Has Steven Spielbergs Relationship With His Children Changed Because Of His Fame?

Highlights

• Steven Spielberg's children have had to live with his fame.
• Spielberg is dedicated to his children and prioritizes meeting their needs.
• Spielberg sacrificed directing a Harry Potter movie to be with his family.

Steven Spielberg will always be considered one of the most talented directors thanks to the incredible performances he brings out in his actors. When he poured his heart and soul into The Fabelmans, his biographical drama that was released in 2022, fans were excited to learn more about his upbringing.

While Steven Spielberg has made many family-friendly movies throughout his career, he is also someone who seems totally devoted to his own home life. The director and his wife Kate Capshawhave seven kids who range in age from 26 to 47. Growing up with a legendary director for a father can't be easy all the time. Sure, there are always going to be certain perks, but it can be tough when a parent is away filming a movie frequently. Here's how Steven Spielberg's kids really feel about his fame.

Have Steven Spielberg's Kids Said Anything About His Fame?

Thanks to their work together on the legendary movie E.T., Drew Barrymore thinks of Steven Spielberg as a parent. But what do his children really think about him? Was he absent throughout their childhoods because he was making movies or was he definitely there for them no matter what?

More attention has been paid to Steven Spielberg's daughter Mikaela Spielberg in the past few years as she has decided to have an adult movie career. In 2020, she told The Sun that she had experienced mistreatment "from outside my family." She doesn't seem to have talked about what life was like growing up with such a famous father.

Spielberg's stepdaughter, Jessica Capshaw, who is famous for playing Arizona Robbins in Grey's Anatomy, doesn't seem to talk about him much, either. However, in a video Q&A with People, Capshaw did mention that she loves E.T.

But while Steven Spielberg's fans might wonder if his seven kids have strong opinions about his celebrity status, they haven't said anything to indicate that they were unhappy with their upbringing.

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Although Spielberg's children don't seem to have given interviews sharing their thoughts on what he's like as a dad, the director has talked about being a caring and hands-on father. While of course no one knows how they really feel unless they explain, this suggests that they don't have any complaints about him.

In an interview with Boston Parents Paper, Spielberg talked about his parenting philosophy and said that he loved showing his kids his movie The Adventures of Tintin, which was released in 2011.

Box Office Success Of The Adventures of Tintin (According to Box Office Mojo)

• $373,993,951 worldwide gross
• $77,591,831 domestic gross

Spielberg said of his children:

"I will always drop everything and go meet those needs. That’s the priority. They always need mom and dad, and I am either there with my kids or my wife [Kate Capshaw] is, but they’re never without us.”

Steven Spielberg also said that after he and his wife Kate Capshaw welcomed their youngest, Max Spielberg, in 1985, he knew that his world had changed. He said, "Everything from that moment on had to do with my kids’ wellbeing, and my career suddenly became second.”

It seems that Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg always encouraged their children to be artistic if that's what they wanted to do. Two of their kids are musicians, and it's possible to guess that the family believed in them and supported them.

In a 2016 interview with Vanity Fair, Sasha and Theo Spielberg talked about their band. The siblings created Wardell, their band, in 2012. Theo briefly mentioned their mom and dad in the interview: “After our parents put us to bed, we’d sneak out and re-enact The Lion King with our stuffed animals."

What Else Has Steven Spielberg Said About Parenthood?

Steven Spielberg decided not to direct a Harry Potter movie for a very sweet reason. According to Indie Wire, he explained that he wanted to make sure that he could be there at home when his children were young.

While some might be surprised to hear that he made this choice since the Harry Potter franchise has been such a massive success, this makes sense based on everything the director has said about his family. Instead of saying yes to directing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, he made this choice.

He said, "So, I sacrificed a great franchise — which today looking back I’m very happy to have done — to be with my family. The choice I had to make in taking a job that would move me to another country for four of five months where I wouldn’t see my family every day.”

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In an interview with SWISS Magazine, the director shared what lessons he has taken from being a father. It sounds like this is a part of his life that he has really enjoyed.

Spielberg told SWISS Magazine that he realized he needed to have "infinite patience," which is definitely something that every parent can relate to. He continued:

"You can’t be a father unless you’re patient. I have seven kids and each one was very different growing up. I love that about my family: I never knew what to expect because they are all so different and unique."

While Steven Spielberg has been making movies for several decades now, and that has definitely meant spending some time away from his wife and children, it sounds like he has always made them a priority. It's heartwarming to hear the director speak about his seven kids and the impact that they have had on him.

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