Jeff Goldblum: The ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’ Star Shares Thoughts On Acting, Killer Aliens, And His Son, Charlie

Jeff Goldblum has worked steadily as an actor ever since he moved to New York City at 17-years-old to study acting, and first made his way through theater before moving on to Hollywood. Nowadays, the Independence Day: Resurgence star has added the role of father in his life ever since he became a first time dad last summer to his son, Charlie Ocean.

Charlie is the first child to Goldblum, 63 and his third wife, former Olympic gymnast Emilie Livingston, 33. The couple married on November 8, 2014, before Livingston gave birth to Charlie on July 4, 2015, while Goldblum filmed the Independence Day: Resurgence sequel in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

It wasn’t until the six-foot-four actor met Livingston that he ever considered getting married again and starting a family. The actor did an interview for Parade, where he talked about being a father while doing promotional work for Independence Day: Resurgence.

“I’m at a different place now. I was enthusiastic to marry her [Emilie] and try to have a baby.”

The couple had been planning for a baby before their wedding date. Goldblum told Parade that Livingston informed him the day before their wedding that she was expecting their baby.

The couple even carefully planned on what to name their son. Charlie was also the name of Jeff Goldblum’s uncle, who died in action during World War I. Goldblum and his wife chose Ocean for a middle name because both enjoy the ocean.

“We like the ocean. [Also] my dad had a younger brother, my uncle Chuckie, whom he adored. ‘Charlie’ is a form of ‘Chuckie.’ My uncle was my exact height, looked like me. Chuckie died in his 20s as a pilot in World War II.”

Goldblum also gushes about his wife, whom he first met at the gym. Emilie Livingston didn’t even know who the Jurassic Park star was when he walked up to her. The couple got closer when Goldblum offered to help Livingston with acting lessons.

“She came over to work on her acting. It all kind of went from there. She still hasn’t seen most of my movies.”

Goldblum’s latest film, Independence Day: Resurgence opens on June 24. Fox released a video presented by the “Las Vegas Ruins Tourism Board” that shows the aftereffects of the Nevada city after the events from the first Independence Day film in 1996 to get people excited for the upcoming action sequel.

The Independence Day: Resurgence cast includes Liam Hemsworth, Bill Pullman, Vivica A. Fox, William Fichtner, Judd Hirsch, Brent Spiner, and Sela Ward. Will Smith, who appeared in the original and was one of the main stars, is not a part of the sequel, but his character’s absence is explained in the movie.

In the sequel, Goldblum is the action hero this time around, a role that Goldblum enjoys adding to his acting resume.

“The world is potentially going to end, and the human species and the planet are your responsibility, and right in front of your eyes, we lose three billion people. That’s a challenging thing to act, and a nutritious thing?I love that.”

It’s been 30 years since The Fly made Jeff Goldblum a household name in Hollywood, but the actor still feels humble when starring in various acting projects. Goldblum mentioned in the Parade interview that he chooses projects where he can express himself and “love the art, instead of fame,” but never takes the opportunities he’s given for granted.

Goldblum’s next role is the Grandmaster in Marvel’s Thor: Ragnorak that starts shooting in Australia this summer. Meanwhile, the actor will be squeezing in family quality time with family at his Hollywood Hills home, where Goldblum gets to be a hands-on dad to his toddler son.

[Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images]