Channing Tatum said he was afraid to become a father and wasn't sure how to raise a 'strong little girl' as a single parent

• Channing Tatum spoke about his parenting journey in a new interview with Fatherly.
• The actor said he wasn't sure how to raise his "strong little girl" after becoming a single parent.

Channing Tatum shared that he was afraid to become a father and "wasn't sure what to do" when he became a single parent to a young daughter.

In an interview with Fatherly's Matt Berical published June 17, Tatum talked about his parenting journey and his nine-year-old daughter Everly "Evie" Tatum. The actor shares custody of his only child with ex-wife Jenna Dewan.

Tatum shared that he and his father didn't always get along when he was growing up and didn't want to have the same relationship with his own daughter, who Tatum said was "born contrarian." He said his solution was to "go into her world and be there with her" when she used her imagination.

The "Lost City" star wasn't always so confident while raising Everly. He told the outlet that his first children's book, "The One and Only Sparkella," came from his experiences as he learned how to be a single parent.

"I wasn't sure what to do with a little strong little girl. I grew up very, very, very different from her. So, I was nervous," he said, adding: "I think writing these books is my way of trying to get specific about what I've learned because being a kid is messy. And learning to be a parent is probably messier than being a kid."

The actor told the outlet that he was afraid to become a father because "I didn't know how to be the dad that I wanted." He now says he's no longer afraid to connect with his child and that they're the "best of friends."

Last year, Tatum shared the first photo of his daughter's face on his Instagram. The picture showed the pair standing together on a beach.

A post shared by Channing Tatum (@channingtatum)

"You my littles are everything! You are my world and my heart," the actor wrote, describing how his daughter was looking at a full moon in the photo. "One day you will read this and I hope laugh. We have fun."

Insider's Claudia Willen previously reported Dewan and Tatum landed on an agreement in 2020 to share 50/50 custody over their daughter, according to legal documents obtained by The Blast. The agreement reportedly covered rules regarding the inclusion of Everly on Dewan and Tatum's social media pages.

Tatum, 42, is best known for his roles in the "Magic Mike" franchise, "21 Jump Street," and "Foxcatcher." He rose to fame after playing the lead in the 2005 dance movie "Step Up," where he met his ex-wife Dewan. They were married from 2009 to 2018.