Martha Stewart is not only an absolute icon, fashion star and founder of one of the largest lifestyle empires, but also mother to her daughter Alexis Stewart, whom she shares with her ex-husband Andrew Stewart. Over the years, Martha described her mother-daughter relationship as “difficult,” even as she recounted People in 2020 that the two would do “anything” for each other.

In the businesswoman's new Netflix documentary, aptly titled Martha, She speaks openly about becoming a mother and calls it unnatural. “Back then everyone had babies so young. That was pretty much in keeping with the style and custom. I thought it was a natural thing, and it turns out being a mother isn't natural at all,” Martha said.

Even her friend Kathy Tatlock remembers Martha's difficult adjustment to parenthood. “She was happy when Lexi went downstairs to take a nap so she could be alone,” Tatlock said. “She cared for Lexi, but wasn’t in love with her. She was always a bit cold.”

Despite their differences, the mother-daughter duo remained close over the years. In 2011, Alexis said the couple were “incredibly close,” although they occasionally argue. They recently purchased a $12.3 million duplex together on New York City's Upper West Side earlier this year. In a way, Alexis has even followed in her mother's footsteps. Keep scrolling to find out everything about the author and TV host.

She is an author.

Alexis wrote a comprehensive book about her life and upbringing in 2011 titled Whateverland: Learning to Live Here which she co-wrote with Jennifer Koppelman Hutt. And she didn't hold back when it came to her childhood or Martha's parenting style, writing that she took “a very hands-off approach to raising children.”

She also claimed that growing up with Martha meant never feeling like she was enough. “Martha makes everything better! You can’t win,” she wrote via People. “If I didn’t do something perfectly, I had to do it again. I grew up with a glue gun pointed at my head.”

And a TV presenter

In addition to being a writer, the famous relative was also the co-host of a radio show called Whatever with Alexis and Jennifer from 2005 to 2010 alongside Hutt on SiriusXM's Martha Stewart Living Radio channel. Alexis also followed in her mother's footsteps as a TV personality with a show called Anyway, Martha hosted by her and Hutt on the Fine Living Network. The above radio show was also featured on Hallmark Channel television.

She is a mother herself.

Alexis has two children, a daughter Jude and a son Truman, both of whom she gave birth to via surrogate mother. She has been public about her fertility problems, revealing in a 2007 interview that she had undergone IVF treatment and taken other medications The Oprah Winfrey Show. She experienced three failed embryo transfers before welcoming Jude in 2011.

“Getting Jude was a stroke of luck,” she said People at the time. “I'm happy, but that was hard.” A year later, Alexis welcomed Truman.

She previously shared that Martha was “very supportive” of her throughout her journey and was “eager” to become a grandmother. And it seems the mogul took to the role quite well. Last year, Martha hosted a spa party for Jude's 12th birthday, and earlier this year she treated her grandson to courtside seats at a New York Knicks game.

She was previously married to a lawyer.

According to the Chicago TribuneAlexis married John Cuti in a small wedding in 1997, although the couple separated in 2003. Before they finalized their divorce, Cuti represented Martha when she was on trial for insider trading People. However, Martha was ultimately sentenced to five months in prison, five months of house arrest and two years of supervised probation.

Alexis fainted during Martha's trial.

The Netflix documentary Martha revealed that Alexis had an emotional reaction to her mother's conviction in 2003. When she found out that her mother would be in prison, the TV presenter fainted. She recalled the moment she said: “And then I woke up and unfortunately I was still there.”