Print
Close
Steve Martin on being a father at age 71: 'It's fantastic'
Published June 01, 2017
At age 71, Steve Martin is a father to a 4-year-old — and he thinks "it’s fantastic.”
“...If I’d had a child earlier, I would have been a lousy father, because I would have misplaced my attention on my career,” the actor/comedian told AARP The Magazine for their June/July issue.
Martin welcomed a baby girl for the first time at age 67 in 2013 with his wife, 45-year-old Anne Stringfield. These days, he’s determined not to make the same mistakes of his own father.
STEVE MARTIN DELETES TWITTER TRIBUTE TO CARRIE FISHER AFTER BACKLASH
“I am very forthcoming with her, and it’s great,” he said. “She’s giving me way more than I’m giving her.”
Martin described his life now as a “very, very happy one.”
“I mean, it’s actually the perfect shape of a life,” he added. “Except the hard parts in the beginning — the disharmony, panic, pain, with occasional moments of great moments and comedy success.”
Martin’s journey to happiness both personally and professionally wasn’t an easy one. Despite being a beloved stand-up, Martin revealed performing in clubs was always stressful for him, and even recalling those memories make him cringe to this day.
RONNIE WOOD ON BEING A DAD AT AGE 69: 'I'M A LUCKY MAN'
“I was in clubs,” he said. “And they’re seedy, and there’s cheap wine and talking and noise.”
Getting older had benefits for the star. During his youth, Martin also suffered from panic attacks and hypochondria. But in recent years, those feelings stopped.
“I was worried all these years that I was going to die, and I never did,” he joked. “So why waste all that worry?”
Martin also shared it took him a while to realize that fame doesn’t make you successful, or even personally fulfilled.
“It’s been a gentle up-hill slope to a real, real happiness,” he said.
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/steve-martin-on-being-a-father-at-age-71-its-fantastic