Ethan Hawke found it "impossible" to cope with his marriage to Uma Thurman

He said: "[The problem with] Uma was a mathematical one. I was looking for a home, a sense of security, a foundation and a family in the concept of marriage. I was looking for the opposite of what I had in my life, always exposed to the flashes - but I fell in love with someone that just added more flashes to my private life.

"Our marriage became the antithesis of what I wanted and we found it very difficult to feel grounded. I know there are people who can handle it, I have friends who do. For me it was impossible. As I say, it was a matter of mathematics."

When the pair decided to go their separate ways, the 'Boyhood' star got the names of their children - Maya, 18, and Levon, 14 - tattooed on him as he wanted them to know the split wouldn't affect his relationship with them.

Speaking to El País' ICON magazine, he added: "When I divorced Uma I did not want them to think I was divorcing them too. Maybe someday I will get a tattoo of the names of the other two.

"I have a very visceral perspective of fatherhood. I do not think there is a great manual about being a father, I just want to raise and educate my children with good judgment and teaching them good values. I want to always tell them the truth. It is up to them how they choose to contribute to the world, what kind of person they want to become."