Actor Gushes Over His Grandson: ‘Getting Cuter By The Day’

Published: September 12, 2025

By India McCarty

Actor Eugene Levy loves life as a grandparent!

“Well, you know, when you’re raising your own kids, you just, of course, you cannot love them more. But it’s hard work to raise a kid,” he said during an appearance on LATE NIGHT WITH STEPHEN COLBERT. “With a grandchild, it’s just fun and games. You know what I mean?”

Levy joked, “If things go south behavior-wise, it’s somebody else’s problem. The grand folks are moving on.”

Levy and wife Deborah Divine are “Papa and Nanny” to James, the 3-year-old son of their daughter, Sarah.

“He just turned 3. Just turned 3, and he’s getting cuter by the day,” he said of his grandson. “He went through a phase recently where he would start every sentence with the word ‘unfortunately.’ ‘What are you eating, James?’ ‘Unfortunately, an apple. Unfortunately, can you read me a story?’”

Levy continued, “He’s not saying it to be funny. I think it’s more, ‘In case you think I’m not smart…’”

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Sarah has previously spoken about what an amazing grandfather her dad is, telling Babe by HATCH he was “incredibly touched by” her decision to name her son James Eugene.

“Honestly, I could not imagine any other middle name for James,” she said. “It was just a nice way to honor my dad.”

Sarah said the weeks following James’ birth were “a really incredible summer,” as the arrival of the first grandchild in the family “brought everyone even closer.”

While most think of Levy as a movie actor, known for his roles in BEST IN SHOW and FATHER OF THE BRIDE, he got his start in a 1972 stage production of GODSPELL. The show is the subject of a new documentary, YOU HAD TO BE THERE.

“The great thing about GODSPELL was it was the first professional job that we all had,” he recalled in an interview with Variety. “We couldn’t really believe we got it. It marked the beginning of our careers and our lives in show business.”

Levy continued, “This documentary is certainly exciting for us, because it’s like a narrated home movie of our beginnings. We made friends with some very talented, lovely people, and that same group of friends, 50 some odd years later, are still the same group of friends. It was a magical time. I mean, we’ve spent years telling GODSPELL stories every time we’re together.”

Levy might have an illustrious show business career to look back on, but for the actor, being a grandpa might be his favorite role yet.

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