Stefani Keenan
As the star of Ringer, Sarah Michelle Gellar‘s workday often involves long hours on the set, but don’t bother explaining that to her daughter Charlotte Grace, who thinks mom’s career is far more glamorous.
“She totally knows what my job is. My job is to get my hair and makeup done,” the actress tells PEOPLE of her 2-year-old, who frequently visits her while she films the show.
“[She thinks my job is] to go in the hair and makeup trailer.”
While the little one is not allowed to watch scenes from the decidedly adult drama, Charlotte has found a home base on set, often joining costar Ioan Gruffudd‘s daughter Ella on playdates.“Pottery Barn actually came to our set and did a playroom for all of the kids,” says Gellar, 34. “We have a place where they can come and be a part of it, so [the parents are] not missing out.”
Her fondness for the brand is also what led the actress to partner with them for an Operation Shower event on Wednesday in L.A. The baby shower, which was sponsored by Carousel Designs, provided 40 military spouses and moms-to-be with the necessary products expectant mothers need.
“I was telling my daughter before I left today — I said, ‘Mommy is going to go to a baby shower for people who don’t have other family here and don’t have everything they need,’” Geller explains. “She said, ‘I want to give them something!’ It’s just so cute for her to understand what I was doing; it was important to me. She wanted to donate a stuffed animal.”
Though she’s been able to seamlessly juggle such events, shooting and spending time with her daughter up until this point, Gellar calls finding the balance an ongoing challenge.
“It’s a learning curve, it’s definitely a learning process,” she says. “My hat goes off to anyone that juggles all of it because it’s very hard. You always feel like there’s a part of you that’s not giving enough to one, whether it’s work or your family or your charitable donations.”
– Kiran Hefa