Alfred Molina Chokes Up Talking About Dad Who Rebuffed His Acting Dream

Here's your tearjerker moment of the week -- Alfred Molina is talking about his dad, who didn't approve of him being an actor ... even though he kept tabs on his boy in private.

The veteran thespian sat down for an interview with Vanity Fair, and he recounted this heartbreaking story about how his father completely rebuffed his dream to pursue acting and to get into showbiz ... something that created a years-long divide between them.

AM says he actually gave us a higher-paying job in his youth to dive into his craft -- which was his passion -- and when he broke this news to his dad ... he got the cold shoulder.

Alfred openly acknowledges that he disappointed his father -- and you can tell that weighs heavy on his heart, even today ... because Al was fighting back tears talking about it.

He also expresses regret about not connecting with his father while he was alive -- saying that if he had lived just a bit longer ... he would've realized it was all worth it, as Alfred went on to have a decorated career -- both critically and commercially. Basically, he succeeded.

Alfred has turned out to be one of the most prolific actors in modern history -- he's got over 200 credits to his name, and he's one of the most recognizable faces in the world.

While Alfred never thought his father was keeping up with his career as it was taking off, he found out when he died that he actually was ... and the way he discovered it is like something out of a movie. Safe to say, Al's learned valuable lessons for his own children.