Stellan Skarsgård gets honest of his children on 'Sentimental Value'

Skarsgård reflects on parenting as he portrayed the father role in the new film his ongoing project, Sentimental Value.

The 74-year-old, who is a father of eight, says no parenting is without flaws, stating, "You can never be a good parent to a kid, because truthfully, they have things to complain about because we're only human," he tells The Independent. 

He further marked, "And they're not perfect either. So you've got to live with it."

The Andor star further reflected, "I realised more that maybe I wasn't totally present when my kids were growing up. But I have eight kids – it's f**** impossible."

However, the veteran actor claimed to give his children a free hand to pursue the interests they like.

"I have been very tolerant to my kids, and they have to be tolerant of me, too. I've let them go and do whatever they want, and they can let me go and do whatever I want."

In the same interview, he reflected that he thought being a different person from what he played on-screen: Gustav Borg, a self-centred director whose relationship with his daughters is limited after separating from their mother.

"I never thought of Gustav as being like me in any way," he shares. "Our situations are similar, but it's totally different."

One of his sons, whom he did not name, gave him a reality check. "My son saw the film and said to me, 'You recognise yourself?'" 

"I said, no! But of course, they see things that I don't see — but you can never satisfy a kid."

For the unfamiliar, Sentimental Value is playing in cinemas.