Bump Celebrity Dad - Peter Phelps

Actor Peter Phelps came relatively late to parenthood, but now that he’s there, he cannot remember his life before becoming a father to daughters Aja, five and Polly, three.
Having worked as an actor virtually since leaving school 30 years ago, Peter, now 48, was blown away when his wife, Donna gave birth to Aja in Melbourne almost six years ago.
‘My children weren’t a plan,” he told bump. “They just happened. After Donna and I got together, I thought ‘wouldn’t it be cool if we had kids?’”
Aja, who was a healthy 4.2kgs at birth, was an elective Caesar due to her mum’s slight build. Her sister, Polly came along some three years later at a more manageable 3.2kgs.
“I cut the cord both times,” says Peter proudly.
Although he is lucky enough to usually have acting work, Peter likes to be as ‘hands on’ a dad as possible when he is not away filming.
“Work goes in waves but I try not to be away from the family for more than two weeks. When I’m here, I do the kindy and school run.
“I love spending time with the girls - we go fishing, play soccer and discover things in the garden – we call it the jungle. They’re great story tellers. We create kingdoms and queendoms and the cubby house is our palace.

“They’re active kids - I’m teaching them how to battle a surfboard and they also do swimming classes and dancing classes. I can’t imagine having a boy.”The family enjoys an idyllic life on Sydney’s northern beaches, where Peter and his sister, Dr Kerryn Phelps were born.
“I met Donna in Melbourne when I was filming Stingers several years ago.
She was running hotels and restaurants there and never thought she would have kids. Her working hours didn’t allow babies.
“Having kids later in life, there are no regrets. We are both fortunate that we have done the single life. I think two is it for us, though!”
Having grown up in beachside Newport, Peter is keen to recreate the same idyllic childhood he enjoyed for his own children.
Vice-captain of his high school, he followed his sister to university but soon realised the life of a primary school teacher was not for him.
“I realised I was not big on strictness,” he laughs.
The keen surfer worked as a lifeguard at his local beaches before ‘hooking into’ TV drama in 1979.
By 1981, he was one of the stars of Sons & Daughters, a hugely popular soap opera. Other starring roles followed on A Country Practice, The Flying Doctors, GP, Heartbreak High, Stingers and All Saints. He even moved to Hollywood for a few years, where he wrote a book and spent a year on Baywatch.
In 2001, Peter was one of the stars of the acclaimed ensemble film, Lantana and the following year, he was awarded a silver Logie for his work on Stingers.
Lately, he has been enjoying directing episodes of All Saints and Home and Away.
“I find directing to be an organic progression from acting,” he says. “I’m curious about the whole process and as an actor, I think technically as to how things are working so it was not a huge leap for me.
“Directing is a much more responsible job,” he admits. “You have to do your homework. Sometimes as an actor, it’s fairly quick to learn lines and you are only a small part of a jigsaw. Directing is bigger - I like that side of it.“
Most recently, Peter has returned from the Maldives, where he was filming Locked In, a yet to be released Australian film.
“For years, I’ve had mates go on surfing trips and I couldn’t make it because I was filming in the back streets of Melbourne or whatever. When I was offered this, I didn’t even read the script. I didn’t have to, I was there!”
Back home now for Christmas, he is enjoying once again being the hands-on dad.
And his advice for other prospective dads?
“It goes quickly so enjoy it…even the icky parts of it. It’s quite a rare opportunity that you are getting.
“Listen to everyone’s advice but trust your own instincts. Be polite and say ‘thank you’, then do what you know is best for your child.”