Director Martin Scorsese believes that having had a child later in life is helping to keep his imagination strong. The 69-year-old Oscar-wining director, father of two adult daughters and 12-year-old Francesca, had this to say to Parade magazine during a recent interview.

Martin Scorsese on becoming a third time father later in life: “Being a father at a later age is different from when I had my other two daughters when I was in my 20s and 30s. If you’re in your 60s and you’re with the kid every day, you’re dealing with the mind of a child, so it opens up that childishness in you again. You start playing and getting into the fantasy of the kid, so you make up even crazier stories and suddenly we’re making this movie! She’s a lifesaver!”

On how daughter Francesca has inspired his filmmaking: “She’s in school and kids keep asking about the films I’ve made, so my wife said, ‘Make a film that your kid can see for once!’ The biggest, most important thing I did for my daughter — according to her — was acting in Shark Tale. I milked that for a few years. When that ran out, it was time for Hugo.”

Was she a fan of Hugo, Martin Scorsese’s first animated 3D movie? ”She really loved it. She was around the process a lot. She had a great time and saw it a number of times.”

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