Alexander Skarsgard has become less "spontaneous" and more "discerning" since becoming a dad.

The 50-year-old actor - who has a four-year-old son with partner Tuva Novotny - no longer "feels the need" to always be working in the way he used to because he is keen to spend as much time as possible with his little boy, and he also travels less now too.

He told The Sunday Times Style magazine: "It was easy, before, to be spontaneous. I'm quite adventurous, so if an opportunity came up to go to the South Pole or Greenland or sail across the Atlantic, I did it. I lived out of a suitcase for many years. I went from one job to another and, if I had a break, I could go off and explore the world.

"But my priorities have changed. Not to say that that itch to go off and explore the world is gone, but spending time with my boy is incredibly precious. It's made me more discerning. I don't feel the need to work nonstop the way I did before. If I take on a job it has got to be special enough to warrant being away."

Tuva has two teenage daughters from a previous relationship and they are not in awe of their stepfather.

He admitted: "They think I'm deeply uncool, of course."

The 50-year-old actor thinks it is "absolutely" easier for men to age in Hollywood but is hopeful things are changing for women now.

He said: "For years, for women, it was that if you were no longer the young, sexy starlet, you played the grandma -- and the movie never revolved around the grandma. Stories usually revolved around a man who could be 50, 60, 70. The love interest was always younger. Thankfully, it is slowly starting to change, but we've got a long way to go."

Alexander is enjoying the current stage of his career because he gets offered a wide variety of roles.

He said: "I feel like I'm in a very good, exciting phase in my life and career.

"I was more frustrated when I was younger that I wasn't getting meaty parts, interesting characters with depth. I felt like I was more pigeonholed as 'the jock' when I first started out. There's a greater variety of projects and roles that I get to take on now. I think I've just kind of been excited about growing a bit older."