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Samantha Burke: 'Jude Law hasn't been in touch since his baby was born five weeks ago'
By Sri Carmichael, Evening Standard Last updated at 09:03am on 26.10.09
Actor Jude Law has not made any contact with his five-week old baby daughter since she was born, it emerged today.
Family man: Jude Law with two of his children in New York earlier this month
The Hollywood star's fourth child, Sophia, was conceived during a brief fling with aspiring American actress Samantha Burke.
No contact: Samantha Burke, the mother of his five-week-old daughter Sophia, pictured during her pregnancy
But Burke, 25, said he is yet to visit, call or even send a card. The first time Law, 36, will set eyes on his blue-eyed girl is in photos printed in a magazine interview today.
Burke, pictured cradling a sleeping Sophia in her arms, says Jude, currently appearing in Hamlet on Broadway, has made no arrangements to meet her. “There are no plans for it to happen at the moment, but I know he's busy,” she added.
She hopes that Law, with whom she had a relationship for a few weeks after they met in New York, will stand by his daughter once he sees her. “Once you see her face, how can you deny it?,” Burke told Hello! magazine.
“She has his [Jude's] chin and nose, and she does a little pout that I noticed he's done before. I'm very hopeful it will work out for Sophia's sake. He's a great father to his three kids. She's his daughter, and I believe he'll come through.
“It would be great if we can have a friendship and be cordial. Hopefully he'll be a big part of her life and she'll be proud to have him as her father.”
Asked if she had received any presents from Jude, who demanded a DNA test a few months ago, the former model admitted: “No, nothing.”
Law's three other children were from his marriage to Sadie Frost. Burke gave birth to 5lb 12oz Sophia two weeks early after a 25-hour labour. She had been diagnosed with potentially dangerous pre-eclampsia.
Burke met the Alfie star in a nightclub while trying to find work as a model in New York last Christmas. She said: “I instantly knew who he was, but he seemed really funny, he was cracking jokes with people and he included me in that.
“The next thing I knew I was on the pavement outside, being twirled around — it was a lot of fun. He was funny and very down-to-earth.”
After they parted she realised she was four weeks pregnant but did not tell Law straight away, while she got used to the idea.
She refuted claims that she's a gold-digger, insisting: “It really hurt. I have never dated a guy for money. All my ex-boyfriends were just normal guys.”
Burke said she had “not ruled out” moving from where she is now living in Pensacola, Florida, to London to be closer to Law.
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Reader views (12)
Whatever the real story is.. I just cannot understand how Jude is accepting, if that's the case, on giving this woman support for the child while she is making so much money selling the story already, can't she just keep quiet? I wouldn't give her a penny!
- Alice, London, UK
Danderion is absolutely RIGHT.
- Cath, London
Danderion,
I do understand what you are saying but if this is the case then this is not fair to any child. If adults have sex then they both have to live with the responsibilities of whatever happens.
Financial support is only a part of being a father and if you don't "feel like it " as you put it, then wear a condom or keep your jeans on.
Not bothering about a child is as bad as a parent denying access to a child out of spite.
Both show what type of person you are....
- Mark, St Albans
If a man tried to make a woman become a mother without her full co-operation I think most people would think that this was wrong. And yet it is seen as ok if a woman makes a man become a father! If a man insisted, after a one night stand, and the woman became pregnant, that she have the child whether she wanted it or not there would be uproar. So why should a man be imposed on in the same situation?
- Jeremydoyle@Yahoo.Co.Uk, London UK
For the sake of the exploding world population can this man now be given a vasectomy?
All of you who fly off the handle at the idea, don't forget that the more sweet babies there are, the less there will be left over for your own brood.
Earth is finite and a finite number cannot be divided by an exponentially growing one.
- Esther P, leatherhead
They had a brief fling. Nothing more. Law must have been shocked to hear of his imminent new arrival after a relationship of only a few weeks, despite the risks. In Burke's own words, she instantly knew who he was, and presumably knew of his reputation, too. I am not absolving Law of his moral responsibility in this, however, she was no innocent in this and, having engaged an agent who has since set up big money-spinning interviews with the media, she has shown that she is certainly street-savvy.
- Kh, Nottingham, UK
Mark of St Albans. Sorry, if this child is neglected by her father then perhaps we can blame the mother for not obtaining consent from the father in the first place. A child's parents should have a committed relationship before conception - involving love and a sense of responsibility. If this doesn't exist - why has this women made a decision to have a child? Financial support is all this woman can expect - and, sadly, she has made that decision for the child she insisted on having. You can't force someone to feel like a father. Financial support is all this woman can expect. She has gambled with her child's relationship with her father.
- Danderion, London UK
So now its all the womans fault if she gets pregnant! No, it isn't! It takes two to have sex, two to ensure they use contraception and if not taking precautions results in a pregnancy then thats as much the mans fault as the womans and as much his responsibility. The woman shouldn't have to ask his 'consent' before continuing the pregnancy - I can't believe what an idiotic statement that is to make! He does owe something to the child, its his child and shouldn't be pushed aside just because it suits him, the child is innocent remember, no matter what the issues between the parents.
- Kathy, London
This woman should have obtained consent before going ahead with having a child if she wants full participation from the father. She's old enough to know all about reliable contraception. By the way, consent used to be known as "marriage".
- Sentry, London UK
So Mmm, It's the childs fault is it?
"He owes nothing more to her child"... Are you for real?
- Mark, St Albans
.. and you're surprised because ????
- Marianne, SW France/London
Jude Law is owning up to his responsibilities financially with this woman. He owes nothing more to her child. If he wanted a bigger relationship with this woman, he would have had more than a 'brief fling. She looks and sounds like a gold digger to me.
- Mmm, London and New York
