Warren Beatty, the legendary actor, director, and producer, laments that his children have not watched his movies.
Some Hollywood dads don't learn the joys of parenthood until much later in life, and that's okay. They are still able to devote time to their children even if they welcome a child in their 50s. With money and career not holding them back anymore, these dads are able to take a step back from their careers so that their relationships with their kids can flourish.
And, Warren Beatty, 83, is one such celebrity dad. The actor, who was once known as a perpetual bachelor and has a long list of ex-girlfriends, is now a devoted husband and father. He has been married to Annette Bening, 62, since 1992. The couple is parents to four kids, 29-year-old Stephen Ira, 26-year-old Benjamin, 24-year-old Isabel, and 20-year-old Ella. He can't imagine a life without them now even though he didn't become a dad until the age of 54.
"I became a devoted husband and father 25 years ago, and I have to say they have been the most enthralling years of my life, with our four fantastic kids,” the Bugsy actor said in 2016, as per HuffPost.
He had been never been married until he met Bening. He met her the first time for lunch in preparation for Bugsy, and knew that his life would change forever. "I remember losing interest in the garlic chicken I was eating within 20 seconds," he told People. "And the garlic chicken had been very good," he added.
He promised her that he wouldn't hit on her while they film the movie but he couldn't resist himself by the end of the shooting. There was "a moment of hesitation on her part" but the duo ended up together anyway. And Beatty didn't second-guess himself for a moment after marrying her.
"It didn’t really surprise me. I always felt I wasn’t trying to avoid marriage, I was trying to avoid divorce. I had no doubt when I met Annette that it was time to get married," said he.
They welcomed their first child in 1992 before getting married, and the others followed over the years. Becoming a parent was the "biggest thing that’s ever happened to me – and their mother," the Dick Tracy actor told People about his family. "That’s bigger than fame, and it came not a moment too soon," said he. He echoes many other older first-time dads in their attitude towards their children.
The actor took a break from his career while adjusting to married life and parenting so that his kids would get a normal life. "It is a burden, I think, to have two parents that are well-known, so I completely respect their privacy," he said. "I could go on and on and on and on talking about them because they’re brilliant and fun. But no, I think you have to give them a break, and they have their privacy."
However, that didn't stop him from telling Vanity Fair that his oldest child, Stephen, a transgender activist and writer, is "a revolutionary, a genius and my hero, as are all my children." He says, "They’ve always known I felt that way." However, Stephen doesn't see eye-to-eye with his father.
His kids also have not seen his iconic movies. "Once in a while, I’ll say, 'Did you ever see such and such?' And they haven’t," he said in 2016. "I said to my 19-year-old last year, 'Have you ever seen Shampoo?’ and she was like, 'Nooo.' So there’s my legacy for you. At least around here," the father-of-four told People.
He returned to acting and directing in 2016 with Rules Don't Apply, which failed to make a mark. During the premiere of the film, he was asked what was the secret to his and Bening's lasting romance. "Every day she surprises me,” said the 83-year-old. "Definitely he surprises me — absolutely," Bening was quick to agree. "He does the unexpected thing," she said.
References:
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/12/06/warren-beatty-kids_n_13465194.html
https://people.com/movies/inside-annette-bening-warren-beatty-marraige/#
https://people.com/movies/warren-beatty-life-with-annette-bening-kids/
