Balancing a busy career with family life can be challenging, especially for Mandy Moore, who is navigating motherhood with three young children while continuing her successful acting career. The singer and actress, mother to sons Gus, 4, Ozzie, 2, and daughter Lou, 12 months, shared insights into managing the demands of work and parenting at the 2025 Step Up Inspiration Awards held on September 26 in Los Angeles.
Adjusting Expectations in Motherhood and Career
Mandy Moore acknowledged the complexity of maintaining balance as a working parent. She described how being a mom of three requires continual adaptation to evolving circumstances and adjusting personal expectations accordingly. Moore told E! News,
“I think maintaining that work-life balance, especially now being a mom of three, it’s definitely tricky,”
and added,
“I think you have to continue adjusting your expectations as things evolve and the kids get older and whatnot.”
Despite these challenges, Moore expressed gratitude for her sustained career in entertainment, reflecting on over 25 years of experience. She commented,
“I feel really lucky that 25 years in, I’m still able to do what I love.”
Shared Struggles and Personal Wisdom
Drawing on her extensive career and personal life, Moore shared advice for others feeling overwhelmed by competing responsibilities. She emphasized that nobody has all the answers when it comes to balancing work and family life, saying,
“We’re all in the same boat. No one has it all figured out, and if they say they do, they’re lying. So have some grace for yourself. I feel like no one’s immune to it—we all have those days where we feel overwhelmed and overcome and confused and all of that—but just recognize that you take it one tiny step at a time.”
Moore also highlighted the importance of kindness in sustaining a fulfilling life and career.
“I feel like that’s what you want your legacy to be. There are tons of successful people, there are tons of beautiful people and talented people, but I feel like kindness is the key to longevity,”
she said.
A Partnership Supporting Parenthood and Career
Central to Mandy Moore’s ability to manage her work-life balance is the support she receives from her husband, Taylor Goldsmith. The couple, married for seven years, share the parenting responsibilities of their three children while balancing their creative careers. On Taylor’s birthday this summer, Moore publicly praised his qualities and their life together. She wrote,
“It’s hard to distill down all the things you bring to the table, Taylor. You’re everyone’s favorite person (including all 3 of our kids, duh).”
She continued,
“There’s no one more generous, creative, patient, handsome, fearless, intuitive, steadfast, humorous, honest…. I could go on and on. I’m grateful every single day to share this life with you.”
Celebrating Fatherhood and Family Moments
Mandy and Taylor’s journey through parenthood has been marked by loving tributes and shared milestones. Their two sons, August “Gus” Harrison and Oscar “Ozzie” Bennett Goldsmith, were born in February 2021 and October 2022, respectively. For Father’s Day 2023, Moore expressed her appreciation for Taylor’s role as a dad:
“I can’t believe we get to do this parenthood journey together. The 3 of us are the luckiest to have you, T. Love you to the moon and Happy Father’s Day!!!”
She also acknowledged Taylor’s natural talent as a father, noting,
“You were writing songs about coaching Little League well before we got married so I had *some* inkling that being a Dad was something you would excel at but I truly had no idea just how exceptional and natural you’d be until we were in it.”
Moore highlighted Taylor’s hands-on involvement with their children, saying,
“I marvel at all you bring to the table- your patience, your gentle nature, your willingness to change a diaper or get up with a crying baby without me ever asking or to run around and get in the dirt with a very active toddler at any moment.”
She praised his special bond with their sons, remarking on his ability to get Gus to eat foods he refuses to eat for her and to make Ozzie laugh instantly. She also complimented his music choices for their boys, calling it “TOP NOTCH.”
Marking Important Family Milestones
Moore shares her family milestones with warmth and joy. For instance, she celebrated Gus’s second birthday with an early party surrounded by loved ones. Reflecting on this, she wrote,
“We had an early Birthday bash with friends and family for Goosey. 2 years with the sweetest, goofiest guy has absolutely flown by. We’re the luckiest folks around to be in your orbit, Gus Goldsmith.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, Mandy shared a lighter moment with Taylor, saying,
“I have been quarantined with this guy for over 6 weeks and we still really like each other.”
A Partnership Rooted in Shared Passions
Aside from parenting, Moore and Goldsmith collaborate creatively; the couple recorded a song for the television series This Is Us. Goldsmith, a musician with the band Dawes, posted about the experience:
“@mandymooremm @siddkhoslamusic and I the day we recorded Invisible Ink from last night’s episode of @nbcthisisus. So honored that Sidd asked me to help him write it and then to get to record it with my favorite human. Please go check it out on Spotify or Apple Music.”
Their relationship includes shared adventures such as hiking in Kilimanjaro National Park and enjoying date nights at events like the Communities in Schools Celebration in Los Angeles. Moore humorously recalled a hotel fire alarm experience shared with her husband, writing,
“The look of two tired people who were awoken by the hotel fire alarm at midnight. Also the look of two people grateful for 24 hours together after being apart almost a month.”
Highlighting Their Life Together Through Social Media
Over the years, Mandy Moore frequently celebrates her partnership with Taylor Goldsmith publicly. For example, during their two-year anniversary in July 2017, she posted,
“The best 2 years. Never not smiling with you, T.”
She has expressed pride in Taylor’s musical talents as well, stating,
“So proud of this guy and the whole band for an absolutely electric hometown show last night.”
The couple enjoys a vibrant life that mixes family time, music-making, and travel, demonstrated by moments like their getaway to San Francisco to visit an iconic landmark. Moore also blends lighthearted references with pop culture when sharing their relationship, noting that Ed Sheeran’s lyric,
“You can keep me inside the pocket of your ripped jeans,”
mirrors Taylor’s own playful nickname as a bookmark in a favorite book.
The Continued Journey of Balancing Career and Family
Mandy Moore’s reflections on the challenges and rewards of balancing motherhood with a flourishing career shed light on the realities many working parents face. Supported by a strong partnership with her husband and guided by kindness and patience, she manages to juggle her roles while pursuing creative projects. As her children grow and her career evolves, Moore’s commitment to adjusting expectations and leading with her heart suggests she will continue navigating her work-life balance with thoughtful determination.
