Jerry O'Connell described meeting his wife, Rebecca Romijn, as the most significant turning point in his life, fundamentally shifting his priorities toward family.
"My wife was definitely the biggest turning point in my life," O'Connell told Fox News Digital. "I was very immature. And then I met my wife, and my wife wanted 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.' And I'm so glad I did. We have two great kids, and we have a lot of fun."
The couple first met in 2004 and married in July 2007. They are parents to 17-year-old twin daughters, Charlie and Dolly.
O'Connell's reflections come as he discusses his new movie, "Summer's Last Resort," now streaming on Tubi. In the film, he plays a free-spirited vice principal who begins dating a single mother, a relationship tested by her teenage daughter. O'Connell noted that themes of family and personal growth in the movie resonated with his own experiences.
He shared that his daughters, now teenagers, have influenced his comedic choices in the film, describing how their constant embarrassment by his actions inspired his character. "I live with teenage girls, my daughters, and they are eternally embarrassed by me. They can't stand my presence. Everything I say is the wrong thing to say," O'Connell explained. "And I really, I really brought that to 'Summer's Last Resort' and our set. Anytime I did a scene with Violet [McGraw], I thought, 'Oh, what is something my daughters would not talk to me for weeks at a time for?' And I just did that in every scene."
Fatherhood has also taught O'Connell to adjust his parenting approach, emphasizing trust and giving his children space to discover their own paths. "They also taught me to give people space... I have to trust my kids — they're pretty good kids," he said. "I have to let them find their own way... I have to stop telling them what to do. That's something that they taught me. Stop trying to control situations."
O'Connell also observed this philosophy in his young co-star, Violet McGraw, who plays the teenage daughter in "Summer's Last Resort." McGraw stated that watching O'Connell and other veteran actors encouraged her to be more fearless on set, allowing her to improvise and trust her instincts. O'Connell acknowledged that his own youthful hesitancy to deviate from the script has evolved with experience, and he aimed to encourage McGraw to be more adventurous during filming.
"Summer's Last Resort" also stars Sophia Bush and Tim Rozon. The film follows a teenager whose vacation is disrupted when she must spend time with her mother's new boyfriend, who is also her vice principal. The daughter then devises a plan to break up the romance, leading to unexpected lessons.
