Becoming a parent is a life-changing moment, and these 6 proud fathers have all spoken on how fatherhood has changed their lives. Brad Pitt has spoken candidly about teaching his kids to be themselves in life, while Hugh Jackman has said that being a parent has strengthened his relationship with his wife, and Ryan Phillippe believes it is the most important thing he has ever done.
Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt has six children with his partner Angelina Jolie. He says that family life has brought its ups and downs, but it makes life interesting: “This family is full of life, there are laughs, aggravations, irritations, but at the end of the day, it’s fun. When life is really good, it’s messy. When I go down a path, I take it to the end, then I take another one. I took the path of not having kids, now it’s time for family. Children are a dominant value in my life now, and they weren’t before.” Speaking on teaching his kids to be themselves, Brad says: “Would it bother me if a child of mine turns out to be gay? Listen, I want my kids to live the lives they want to live. I want them to be fulfilled. I hope I teach my kids to be who they really are.”
Ryan Phillippe
Ryan has two kids with Reese Witherspoon, and says that becoming a dad is the best thing he has ever done: “Being a father is by far my greatest achievement and the most important thing about me.”
Ricky Martin
Ricky Martin is dad to twins – Matteo and Valentino – who were born in 2008: “Heavy lessons about simplicity and unconditional love. I don’t want to sound cliché, another father talking about unconditional love, but man, that’s the way it is. You hear it all the time, but when you feel this other branch of love getting stronger and stronger every day, it’s just amazing.”
Hugh Jackman
Hugh adopted two kids – Oscar and Ava – with his partner, Deborra-Lee Furness. He believes that having a family has changed the way he feels about his wife: “Your marriage goes to a whole new level. You not only fall in love with your wife in a new way, but you’re forced to pull together. You have to become a united front.”
Philip Seymour Hoffman
Hoffman has two kids, and says that it is hard to be a father when you have such a demanding job: “It’s hard for anybody who works a lot and has children. But I wouldn’t trade it for anything. When you become a parent, you look at your parents differently. You look at being a child differently. It’s an awakening, a revelation that you have.”
Chris O’Donnell
Chris has a a big family with five kids, and says that he spends a lot of time organizing everything for all of them: “The jump from one kid to two was OK. The jump from two to three was absolutely insane. Three to four? You just gotta go into zone defense. So much of the day is spent managing things—meals, tears, expectations, rides to school. People who raise puppies must have great kids because it involves similar skills: being consistent, setting limits, getting them on a schedule, potty training. And having a baby nurse for the little one definitely helps.”
