PLAYING THE FATHER OF 142 CHILDREN
Canadian actor knows fatherhood, but not like this
In the new movie “Starbuck,” David Wozniak discovers he’s a father. Many, many, many times over.
Once a habitual sperm donor, he’s now the defen- dant in a class-action suit filed by 142 of his offspring. The actor who plays David,
Patrick Huard, says it’s not so implausible.
“In the news, there was another man who fathered 250 kids through sperm donations,” he says. “One guy in the U.K. is the father of 500. This is really happening. It will keep going on if we don’t sit down and talk about it.”
The film is being remade in several countries. “It’s kind of crazy,” Huard says of the response to the film. “But it’s so much fun when something you did gets a worldwide reception.”
He won’t star in the U.S. version, called “The Delivery Man.” Vince Vaughn landed the role in that one, opening in October.
“Usually when they tell you that they love your movie and now someone else will play your role it’s strange,” the Quebec actor says, “but I was happy it was Vince. I’m handing my baby over — all my babies.”
A big star in Canada and dad to a 14-year-old and a 13-month-old, Huard relates to the movie’s fatherhood theme.
“As a parent, you want to help your kids grow the biggest possible wings ever so they can go out on their own,” he says. “I think you do that with love and listening. I observe my kids. You learn a lot about them that way. And I’m there.
“Now, more than ever, fa- thers want to be present. We want to be there even when two kids feel like 233 kids.”
“Don’t tell my kids I said that.”