Channing Tatum Discusses the Challenges of Raising His Daughter Everly
Channing Tatum is opening up about the trials of being a father.
“It’s incredibly difficult to tell the little person you cherish more than anything that you’re not really OK,” Tatum, 46, shared during a Q&A at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, September 13, after a screening of his latest movie Josephine.
“There was a moment with my daughter when I was feeling hurt, and I said, ‘I’m just not OK right now,’ and you always want to be that strong figure, that superhero in their life, but sometimes that’s just not possible,” Tatum added.
Tatum and his ex-wife Jenna Dewan welcomed their daughter Everly, 13, in May 2013, five years prior to their separation in 2018. Tatum and Dewan, 45, finalized their divorce in September 2024 and agreed to joint custody. (In addition to Everly, the Dancing With the Stars season 35 contestant is also the mother of Callum, 6, and Rhiannon, 2, with fiancé Steve Kazee.)
Josephine features Mason Reeves as the eponymous 8-year-old girl, who inadvertently witnesses a crime in Golden Gate Park and subsequently begins to display violent behavior as a means of self-protection. Tatum and Gemma Chan portray Josephine’s parents, who seek justice while navigating their daughter’s trauma.
The drama film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in February, where it earned both the Grand Jury and Audience Awards. Tatum garnered attention for his emotional response during the premiere, crying “five, six, seven times” throughout the screening.
“One scene that really moved me, even though I wasn’t present for its filming, is when Josephine is looking out the window and drawing,” the Roofman actor explained to Variety at the time. “I cried my eyes out. It was such a stunning scene. I didn’t expect that. So many moments in this film remind you of your own child and your own childhood.”
Tatum continued, “Having a daughter has prompted me to reflect on myself, my parenting style, and how I communicate. This film addresses such challenging topics, but it does so in a beautifully crafted manner. I am extremely proud to be part of it.”
Since becoming a single dad, Tatum has shared the ups and downs of parenting, revealing in October 2025 that he and Everly are in a “constant negotiation.”
“Just a couple of days ago, I had a conversation with my daughter on the way to school about a potential movie project I might be taking on next year in Australia, which would mean I wouldn’t see her for nearly two months,” he explained on The Kelly Clarkson Show. “The Avengers was going to be in London, too, for not as long, but I was like, ‘I’m not sure I want to take this, Ev, because I’ll miss the start of your middle school.’ She told me, ‘No, Dad, that’s a really great opportunity. I want you to go do that.’ I ended up in tears as well.”
