EXCLUSIVE: Jessica Marais talks co-parenting with her ex James Stewart

This time last year, Jessica Marais was still reeling from the collapse of her five year relationship with James Stewart, amid talk of his partying ways.

At the time, both Jess and James rallied together to call the claims both "hurtful" and untrue, stressing that their split was a mutual decision.

But fast-forward 12 months and life is looking up big time for Jess. With a starring role in The Wrong Girl and a new gig as the face of Berlei's The Sensation SS16 bra range, the gorgeous star tells Be things are good - especially her relationship with her ex.

The actress, who split with her partner-of-five years last year, says that there’s no easy advice she could give anyone suddenly attempting to co-parent a child.

“I don’t know if I could give anyone advice,” she tells Be. “I think I would just say that it takes time and it gets better with time.”

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But while they've got their systems sorted for now, Jess will admit that parenthood wreaks havoc on any attempt at planning.

“Five year plans are way too hard these days,” she tells us. “Especially with a little one running around.

“In the kind of industry we work in, life is quite changeable. My plan is to be as flexible as possible with my plans and to make it work, but definitely to keep co-parenting and keep working at that with our daughter Scout, that’s probably the most important thing.”

James recently mirrored Jessica's thoughts on co-parenting in an interview with Sunday Style, explaining that they remain on good terms for the sake of Scout.

"Once you realise it's about Scout, everything's easy," he explained. "Jess and I have nothing to hide. I think dignity is the key. We are both out for each other's best interests."

The mum-of-one, who is currently the face of Berlei’s The Sensation Spring/Summer bra range, adds that her upcoming role in the TV series The Wrong Girl resonates with where she is in her life right now.

The series, based on Zoe Foster Blake’s book of the same name, sees two girls making a pact to steer clear of men – but it doesn’t last long.

“It’s a very relatable show for where I’m at in my life at the moment,” she says of the TV show's message. “I think we make these resolutions to ourselves constantly throughout life and it’s unrealistic to think that any resolution is going to be an everlasting thing. If we can just commit to each thing we do that day and do the best we can, then I think life is changeable and life happens.”

One of those unpredictable things has to be how your parenting style will change with age. After all, puberty can really change a kid!

The actress, who emigrated with her family from South Africa when she was nine, says she “doesn’t even want to think that far ahead” to Scout’s teen years.

“I don’t want to believe that is ever going to be a reality,” she says. “I think one thing is that I want her to feel comfortable talking to me – I think that’s the major thing.

“I don’t want to be invasive in her life and try to control her life, but at the same time, I hope that she’d be able to talk to me and come to me for guidance.

“I’ve got no idea because I think we all grow and by the time she’s a teenager, I’ll be growing and changing – and learning – as well. She’ll teach me just as much as I’ll teach her.”

Meanwhile, Jessica could teach Scout a thing or two about how not to shave her legs when that time comes...

“I remember I tried to shave my legs and I shaved a piece of skin off,” she recalls. “And there was a flap of it left and blood running down my legs. That was a puberty first, definitely.”

Oh, and tell her the story of her first crush when she's old enough to understand.

“I remember my first proper crush was a boy called Daniel that I saw on like a summer holiday program that my mum put me in,” she says. “He was really good at basketball.”

As for whether or not she’ll return to the Nine Network’s Love Child for another season, Jess says they are still very much in the “discussion” stages.

“In this business there’s never anything certain,” she tells Be. “I’ve had a great time on the show and I think there’s a propensity for more to happen with Joan’s storyline and her character. It’s still a show that’s very close to my heart, but you know, we’ll see – I don’t know for sure.”

In the meantime, Jess says her dream role would be a film that’s co-directed by A Single Man’s Tom Ford and The Lake’s Jane Campion, written by Sam Shepard, Tennessee Williams and Arthur Miller, and scored by The Hateful Eight composer Ennio Morricone.

“I’d do anything,” she says of starring in that fictional part. “I’d be an extra!”

Make it happen, Hollywood!

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