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19 Feb 2026 7:50
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  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Rupert Grint found life as a new dad "isolating" and "traumatising"

    The Harry Potter star became a first-time father back in 2020 when he welcomed his daughter Wednesday with his partner Georgia Groome, and Rupert, 37, has now admitted he was overwhelmed with fears for his little girl after she arrived.


    He told The Hollywood Reporter: "The fear of the dangers and the baby getting hurt - something being not quite normal. I definitely had it with Wednesday.

    "Those first few months can be quite isolating. It's a terrible feeling when it should be the most amazing thing, but it can be quite traumatising."

    Grint - whose second daughter Goldie was born in 2025 - likened his experience as a new dad to the role his plays in new movie Nightborn, in portrays a man called Jon who welcomes a child with his wife after moving to a remote location in a Finnish forest - and their dream life takes a nightmarish turn.

    The actor said of the character: "He's come from a completely different country and moved to Finland to begin this new life where he doesn't really know anyone. He doesn't speak the language and I think there's a loneliness to him as well.

    "He is obviously working all the time, so he can't be home and he's slowly watching his wife drift away ...

    "In his head, he's doing all the right things. But from his wife's perspective, he's just making it so much worse and further isolating her. It's quite bleak."

    Rupert previously admitted he became a "bit of a hypochondriac" after his first daughter was born.

    He told People magazine: "I think becoming a dad forces you to discover things, and now I'm a bit of a hypochondriac. Having a baby, you're worried about her at all times. Everything seems dangerous.

    "I bought a full-size ostrich skeleton. It's 8 feet tall and came fully assembled, but it's so delicate. It's really stressful to have in your living room, especially when we've got a cat and Wednesday running around!"

    The actor also told how he struggled to sleep after the couple brought their daughter home because he found it "terrifying".

    He told Esquire magazine: "I don't want to go too into detail, but the first night was just terrifying. You can't sleep at all, just constantly checking that she's breathing. Sleeping, in general, for me, is something I've really struggled with.

    "I think as a kid, people always said: 'They died in their sleep,' so I always thought sleep was a really dangerous, dangerous thing."

    Rupert also joked he had an "identity crisis" when his daughter arrived, as he thought he had to change his wardrobe so he'd look like a dad.

    He said: "I struggle with that, being a dad. Had a bit of an identity crisis. I don't know, do I change the way I dress now?"

    © 2026 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

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