Jerry O'Connell credits wife Rebecca Romijn for changing his life
The actor admitted he was 'very immature' before meeting Rebecca Romijn, calling her the biggest turning point
Jerry O'Connell is crediting his wife, Rebecca Romijn, with changing his life, admitting he was "very immature" when they first met and that she inspired him to embrace adulthood and family life.
The 52-year-old actor reflected on his relationship with the X-Men actress during an interview with Fox News Digital, describing meeting Romijn as one of the biggest turning points of his life.
O'Connell revealed the pair first crossed paths at a party in 2004, when he realized he needed to grow up if he wanted to build a future with her.
"My wife was definitely the biggest turning point in my life," he said, joking that he still can't believe Romijn chose him.
The actor admitted he was immature before their relationship but changed his outlook after Romijn expressed her desire to start a family.
"I was like, 'It's not going to get better than this for me, so I might as well settle down,'" he recalled, adding that he has never regretted the decision.
The couple, who share 17-year-old twin daughters Charlie and Dolly, now enjoy what O'Connell described as a fun family life.
He also opened up about parenting teenagers, joking that his daughters are "eternally embarrassed" by him and seem to think everything he says is wrong.
Those real-life experiences even influenced his role in Summer's Last Resort, where he plays the enthusiastic boyfriend of a single mother whose teenage daughter struggles to accept him.
O'Connell said he often imagined how his own daughters would react to his character's behavior, using those moments to shape his performance alongside co-star Violet McGraw.
Despite the humorous challenges of raising teenagers, the actor said fatherhood has taught him an important lesson about stepping back and trusting his children to make their own decisions.
Recalling one daughter quitting volleyball, O'Connell admitted he initially struggled with the decision before realizing he needed to stop trying to control every situation and allow his daughters to find their own path.