Clive Owen: "I Am The Geek Of My Household"

He may be a big shot at the box office, but at home with his wife Sarah-Jane Fenton and daughters Hannah, 12, and Eve, 10, Clive Owen says he’s anything but. Describing himself as “the geek of my household,” the star of the new film The Boys Are Back talks to Parade magazine about parenting – on-screen and off.

On his “low status” at home: "It's odd for my kids when they turn up at the theater and see me being a parent in a film. I know they're thinking, 'Who are these kids that are around my dad?' But they seem OK with it. Actually, my girls completely boss me. I have no power in my house whatsoever. I am the geek of my household. I am so low-status in my house, you wouldn't believe it. I'm definitely not treated like a movie star."

On being a protective papa: "You trust your instincts on that, don't you? You give them as much information as you think they can take. You shouldn't overload children. I don't think you should give them too much. When my kids were very young, I wouldn't let them watch the news because I thought they were too young to actually really fully understand and process it."

On why his new movie hits home: “This film is about being a parent from a guy's perspective and I find it very touching and I could relate to a lot of it. What you see is a part of my life. Parenting has been a priority for me. I don't have boys, but I've got two girls, aged 10 and 12, and I've always considered helping to raise them to be separate from making movies. I go off and make movies and then I come home and I'm a father. I look after my girls. I do the washing up, I do the laundry. I don't let the place go.”

On avoiding the Hollywood lifestyle: "I think it's very much on how you carry yourself in real life. If you want people to fuss over you, they will. There's no question that my profile is going be recognized. But I live in North London, I go to the same shops every day, I still go to the same supermarket. At first people were treating me a little strangely, but they got used to it. Now, I'm just a local."