Hank Azaria 'Terrified' of Fatherhood

Actor Hank Azaria is anxiously preparing for the birth of his son with girlfriend Katie Wright, but The Simpsons star has one confession: he’s “terrified” of becoming a father.

“I’ve been shooting a documentary about fatherhood because I’m so terrified that I wanted to get a lot of advice,” the actor told PEOPLE on Thursday evening at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., where he joined a star-studded cast that includes Ben Stiller, Amy Adams, Robin Williams, Ricky Gervais, and Owen Wilson for the world premiere of Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.

That advice includes getting words of wisdom from those in the know, including Night at the Museum star Ben, who is a father of two.

“A lot of people have told me, and Ben has echoed, this: It’s the kind of love that you can’t anticipate and that for a man, a father, it’s the kind of love that you have when you first discover love when you’re 13 and have a crush. It’s that kind of intense, ga-ga kind of love that you hadn’t had in many, many years,” he shares.

Hank and Katie have already signed on for a slew of classes. In fact, the couple is going new age when it comes to getting ready for their new addition.

“Oh my God, we’re taking classes … hypnobirthing, where a woman can learn to reduce the pain by hypnotizing herself, and I’m her birth partner. And we’re taking a child raising class, a baby holding class, a baby diapering class, and everything!” said an enthusiastic Hank, whose baby name list is “narrowed down to two.” However, he’s not ready to divulge the top picks for “fear how my mother will judge it.”

The father-to-be is also looking forward to introducing his son to America’s favorite pastime. “I always dreamed of taking my boy to Cooperstown — that would be a fun moment I think — to the [National] Baseball Hall of Fame,” says the actor.

In the meantime, Hank is doing some baby bonding by talking to Katie’s tummy “in many voices” and playing The Beatles. “The baby likes Beatles music. We pump a lot of Beatles music into the womb,” he laughs. Hank, in his best British accent, even says that he gets “inspired to talk to him like John Lennon occasionally. He seems to like it, he gets very kicky when I talk this way.”

Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian hits theaters May 22nd.

— Arnesa A. Howell

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