Andrew Lincoln, best known for his role in The Walking Dead, has spoken about the profound impact fatherhood has had on him. He described the moment his first child was born as a revelation, saying he immediately understood the meaning of unconditional love and the responsibility of being a parent. He recalled calling his parents within hours to apologise for any worry he had caused them.
Lincoln was born in London but moved to Hull at 18 months old for his father's work, before settling in Bath when he was eight or nine. He described an idyllic semi-rural upbringing, with his South African mother working as a psychiatric nurse while always being present. His father, who worked in Lancaster during Lincoln's teenage years, made sacrifices to keep the family together in Bath.
He shared memories of reading Wuthering Heights aloud to his maternal grandmother, who was enthusiastic about his acting ambitions. His paternal grandfather, who served in the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars, was a gentle man whose second wife made his final years special. Lincoln noted that his mother's father died in South Africa at 56.
The actor admitted he was not a great student, with his brother, 18 months older, forging the way at school. He hopes his own children will be loved and supported in everything they do, and allowed to be themselves. He rejected the idea that we turn into our parents, instead seeing his children as unique beings who teach him more than he teaches them.
Family, for Lincoln, means everything and also includes close friendships, particularly with schoolfriends from Bath. He admires how his parents treated parenting as their most important role and aims to emulate that, stressing that family is about support and patience.
