The "Boyhood" actress, who won an Oscar for her portrayal of Olivia Evans in the coming-of-age film, said she based her character on her own experiences bringing up her son Enzo, now 26, reported Huffington Post.
"I was a single mom when I was 20, and there were times where I didn't know if I could buy him diapers and could buy food," Arquette said.
"I knew what that was like. I was winning that award for a character in 'Boyhood' who predominantly raised her two kids and had to move them time and time again and put herself through school and be the primary breadwinner, and how was she going to do all that?"
"The demographics changed in America. We have only 30 percent of families living in the traditional 'dad is the breadwinner, mom stays home' model.