Gary Oldman says becoming a single father "set a new course for the ship".

The actor has a son, Alfie, with his first wife Lesley Manville and two boys with his third spouse Donya Fiorentino. Gary and Donya's split was acrimonious and he was awarded full custody of Gulliver, 14, and Charlie, 13.

It made Gary totally rethink his way of life.

"I asked myself a very simple question. Am I a dad who's going to be away working all the time? Or am I going to be a dad who's around at home? And I decided to be at home," he told the latest edition of UK magazine Vogue. "It set a new course for the ship."

Alfie is in his 20s and while he gets along well with Gary, the actor worries about his childhood. The 54-year-old thinks he could have done more for his son, which is why he is trying so hard with his younger boys.

"I had really felt that I had not done it successfully with my first son, although our relationship was always good," he explained. "But I felt that I had been given the gift of a second chance. I'd been awarded these children, by the court which is unheard of in California and I felt that I now had these boys for a reason."