“He stared at me like he didn’t recognize me”: Alfred Molina’s Story of His Father is 1 Regret The Spider-Man Actor Will Never Repeat With His Own Kids
Alfred Molina is a famous actor known for playing many different roles in movies and theater. His southern European background allows him to convincingly portray characters from various heritages.
He is particularly well-known for portraying the villain Otto Octavius/Doctor Octopus in the superhero movie Spider-Man 2 (2004) and again in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). With over four decades of Hollywood career, Molina has cemented his place in the industry.
Even so, despite now being one of the most celebrated actors to date, he once had to face his father’s disapproval for pursuing acting. This shows the pressure children can face when their passions don’t align with traditional expectations.
Alfred Molina’s Pursuit of Passion Serves as a Lesson in Parenthood
Alfred Molina spent his childhood in Notting Hill, a working-class district in London where many immigrant families (like his own) used to live there. Both of his parents were immigrants: his father (who was from Spain) worked as a waiter, while his mother (originally from Italy) worked as a cleaner.
In an interview with Vanity Fair, Molina talked about a disagreement he had with his father because of the profession he wanted to have for himself. When Molina was offered a steady, better-paying job managing a restaurant, he chose instead to take a lower-paying acting job.
His father was disappointed and confused by his decision. He asked Molina, “Wait a minute. You’re making 30 or 35 here. Then you go to making 15?” To which, the English actor replied:
“I said, ‘Yeah.’ He looked at me and he had the look on his face that you reserve for the mad and the lost. He stared at me like he didn’t recognize me. The only thing I could say to him was, ‘This is what I love, Dad.’ He never quite got it. I did disappoint my dad. Yeah. If my dad had lived a little longer, he’d hopefully would have realized I hadn’t wasted my time.”
Before concluding the interview, Molina said that he always supports his kids. “All you can do is tell them how brilliant you are. That’s all you need to do,” he added. Though his dad didn’t understand at first, the Abduction star stuck to what he loved. With this, the actor has also learned to openly communicate with his kids and make sure they know he’s there for them, no matter what they choose to do.
Despite Everything, Alfred Molina Respects his Father A lot
Despite Alfred Molina’s father’s initial disapproval of his career choice, a heartwarming revelation occurred after his father passed away. When he went to Spain for the funeral, his stepmom showed him a suitcase full of newspaper clippings and reviews about his acting, hidden away.
It turned out his dad (even though he didn’t show it) had been keeping track of his son’s acting career all along. Overwhelmed with emotion, the Hollywood star couldn’t accept the collection at that time.
In an interview with the Guardian, the now 70-year-old reflected on his relationship with his dad, saying it was “cordial but not very close.” He regrets not fully making peace with him before his dad passed in 1999.
The London native added that his dad “worked like a Trojan all his life,” fighting in the Spanish Civil and then working tirelessly as a waiter. Despite any differences, he respects his father a lot for his hard work ethic.
