Garrett Hedlund reflects on being a dad, meaning behind son Rhodes' name
Garrett Hedlund is embracing fatherhood.
The “Modern Love” star, 36, who welcomed son Rhodes with girlfriend Emma Roberts last December, says his son has dramatically changed his life.
“I snap awake every morning to see his first smile and every morning he smiles so big when he sees me and I think it really dives into acknowledging the power of appreciation,” he told the 3rd hour of TODAY Thursday.
“It’s changed how I look forward to every day. It’s changed how I look forward to work, my job and every situation. Especially some days at work when it gets longer, it has been long consistently and you say, ‘Man, I’m sorry, guys, I can’t meet up. I have to do this. I have to work with this great director. And I got to do this big monologue and I have to.’ He really makes me think of ‘I get to do this’ and it’s really changed my life for every better way.”
The couple, who announced they were expecting in August 2020, named the baby Rhodes, which Hedlund said happened as a matter of luck.
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“Emma had said, 'If it’s a girl I get to name her and if it’s a boy you get to name him,' but she was 9,000 percent sure that it was going to be a girl. Of course, she lended me that privilege,” he said.
As for what the name Rhodes signifies, Hedlund says it has multiple meanings for him.
“I don’t know, I wanted it to be some slightly metaphorical. I love traveling. I love road trips,” said the actor, who once starred in a big screen adaptation of “On the Road.”
“I thought there was something wonderful within the journey and anticipation and always holding on to your wonderment about something. My father, before he passed away, we had a three-week road trip and so it was roads. And my grandfather and I used to go on rowing trips, so 'Row' for short and then Emma and I are avid readers, so Rhodes scholar, but really it’s just rodeo.”
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