As a successful actor, Gilles Marini has appeared in countless hit movies and on lots of popular TV shows — but he's most proud of his role as a father-of-two. "I'm loving being a dad!" the 41-year-old star recently said of his son, Georges Marini, and daughter Juliana Marini.

"[Fatherhood] shows your real colors and what you are made of," the [Sex and the City](https://www.closerweekly.com/posts/sex-and-the-city-alternate-opening-129067/photos/sarah-jessica-parker-154946?previewtoken=dhbmoeddNf9Rx8ZGPM2U)_ star once said of being a parent. "I am blessed to be a father and have the great responsibility to raise respectful, kindhearted, passionate, strong, and dedicated souls. It's magical."

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Gilles and his wife, Carole Marini — who tied the knot back in 1998 after meeting at a bar in the South of France — recently threw their daughter, Juliana, a fun-filled, wet-and-wild water slide party for her 11th birthday at their LA home on Sunday, July 9. How awesome! "What did I do to deserve such a beautiful and kind family? I’m so lucky," the actor previously said of his family.

Gilles is no stranger to fêting his family members' birthdays in a big way. In a 2014 interview with Closer Weekly, the Mothers and Daughters star revealed he once gave his beloved wife, Carole, the ultimate birthday gift — a new house!

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"For her birthday [a few] years ago, I bought her the house she always wanted," he said. And how did Carole react to the over-the-top gesture? "She fainted!" Gilles told Closer. "She hugged me and said, 'Oh my God, can we afford this?' That meant the world to me, and that's why she's the love of my life. Carole completes me in so many ways. She is perfect," he added.

So, what is Gilles secret to being a great husband and father? "Being a parent is simple. Be with them, love them, and everything should be perfect," he once told Life & Style of his family. So sweet!