Actor and comedian Rob Schneider has publicly reflected on his difficult relationship with his daughter, country music star Elle King, expressing a heartfelt hope for reconciliation in the future.
During an appearance on Andrew Gold's "Heretics" podcast, Schneider, 62, acknowledged the ongoing complexities with the "Ex's & Oh's" singer, affirming his unwavering availability for his "very talented" daughter despite past challenges.
Schneider recounted a prior public occasion where he admitted to not having been the father King required. "I wasn't prepared emotionally for the outpouring of what I received after that," he shared. He also highlighted what he perceives as a widespread issue, particularly in the United States, where adult children distance themselves from parents. "There's an endemic – and I don't know if in other cultures, but in the United States – an endemic of kids who went off to college and came back and said, 'My daughter doesn't want to have a relationship with me anymore,' or, 'I can't see my grandkids.'" He described this trend as "an attack on the culture in a way that the culture is vulnerable."
Elle King's Account of a Challenging Upbringing
In 2024, Elle King offered her own insights into what she described as a "toxic" childhood during an interview on BunnieXO's "Dumb Blonde" podcast. King confessed that her father was "just not nice" and that they would often go "four or five years without talking."
She recalled a specific instance after releasing her music, when people began inquiring about her father. "My dad called me, and was like, ‘Don’t f---ing talk about me in the press,'" King stated. She also shared memories of spending summers with her father on movie sets, often feeling overlooked. "If I would ever spend a summer with my dad, it would be on a movie set. I would just get lost in the shuffle. If I ever messed up a shot, if I ever was talking, like, I would get in f---ing trouble."
King expressed her reluctance to be associated with him, stating, "He also didn't have a very good reputation. I don't want to be associated with him. He's just not nice." She spoke about the difficulty of wishing for someone to change: "You can want someone to change so much; you can't control anyone else's actions. You can't control people's feelings. All you can control is how you react and what you do with your feelings, and sometimes I f---ing boil up, and I boil over and I f---ing bust my lid."
King detailed her various attempts to connect with her father, including sending letters, trying gentle approaches, and even yelling. "My dad forgot about every single birthday. I spent my 18th birthday in a summer school, and they brought me cupcakes, and I came home and my dad forgot my birthday," she revealed.
Schneider's Hope for Reconciliation and Role of Faith
Schneider later extended an apology for his past actions, though he remains uncertain if King has accepted it. He emphasized his ongoing commitment to their relationship. "The door's open, and I would say, you know, I love you and ... I'm there when you want," he affirmed. "We had an exchange, and I'll leave it at that."
He elaborated on his philosophy as a parent: "The thing about, as a parent, you just have to love and be available and be an open door. My door's always open." Schneider added, "The second she needs me, I'll be there. That's all you can do, and the idea that I'm going to somehow ... that I need something, that I can force my way or force ... no. It has to be something that ... an openness."
The actor also highlighted the significance of recognizing a "higher power" as a guiding force during difficult periods. "When things get taken away, and if that's everything – your fame and your attachment to this stuff – if that gets taken from you, and that's all you have, then you have nothing," he explained. "But if you realize there is something higher than all of that and your connection to that, then at that point there's nothing that anybody could do to you."
Schneider concluded by reflecting on the core tenets of Christianity, stating, "The thing about Christianity, it's really … it's love others, and it's really about forgiveness. And forgiveness isn't something you give to somebody else. It's a gift you give to yourself. You can't carry stuff. You have to let go."
