Can pregnancy really rewire your brain? The science behind Emily Ratajkowski’s new A24 drama.
Beyond the viral red bikini, Emily Ratajkowski is tackling matrescence. Learn how pregnancy rewires 94% of the brain in her upcoming A24 and Apple TV+ series.
Key Takeaways
What: Matrescence is the biological and neurological transition into motherhood.
Why: Pregnancy triggers a 94% remodeling of brain gray matter, creating a permanent structural identity shift.
How: Emily Ratajkowski and A24 are using this “motherhood engine” to anchor a new prestige drama on Apple TV+.
Most people look at Emily Ratajkowski’s Instagram and see a viral summer look. They see the strappy red bikini, the Mediterranean views, and the effortless vacation styling that defines a “cool-girl” aesthetic.
But there is a much more complex story happening beneath the surface, and it involves a total rewiring of the human brain.
While her social media updates generate millions of likes, they are also a quiet front for a massive shift in her career. She is moving away from being a subject of the camera and toward being the architect of a new kind of prestige television. This transition is fueled by a concept called matrescence—the biological and psychological passage into motherhood. It is as significant as adolescence, yet it remains missing from most dictionaries.
The Science of the “Motherhood Engine”
There is a common industry assumption that motherhood is a period of professional “softening” or a distraction from a high-performance career. The data suggests the exact opposite. Research from neuroscientist Elseline Hoekzema shows that pregnancy triggers a targeted remodeling of roughly 94% of the brain’s gray matter.
This isn’t just a temporary change. The transformation is so distinct that machine learning algorithms can look at two brain scans and identify with 100% accuracy whether a woman has been pregnant. These neural shifts are not “damage” or “fog”; they are a structural upgrade designed to sharpen social cognition and survival instincts. Ratajkowski is now using this biological engine to fuel her screenwriting debut with Apple TV+.
A24 and the Focus on Interiority
Ratajkowski is collaborating with author Stephanie Danler and creator Lena Dunham on an untitled drama series. The project is backed by A24, a studio known for favoring internal character depth over flashy plots.
This partnership is a deliberate move to bring the “unglamorous textures” of domestic life to the screen with clinical precision. Matrescence is a difficult story to tell because it doesn’t have a simple villain or a clean ending. It is a permanent reorganization of a person’s identity. By leaning into A24’s style of “narrative ambivalence,” the series aims to show motherhood as a transition that is both a loss of the old self and an expansion into a new one.
The Paradox of Aesthetic Labor
For years, Ratajkowski has lived within what sociologists call aesthetic labor. This is the expectation that workers in certain industries must maintain a specific physical look as a condition of their employment. In her bestseller My Body, she describes her image as both her greatest asset and a source of exploitation.
She has often pointed out that a woman can benefit from beauty culture while also being harmed by it, and there is no easy way to choose a side. Interestingly, she noted that childbirth was the first time she felt her body belonged entirely to her. This perspective is now a core part of her creative work, as she explores the “identity rupture” that occurs when a public figure becomes a parent.
Strategic Branding and the “July” Aesthetic
Even as she pivots toward screenwriting, Ratajkowski maintains her grip on the fashion world. Her brand, Inamorata, continues to dominate summer trends with adjustable, strappy designs that emphasize confidence and simplicity. Her recent “July” photo dump, featuring navy polka dots and orange-and-black patterns, serves as a masterclass in direct-to-consumer marketing.
She also remains a major face in high-end campaigns, recently joining Abercrombie & Fitch for their fall 2026 denim launch. She has stated that she now cares less about fleeting trends and more about clothing that feels practical and authentic to her life in New York City.
A New Language for Motherhood
Despite the profound nature of these life changes, 67% of mothers have never even heard the word matrescence. Ratajkowski’s work is part of a larger movement to move this term out of academic journals and into the public conversation.
Her upcoming project focuses on the reality of being a single mother navigating dating, career shifts, and self-identity in a city that always feels like it’s watching. By naming the transition, she is helping to give language to a transformation that 93% of mothers say has fundamentally changed who they are. The goal is to move beyond the viral photos and start a serious conversation about what it actually means to become a mother.