Welcome to Nice Talk, hosted by Marie Claire Editor in Chief Nikki Ogunnaike. Each week, Nikki will sit down with fascinating women—entertainers, entrepreneurs, creators, athletes, and changemakers—to discuss money, power, and style. “Well-behaved” women have long been discouraged from speaking on these topics—style should be effortless, and conversations about money or power aren’t “proper,” “ladylike,” or “nice.” But Nikki's definition of a Nice Talk is one where all parties walk away feeling empowered. You can listen to Nice Talk with Nikki Ogunnaike on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Julia Fox has sworn off sex—and she's feeling all the better for it.
The actress and author of the best-selling memoir Down the Drain opens up on the Marie Claire podcast "Nice Talk" about her journey towards focusing more on herself and being a great mother to her 3-year-old son Valentino—which involved reconsidering her values around sex and money.
Fox, who has abstained from sex for over two and a half years, explains her choice is ultimately "the consequence of men's repeated actions."
"Women are tired," she says, noting that others who have similarly committed to celibacy have reached out to her. "They're like, 'I wish more women understood how great it is not to do this with not to engage with men in that way."
The host of E!'s OMG Fashun adds, "It's a shame, in a way, [that] this is where we've gotten."
Fox's abstinence began when she felt like she was "done with men" after giving dating her "best shot." But after Roe v. Wade was overturned in June 2022, she turned her abstinence into what she describes as a "subtle rebellion."
"Why would I lay down with someone who won't stand up for me? These men, they're not mad," she says. "I'm not saying all men support the ban on abortion, but most men aren't really saying anything about it. And I just feel like f--- that."
While Fox is open to meeting somebody and falling in love, she doesn't plan on having sex in a potential new relationship "anytime soon" because she needs to "build a lot of trust." Right now, she says, she's focused on raising her son and building her career.
The multi-hyphenate went from being a downtown New York City personality and artist to an A-lister and fashion icon following the release of the 2019 hit Uncut Gems. But in recent years, Fox has reconsidered the value she places on money.
"My only goal is to provide a great life for my son. If I have enough money to do that, that's really all I need. I pretty much only spend money on my son," says Fox, who has surprised fans by posting videos on TikTok highlighting her humble apartment setup.
In the past, Fox says, she would flaunt her wealth through design bags or luxury cars, but realized that came from a place of "putting those things on a pedestal and allowing those things to define [her] self-worth."
"It's all psychological and I feel like I don't have anything to prove," Fox adds. "I don't have anything to prove in that arena. I'm not trying to be the richest person in the room."
Her mindset shifted once she welcomed Valentino in early 2021 and began raising him as a single mom. "I think it probably did have a lot to do with motherhood and becoming a single mom [that I started] realigning my values and really understanding what's important, what's not important, and what's fair, what's unfair," she reveals.
"Every single person in the world comes from a woman. But yet, we're treated like second-class, expendable citizens. We're not given our flowers that we so rightfully deserve," Fox says. "I feel like those are my missions now: talking about this stuff and shedding light on it and getting people to wake up, take the blinders off. Everyone is so conditioned to want the nice car and the nicest watch as if those things are going to make them happy, and they're not."
For more, tune into Fox's episode of "Nice Talk," which is available now wherever you listen to podcasts.
