They may be best known as blockbuster movie stars, but in their downtime these Hollywood actors like nothing more than spending time with their families. From James Bond to Wolverine, find out how these guys balance being superheroes on screen with superdads off it…
CHANNING TATUM… on getting the balance right for four-year-old Everly
“I used to let my work massively impact on my choices. Now I think, ‘Is this job worth being away from my family for?’ That’s the only consideration. I want to be there as much as I can, and home is definitely my priority. I want to be up early in the morning to make sure my daughter’s still sleeping. I don’t want to miss that – nobody should miss seeing that.”
IDRIS ELBA… on being away from his daughter Isan, 14
“I love my daughter, I love being a dad and I love the connection of family. It’s been hard because I don’t live with my daughter. It’s been a tough run that way, but it’s also the best thing that ever happened to me.”
ANTONIO BANDERAS on communicating with his daughter Stella, 20
“Stella was very smart and independent and I never yelled at her, or had any bad arguments with her. I was always able to sit down with her and discuss things that she might have done that I wasn’t very happy about, and luckily we were able to work things out in a good way.”
PIERCE BROSNAN… on sharing with his son Sean, 33
“You cannot help but pass on your philosophy of life and what you know about this world, especially about the world of filmmaking. I love talking to him and sharing stories about what I’m up to and what’s he’s been doing. We talk philosophically; we talk emotionally and practically; economically. But I don’t tell him what to do, that’s his own path to make. And he’s doing it very well.”
HUGH JACKMAN on prioritising Oscar, 17, and Ava, 11,
“My father taught me that your family is your bedrock and you should always make that your priority. That lesson has never been lost on me. I have fears, I am a parent. I have fears about how are my kids going to turn out, what’s going to happen to them, and I know that never goes away. Even when they leave college it kind of never leaves you. Sure, you don’t worry about them brushing their teeth at night and all that, but just are they going to be okay? And if they’re travelling, are they all right? That never goes.”
RICHARD GERE… on becoming less selfish for 17-year-old Homer
Homer has been one of the most purely beautiful events in my life. What you see in a child and his way of approaching the world is that life should be very playful and joyous. We should try to retain the incredible spirit that children bring to their world, because their little world is free of all the petty and selfish and corrupting influences that warp our adult perspective. A child’s smile is so powerful and being able to play with him and watch him play and grow has been a revelation to me. That’s not to say I haven’t had to learn patience – lots and lots of patience – but coming from where I was, as a very impatient man, to where I am now… it’s a major transformation.”
COLIN FARRELL… on getting sober for James, 13, and Henry, 7
“Fatherhood is wonderful. Kids are so wonderful, I adore them so much… It’s just a pleasure being able to take it all in now with a clear head. I look forward to each day and I have no desire to deaden myself in any way. I could have saved myself a lot of grief if I had gotten sober years earlier, but I’m grateful for having made that change in my life and I have absolutely no desire to return to all that madness and messing around. I’ve been able to get my life back together and become the best possible father I can be for my two sons.”
CHRIS HEMSWORTH… on choosing his family over his career
“I want to be able to give my wife and children the best life possible and to be the best husband and father possible. That’s my goal. I don’t care about success if that means I can’t enjoy my home life and feel that I’m building something for the future with my family. They’re my real world and it’s always been my dream to be able to lead the kind of life we’re enjoying now.”
Words: Karen Anne Overton / Interview Hub
