Jude Law Says Children 'Make a Man of You'

Landov

As he promotes his new film Sherlock Holmes, in which he plays the character of Dr. Watson, Jude Law says that it is the role of “dad” which continues to take precedence. Asked by PARADE what’s most important in his life, the 37-year-old actor replies “being a daddy is what counts.”

Noting that he’s been “busy rehearsing” the role for more than ten years, Jude couldn’t help but reflect on how fatherhood has changed him in ways big and small.

“I used to sleep until noon, but it’s not so bad to have to get up at 7 and give them breakfast. My daughter made me realize that if there’s anything that’s going to make a man of you, it’s having your will broken by a little girl.”

Sherlock Holmes is in theaters now. Jude is dad to Rafferty, 13, Iris, 9 and Rudy, 7, with ex-wife Sadie Frost, as well as 3-month-old Sophia with Samantha Burke.

Source: PARADE

Comments

shirese on December 30th, 2009

I hope this means that he is apart of little Sophia’s life. The media would have you believe that he wanted nothing to do with her.

Sharon on December 30th, 2009

ok maybe he hasnt been shown in a great light regarding his latest child but i think he genuinely is good father to his other children and he seems to really love being a good parent to them.

Hea on December 30th, 2009

Sharon – I think he is too.

And it’s really their business. Jude’s and Samantha’s most personal business. We don’t need to know how they are going to make this work. I am sure that baby Sophia will grow up safe and loved and I have no reason to doubt this mans abilities as a father. He seems to adore his children and I’ve always thought that he seems like a very loving man when he talks about them.

leah on December 30th, 2009

I hate reading stories about jude being a bad father.
He raised his step-son and the three with sadie, he has been a good father to them and you can tell they have a good relationship.
He supports sophia finacially, and in an ideal world of course he should be in her life, but thats none of our business to know or judge, im sure its a difficult situation for EVERYONE.

sofia on December 30th, 2009

I agree with all the comments above. Of course he’s a great father. That he didn’t show himself together with little Sophia to please the pubblic doesn’t mean he wants to do nothing with her. It’s complicated but I think he’ll deal with it very well. His children are very lucky to have a father like him.

Brooke on December 30th, 2009

I think Jude is rightfully bitter as hell with Samantha Burke. he ADORES his 3 children with Sadie (one of them who isn’t even his…Sadie had another son that Jude took in as his own). Jude Law is a good father. Samantha Burke is a woman who trapped a celebrity and is capitalizing financially off of it trying to make him look bad. I wouldn’t speak about it either.

Jenn on December 30th, 2009

Brooke, do we know for sure that Samantha trapped him? When two people have sex there is always a chance at pregnancy regardless of birth control. Birth control fails all the time. She is entitled to child support. How the baby was conceived makes no difference.

Alex on December 30th, 2009

Well said Jenn. We don’t know what went on with Jude and Samantha and it’s awful to blame her just because she’s the one with less money. Unless Samantha physically extracted sperm from Jude without his knowledge and willing, as far as I’m concerned, Sophia’s existance is the responsibility of both her parents. I’m glad to see she’s got a dad who is already great with his other kids.

I♥CBB on December 30th, 2009

I hate to see that it says his “EX.” Samantha is NOT HIS EX! They were hooking up. Jude didn’t even remember who she was when he found out she was pregnant. It’s his business whether he’s in Sophia’s life physically or if he just wants to continue his financial support. I wish them all the best. Am I the only one who was surprised and happy he’s back with Sienna?

Liron on December 30th, 2009

on the Late Show with David Letterman he said he has three children, so I don’t think he’s seeing the baby. that’s pretty shitty imo as I don’t think the child should be punished for the circumstances of her birth… but I recognize not everyone get to grow up with both a mother and father.. I’m sure she’ll be fine if her mother gives her enough love.

Erin on December 30th, 2009

It’s almost 2010 and we’re still talking about women “trapping” men into fatherhood? Seriously? Here’s a tip to any man, celebrity or not. If you don’t want a kid, don’t have sex with a woman you’re not sure is taking the pill or using other protection. (Can we please not have the conversation that the pill isn’t surefire – if you take it properly, it’s nearly surefire) And try using a condom. Or two or three of them. All that being said, I don’t know that Jude thinks he was “trapped” at all. I’m directing my comments to certain posters here and to the multitude of male celebrities I hear whining about the subject. It’s embarrassing, actually. Birth control is a personal responsibility. So if you’re not in a situation where you know what the person you’re having sex with is doing about it, assume they’re doing nothing. And then act accordingly.

martina on December 30th, 2009

It doesn’t appear that Jude has met Sophia. Whatever the situation with her mother was (probably a random hook-up, but who knows) – it’s not the baby’s fault. She’s Jude’s flesh and blood. That precious little girl should not be punished for her parents indiscretions.

Louise on December 30th, 2009

Well, my feelings are that if Samantha wanted to have a child with a father who would be there all the time, she should have picked a better man. Both Jude and Samantha have behaved badly, Jude by ignoring his child and Samantha by selling her story to anyone who would listen. The only innocent here is Sophia.

Romina on December 30th, 2009

Probably most of you are not going to understand me. I was raised by my mother, my parents split up before I was even born and my father never really cared much about me, I could count on my fingers how many times I saw him while growing up. I am not angry at him and I am not traumatized, it’s true, it hurts when you see your friends talking about or playing with their dads but it doesn’t go further. You always have someone that gives you that love, your grandpa, your uncle or even your cousins. And in the end, not having a father around doesn’t make you a best or a worst person, nor makes you feel as if you are lacking a leg! This is how I see it. I don’t think my life would have been much different if he had been around.
I can understand Jude in this situation, he was with a woman for two weeks, he thought he would never see again and then, months later, she appears saying she’s pregnant, having already even decided a name for the baby and hoping (I would add morally forcing him) to be there for her and the baby. He doesn’t have time to get used to the idea, she involves him when she has decided everything and all he can do is nod to that. Plus, I am not a mother yet, but I think you don’t feel so close to a baby when you barely know the mother, it’s your child and you may love it but I think that when you love the mum too… it’s a whole new league. Jude had dated Sadie for like two years before having Raff, Jude dated the girl two weeks before having a baby… And just another like note, who would not be scared of her (the mum) if, as it was reported, her agent said along with Sophia’s birth announcement “check back in six months, Jude and Samantha may be getting married’? By the way, I’m sorry if my message it’s difficult to understand, English is not my mother tongue.

shirese on December 30th, 2009

Not my business and not saying Jude is a bad day but if you can do the deed, the child should not be punished. Don’t have sex (men and women) if you don’t want a kid. I also grew up without a dad. I had no say-so in the matter. Parents are the adults, and they should step up to the plate and act like adults. Sorry, just my two cents.

Shawna on December 30th, 2009

All of you people saying we shouldn’t judge Jude for not seeing his child are ridiculous. What if the shoe were on the other foot? What is the woman was the star and the stories were about how the man wouldn’t see the baby? You would all be on here crucifying him! Don’t let your star worship cloud your vision to what is actually true – which is that this baby is innocent and DESERVES a father and it doesn’t matter whether he is a good dad to his other kids, he’s a deadbeat dad to this one!

Chris on December 30th, 2009

Ugh I hate it when people say she trapped him! Unless Jude was force to sleep with her against his will…you know the rest.

He seems to be a great father. I didn’t realize one of Sadie’s children wasn’t biologically his.

Charlotte on December 30th, 2009

chris – jude biologically has three children with sadie, the ones mentioned in the post – rafferty, iris and rudy. while married to sadie he also helped raise sadie’s first child, son finley, who is about 16/17.

tara on December 30th, 2009

so.. I wander if all of the celebrity dads that had kids out of wedlock (initially) were trapped too! Ben Afflek, Chris Martin and countless other couples that are still not married. It goes both ways folks. Don’t judge something you know nothing about. It’s personal. It looks bad for Jude to not acknowledge his 3 month old daughter. He appears to be a great dad with his other kids. Unless you are part of the family or directly involved you will never really know.

kelsey on December 30th, 2009

Personally I don’t hold Samantha in the highest regard, she exploited the situation to the fullest, I mean she did pose w/ her new born for magazine covers and she is NOT a celebrity. . . I think there is no question Jude is an excellent father to his three oldest children. . .

zetta69 on December 30th, 2009

I wonder how many of the people supporting Jude have heaped criticism on Eddie Murphy for a similar situation. Jude was with Samantha for 2 weeks and Eddie was with Mel B for 6 weeks. Being an uninvolved parent is wrong regardless of the circumstances. As many have already said the baby is innocent in all of this drama.

txgal on December 30th, 2009

What a man- when asked how many children he has he says “3″. YOU HAVE 4!!!! Not that he has reportedly seen his latest child. What a man indeed.

Catey on December 30th, 2009

I might be on the wrong track, but I know there was discussion of a paternity test – did that ever happen?

You never know what is going on behind closed doors, so I think I will reserve my judgement on this one.

Cheryl on December 30th, 2009

and the whole nanny hook-up thing….yuck!

Carli on December 30th, 2009

Just because Jude Law is such a great dad to his oldest 3 children doesn’t make up for the fact that he’s not a great dad to Sophia. There’s more to parenting then sending money every month. “Being trapped” or whatever the circumstances are is no excuse. It takes TWO people to make a baby. I think Jude Law should listen to his own words and become a real “man” and face the consequences of his actions.

JM on December 30th, 2009

good point made so far: if this were a woman people would be singing a very different tune.
now, i am not saying that jude HAS done anything wrong, i just notice that there is such a double standard here with men and women. it’s the same with mother’s who go back to work soon after their baby is born “how can she leave such a young child?” but if it’s the dad who goes back, not a word. so wrong!!
personally, i have no idea what relationship jude has with sophia so i can’t really comment. i would just like to think that we would be saying the same things if he was a woman.

Heyjude on December 30th, 2009

He didn’t say he had only 3 children. David Letterman asked him how many children he would bring to the holiday and he said 3.

Jessicad on December 30th, 2009

What disturbs me more than anything is you guys saying they were together for just 2 weeks. 2 WEEKS? Why the hell are you having sex with someone you’ve known for 2 weeks, let alone unprotected. Sorry but I find that disusting and stupid, both of them. As far as anything else we really don’t know the situation do we? I haven’t heard much on this story.

dfgdfgd on December 30th, 2009

Zetta69, Eddie Murphy and Jude Law were not in a similar situation. Eddie Murphy publicly denied being the father of his child with Mel B and humiliated Mel B while she was still pregnant. Jude Law, on the other hand, released a brief statement accepting paternity and responsibility for his child with Sophia. As for what went on behind the scenes with either of these couples, we really don’t know so we shouldn’t judge them.

I♥CBB on December 30th, 2009

Jessicad-Couldn’t have said it better myself! I completely agree. With all the diseases why would you have unprotected sex with anybody? It’s irresponsible.

CelebBabyLover on December 31st, 2009

dfgdfgd- Sophia is the name of the child, not the mother. Her mother’s name is Samantha.

Catey- Yes. I remember reading an article on PEOPLE a few months back that said it had been confirmed that Jude is Sophia’s father.

kelsey- “She’s NOT a celebrity”. This really confuses me. I thought she was a model and trying to get into acting as well?

JessicaD and IheartCBB- How in the world do we know that they had unprotected sex? Like I have said before, the only 100 percent effetcive method of birth control is abstienence!

CelebBabyLover on December 31st, 2009

Also, how do we know that Jude doesn’t see Sophia (just because we don’t see it or hear about it doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen!)? And if he really doesn’t see her, how do we know it’s his decision. Maybe Samantha is keeping Jude away from the baby!

Liliana on December 31st, 2009

Although I don’t know the situation, it really is not about which person, Samantha or Jude, is the better individual. Their daughter never asked to be born and she was forced into the situation. The least both of them can do is act like mature adults to provide the most loving and stable environment for her to grow up in.

Jessicad on December 31st, 2009

CelebBabyLover, that’s true. But most birth control methods are effecttive if used properly! Abstinence is best, but if not at least wait longer than 2 freaking weeks haha.

Lady on December 31st, 2009

I’m sorry but he makes me sick…regardless of what exploitation that woman did..he still should be in that childs life..when David Letterman asked him how many kids he had, he sure was quick to say “THREE”….how sad for little Sophia…SMH

Alex on December 31st, 2009

I commented on this already, but I just want to say that I totally DO NOT think that Jude being a good dad to his three children with Sadie could ever excuse him not being a good dad to Sophia. I assumed, perhaps prematurely, that with him already being a good dad, that he would be the same with his newest child.

I have to say, the situation in its entirety makes me a little uneasy, but a man of his age and experience with raising children should be mature enough to know that however he feels about Samantha, Sophia deserves the kind of relationship with him that Rafferty, Iris and Rudy have. She is a true innocent in this, of that we can be sure. And I sincerely hope Jude is spending as much time with her as is possible.

zetta69 on December 31st, 2009

My problem is that people are looking down on this woman and using Jude’s past performance as a “good dad” to support him. When I said the situations were similar I meant that Eddie and Jude were involved with these women for a short amount of time,are considered good fathers to their older children and are not accepting responsibility for their new children.With the Eddie/ Mel B situation people were not talking of how great a father had been to his other children just how horrible he was(is) not to see Angel.

My question is why the double standard? Is it just because Jude handled the pregnancy better or because Mel B is a celeb and had a fanbase to support her? We will never know what truly goes on behind closed doors but the end result is still that these 2 celebrity dads are not involved with their babies, definitely in Eddie’s case and seemingly in Jude’s.

I have no respect for parents who CHOOSE to be inactive in their children’s lives.The paticulars of the relationship between the adults mean absolutely nothing. Every child deserves to have a relationship with their parents. As I said before the children involved are innocent

CelebBabyLover on January 1st, 2010

Lady and zetta69- How do we know it’s HIS choice not to be in Sohpia’s life (if indeed he isn’t). How do we know it isn’t SAMANTHA’s choice?

CelebBabyLover on January 1st, 2010

Also, how do we know that Samantha and Jude didn’t decide that the best thing for Sophia is for Jude NOT to be in her life? They maybe decided it’s best for her to be raised just by her mother for now.

Tanya on January 1st, 2010

I know that Jude Law indeed are baby Sophias daddy cuz if you look at the photoshoot her mother did when she was newborn, there is no mistaking her for not being his. Its a shame that he obviously dosen`t want to have this child in his life, other than supporting her financially. But at the same time I don`t understand why Samantha would do a photoshoot with her baby without Jude being present. It was really sad seeing those photos knowing that her dad wants nothing to do with her. And this is not the way of bringing Jude back in his babys life. Samantha should make a deal with him about visiting them and meeting his baby daughter in private, not in public, cuz then he thinks she only wants him for the money,and offcourse that makes him feeling bitter and trapped.

CelebBabyLover on January 2nd, 2010

Tanya- For the third time, how do we know that the reason Jude is not in Sophia’s life is because he doesn’t want to be? How do we know that it isn’t SAMANTHA who is keeping him from seeing Sophia?

Trish on January 2nd, 2010

It’s all about choice. Samanatha Burke basically won the biological lottery having her baby daddy be a relatively famous actor. Like it or not the decision to bring a child into the world is largely a woman’s since she goes through everything. Choosing to have a child by someone who has no interest in being with either your or the child hurts only the child. In this case Samantha seems to have gotten what she wanted–some attention and a steady income. And yes, in 2010 there are still women having thriving careers as baby mamas.

zetta69 on January 3rd, 2010

Celebbabylover in the US the mother does not have the right to make the choice of excluding dad. Not unless she can show him to be an unfit parent.Samantha has not disappeared with the baby and she is receiving support so her whereabouts are known. If Jude wants to be involved there is a system in place that is more than happy to set up visitation.Even if Samantha asked him to stay away, in the best interest of the baby, as a parent he would know that children thrive with 2 healthy non-abusive parents. Either way it would still be HIS choice to stay away from HIS child and except in instances of abuse I can’t see how anyone,especially a parent, can think that this is best for the child.

CelebBabyLover on January 4th, 2010

zetta69- Well, I can think of one other reason it might be better for a child NOT to have his/her father is his/her life, and this could very well be the case with Jude: If the father didn’t want the child in the first place and/or is not at all interested in being a father.

I don’t think it’s fair to a child to have a father in his/her life that clearly doesn’t want to be a father to him/her. I mean, how heart-breaking would it be to know your father doesn’t want to be your father?

I know a woman who had exactly that situation happen when she was born. Her parents were very young when she was concieved (her mother may have even been in her last year or two of High School, but I don’t know that for sure). They quickly got married, likely because of the pregnancy.

When this woman that I knew was born, her father did what a lot of very young fathers (not saying ALL of them do. I’m aware that there ARE very young fathers out there that DO step up to the plate)…he fled and made it clear he wasn’t ready to be a father. Needless to say, her parents ended up divorcing, and her father was not in her life when she was young.

However, as it turns out, as an adult she actually has a very good relationship with her father. If her father had participated in raising her when she was a child, despite not wanting to be a father at that point, that very easily could have turned out NOT to be the case.

I am not trying to say that Jude simply doesn’t want to be a father to this little girl, as we don’t know the exact situation. All I’m saying is that, IF Jude doesn’t want to be a father to this little girl, then I DO think it’s best for little Sophia if he’s not in her life right now (and for the record, I actually think it’s best that Eddie Murphy and Flavio Briatore aren’t involved in Angel and Leni’s respective lives, for the same reason).

Also, no, a mother can’t legally make the decision to include the father, nor can a father make the reverse decison. However, that doesn’t mean that some don’t make that decision anyway. It’s sad, but unfourtnately some divorced/separted parents DO make it difficult for their ex-spouse/partner to see their child.

Ashleigh on January 4th, 2010

Well, according to the most recent news regarding Jude, he hasn’t yet seen Sophia but intends to visit her. Seems this should’ve happened sooner instead of him missing out on the first three months of her life.

CelebBabyLover, I do agree with your last post. The scenario you described happened to myself and my step sister. She had been dating a man for a year when she found out she was pregnant with her daughter. When she told him she was expecting, he said he wasn’t ready to become a father. He then broke up with her and did not contact her until she was eight months pregnant. At that time, he said he wanted to try and see the baby and if that didn’t work out, he’d leave. He missed the birth and came around again when the baby was six months old. My step sister told him that unless he was able to take continuous responsibility, both physically and financially of her daughter, he could not see her. After that day, he’s been M.I.A. since.

The last thing a child needs is for his or her parent to flucuate in and out of his or her life. My mother did this constantly and it was terrible to realize that her children were not a priority to her. She’d visit with us for a day or two and then leave for 8 or 9 months. At a younger age, her visits would bring so much joy and happiness because I’d think she was coming to stay permanently. That quickly changed when she’d leave. Finally, my dad got the courage to tell her to stop sporadically visitng. She did and I haven’t seen her in 11 years.

shirese on January 4th, 2010

If he is choosing not to be part of her life regardless of the reason, he is a deadbeat. Yes, if he does not care for her it is best to stay away but it shows a huge lack of maturity. If you can do the deed be prepared to pay the price. I still see Sophia being punished for her parents indiscretions. Am I drawing from my own personal experience to formulate an opinion, yes I am. My dad was the same type of deadbeat that presumably Jude Law is being. He does not deserve a cookie, pat on the back, pass, or an award for it.

CelebBabyLover on January 5th, 2010

shirese- I wasn’t saying he should get a pat on the back, just that we don’t know the whole situation, and thus it isn’t really fair to judge.

shirese on January 5th, 2010

CelebBabyLover-I am not saying that is what you or anybody else is saying. All I am saying if he is not fighting to be in his daughter’s life (if is the operative word), he is a poor father and man by not living up to his responsibility.

Micah on January 6th, 2010

Forget about the adults in this, think about little Sophia- what is it going to be like for her as she grows and learns (1) that she was an “accident”, (2)that her movie-star birth father rejected her from the start, (3) that she has half-siblings that she can read about in the papers, etc. seeing them enjoying the father she never got to know, being in his life and all the advantages that comes with, etc… I do not care that Jude Law has more status, more $$$, more everything than this Samantha Burke, but I think that when it comes to his daughter if he does not form any kind of a relationship with her APART from her mother, then it would take a very strong-willed, spirited person NOT to have resentment towards her father and half-siblings. It’s like she will have to be the forgotten one looking through the window pane and seeing all the love, attention, yes- priveleges that $$$ can buy being bestowed onto her siblings and not her. I only hope that Jude ends up doing right by her and forming as close of a relationship with her as he can. Right now it seems that he is NOT thinking about Sophia but rather of his bitterness/anger/resentment towards her mother… he seriously needs to get over that- there is a baby, another little human being involved now. I will certainly lose all respect for him if he does not step-up and do right by his daughter, regardless of her birth circumstances.

CelebBabyLover on January 7th, 2010

Micah- How do you know Jude has rejected her? Where did you read that?