- Why doctors advised her against carrying a pregnancy
- The emotional and physical realities of IVF that aren't often discussed
- What the gestational surrogacy process actually looks like, from choosing a surrogate to legal agreements and delivery
- Why infertility evaluations should always include both partners
- Common misconceptions and stigma surrounding surrogacy
- What it's like to undergo awake brain surgery while doctors monitor language and brain function
- How Jordana managed a seizure disorder while building a demanding acting career
- The long-term impact of disordered eating and learning to build a healthier relationship with food and exercise
- How becoming a mother reshaped her perspective on control, trust, and vulnerability
- Navigating divorce, blended families, co-parenting, and finding love again after major life changes
- Why speaking openly about women's health experiences helps break stigma for future generations
Key Timestamps
Why Surrogacy Is Only Legal In 3 Countries
Meet Jordana Brewster, Actress, Mom And Survivor
When Jordana Decided She Wanted To Be A Mom
The Brain Diagnosis That Changed Everything
Living With A Seizure Disorder In Hollywood
The Breakthrough Seizures That Forced A Decision
What Awake Brain Surgery Actually Feels Like
Six Years Seizure Free After The Surgery
Overhauling Her Entire Life In 2020
15:43The Stigma Around Surrogacy And What People Get Wrong
Finding The Right Surrogate And Trusting Your Gut
The IVF Journey And Why It Is Never A Slam Dunk
The Hardest Part Of Surrogacy Nobody Talks About
The Birth Story And Being In The Delivery Room
Why She Didn't Take Maternity Leave And Regrets It
Stop Ignoring The Man's Role In Fertility
Finding Love Again And Blending A Family Of Six
How To Successfully Navigate A Blended Family
Losing Paul Walker And How She Honors His Legacy
What She Would Tell Her Younger Self
Key Takeaways
- A cavernous malformation (CVM) is a vascular condition in the brain that can cause seizures and may make pregnancy high-risk for some patients
- IVF and gestational surrogacy are complex medical processes that often require multiple specialists, legal protections, and emotional resilience
- Fertility evaluations should include both partners, as male-factor infertility is a significant contributor to difficulty conceiving
- Awake brain surgery allows surgeons to monitor critical brain functions, such as speech, while safely removing lesions located near essential areas of the brain
- Open conversations about infertility, surrogacy, neurological conditions, and mental health can help reduce stigma and encourage others to seek care
Guest Bio: Jordana Brewster
Jordana Brewster’s beauty and natural screen presence has etched her a permanent place in Hollywood in both film and television.
Jordana can most recently be seen in the independent feature THE PIRATE KING, which premiered at the 2026SXSW Film Festival. She will next be seen as ‘Kat' in the upcoming Prime Video series BISHOP.
Jordana is best known for her work in the FAST & FURIOUS franchise which stands at over $7 billion worldwide, making it one of the highest-grossing film series globally. The franchise is celebrating its 25th Anniversary since this original film this year which recently screened at the 2026Cannes Film Festival and was named a “Cannes Classic.”
She can also be seen starring in the Sony feature HEART EYES with Devon Sawa and Olivia Holt, which released Feb 7, 2025.Jordana also starred in the thriller CELLAR DOOR with Scott Speedman and Laurence Fishburne, which was released by Lionsgate in November 2024.
Ontelevision, Jordan played the role of ‘Denise Brown’ in Ryan Murphy’s Emmy award winning series “American Crime Story”. She also starred on the FOX series “Lethal Weapon,” TNT’s “Dallas,” and ABC’s ”Secrets and Lies” opposite Juliette Lewis and Michael Ealy.
In between shooting the F&F franchise, Jordana attended and graduated from Yale University. She is fluent in Portuguese.
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