Michael has a 15-year-old daughter, Lily, from his eight-year relationship with Kate Beckinsale. He's said that since his job takes him away from her a lot, "when [he is] with her the time is precious." He added, "When I’m filming I try to speak to her every day and let her know that I’m thinking of her and hopefully stay a presence in her life. I want Lily to have a parent who is enjoying and is passionate about their work but at the same time I don’t want it to be something that takes me away from her too much."
Michael even accepted the role of Aro in Twilight mainly because his daughter was such a fan of the series. He said in 2009 that "she was very excited and she cried when I first told her about it."
