Dennis Quaid felt "very strange" when he became older than his dad ever was

Speaking on 'Today', he said: "I turned 63 and I woke up in the middle of the night about six months after and it just hit me. So I counted the days from my dad's birthday to the time he died, and from my birthday to when I woke up. It was the same number of days.

"In that night I was older than my dad had been. I still feel like he's here in my heart and stuff, like that, but it's... you become... it's hard to explain.

"Here's the thing: my dad passed when he was 69. I always felt bad that he didn't make 70. It's a very strange feeling to get past the point that your father did."

The Hollywood star - who is known for his roles in films such as 'The Day After Tomorrow' and 'The Parent Trap' - also admitted that he has "always enjoyed" fame but explained that the "dark side" of it had led him to struggles with addiction before he found religion.

He said: "Just, you know, 'Let this go and let that go,' because there's nothing to be done about it. I was so in the middle of it and on my way to somewhere, that it was really hard to appreciate. If anything I would tell myself back then, 'Hey, take it easy'. I did enjoy it, I've always had a bit of a sunny disposition about things but then there's a dark side to it too. I wound up in rehab!

"I grew up in the Baptist Church, and in my teens I become disillusioned [with it].

"Then I got into other things to fill that hole, achievements, drugs, relationships. Then, when I got out of rehab, the words of Jesus really struck me. That started my personal relationship with Him, that grew. It's a great source of strength for me."