LIKE FATHER, LIKE CHILD

Stars share their dads’ advice

Patty Jenkins, Wonder Woman director, daughter of a Vietnam War veteran: “Perseverance and focus, first of all, because I think that kind of job of being a fighter pilot is strangely difficult. You’re on your own and you just have to put one foot in front of the other, figuratively speaking, to get things done and to deal with whatever comes up. And that actually comes up. That is very present in my life as a director every day.” Hugh Jackman, Logan star: “Education. He preached education. And passion, like find whatever you’re good at then do everything you can to learn every bit of it, and don’t go out into the world until you’ve studied.”

Tom Bergeron, host of Dancing

with the Stars: “Well, we’d go out in the back 40 and, you know, clear some of the brush, slaughter a few hogs and then have a big meal. That’s in the old days, though.”

Ashley Campbell, daughter of Glen Campbell, who is battling Alzheimer’s: “This one piece of advice really stuck with me. We were on tour and it was toward the end of the tour, so he was definitely not as there, not as with it. So moments of clarity were very noticeable. He looked at me and said, ‘How’s your music going?’ I, joking, said, ‘It’s going well. I am going to be a superstar!’ Very self-deprecatingly. And he got really serious and he said, ‘Be a super person and the superstar will follow.’ That’s Glen wisdom.”

Matt Smith, star of The Crown

on Netflix: “My dad said to me very early on, ‘It’s not the disappointments, son. It’s how you get over them.’ And that, that — I’ll pass that on to my son, you know? Yeah. He was 70 (recently), so we kind of celebrated his birthday. He’s a very important man in my life, my dad. Probably the most important.”

Barry Watson, star of Date My Dad:

“My father always said luck is when opportunity meets preparation, so always be prepared, which I try to be!” Bonnie Raitt, daughter of the late Broadway musical star John Raitt: “I think his positivity and seeing the good in people. He just never said bad words about anyone. I really believe it was that outlook, really honouring people and trying to find out who they really are underneath what they present themselves to be.” Bryan Cranston, star of Wakefield: “You reflect on being a son, you reflect on being a father, and it’s a good time. For past issues that I’ve had with my father, now he’s passed and you kind of think of things differently. But the joy for me is being so proud of my daughter, who’s now 24 and an actor in her own right, and independent and a freethinking, funny, talented young woman.”