OSCAR-winning actress Susan Sarandon is so thrilled at being a mother, she's proudly dubbed herself the "patron saint of older ovaries".

The 56-year-old screen star thoroughly enjoys her young family: EVA, 18, with director FRANCO AMURRI, and JACK, 14, and MILES, 11, with longtime beau Tim Robbins.

She says, "When I was 50, I went to the gynaecologist for what I thought would be the menopause talk. He said, 'No, no, no. In fact, if you want another baby, you should do it right now.'"

So Susan held a family meeting and asked their advice about expanding the clan.

Eva, then 11, chided, "You'll be getting a half-fare pass to take him to kindergarten and you'll be the oldest mother in the class."

Susan shot back, "I've always been the oldest mother in every class!"

And Sarandon admits she was willing to risk her career for a family, explaining, "Each time I had a child, I took time off from acting and just assumed I would not have a career to come back to. But to everyone's amazement, I got work!"

26/05/2003 09:28