Sometimes we love our parents, sometimes we dislike. But what if your parent is a famous Hollywood star like Liev Schreiber? Apparently the rules still apply. 

“You’re never cool to your own kids,” the Ray Donavan star lamented to Ellen DeGeneres. “I don’t know anybody who is cool to their own kids.”

Liev shares Alexander “Sasha” Pete, 11, and Samuel Kai, 10, with ex Naomi Watts. 

“About five years ago I told Naomi, I ‘really want to do stuff for the kids’ and I made a commitment to be in animated movies,” he explained. “I told my agents and I really went after them. And I got some really good animated movies. And my kids, their reaction to them is, ‘Yeah, but you’re just a voice.’ And I’m like, ‘ Yeah, but I’m one of the main characters!’ And they’re like, ‘Yeah, but you’re the bad guy.’” 

“It’s like … I’ve just accepted the fact that it’s impossible,” he added. “I’ll never be cool.”

You’re cool to us, Liev!