Celebs Who Have Way More Kids Than You Realized
A number of celebrities have made the decision not to have kids. As the late Betty White shared with CBS in 2012, "No, I've never regretted it. ... But I didn't choose to have children because I'm focused on my career. And I just don't think, as compulsive as I am, that I could manage both." However, White did have three step-children with her late husband, Allen Ludden, per Closer Weekly.
Public figures Dolly Parton and John Cena have also opened up about putting their careers first, while "Spider-Man: No Way Home" actor Marisa Tomei simply shared to Glamour UK (via Yahoo!) that she '[doesn't] know why women need to have children to be seen as complete human beings."
While these stars were open and honest about not wanting kids, some celebrities enjoy being parents to not just one child, but as many as 10. The following Hollywood stars love having big families and thankfully have the means to raise them. The Kardashian-Jenner clan aren't the only big brood in the biz. Check out which top celebrities have more kids than you realized.
Clint Eastwood has eight kids with six different women
Clint Eastwood is a Hollywood icon who has been a fixture of the screen since the 1950s. In addition to cultivating a decades-spanning career, he has also found time to raise his eight children that he shares with six different women.
Per Closer Weekly, his first child, Laurie Murray, was born in 1954. She was put up for adoption as a baby, and as the Daily Mail noted, she connected with Clint decades later. In 1964, the actor welcomed a second daughter named Kimber Eastwood with Roxanne Tunis. Clint had his first son Kyle Eastwood in 1968 with his wife Maggie Johnson, and in 1972, had a daughter named Alison Eastwood. The couple parted ways in 1984 and two years later, the "Dirty Harry" star had a son named Scott Eastwood, arguably his most famous child, with flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves. Two years after that, they had a daughter named Kathryn Eastwood. After Clint and Reeves ended their relationship, he began seeing actor Frances Fisher, and they had a daughter named Francesca Eastwood in 1993. His youngest child, Morgan Eastwood, was born in 1996 and is the daughter of his second ex-wife, Dina Ruiz. Clint, Francesca, Morgan, and Ruiz appeared on the reality series "Mrs. Eastwood & Company" together.
Allison shared with Fox News what it was like growing up with Clint as a dad. "My parents split up when I was pretty young, but he always made time for us, even when he was working," she shared.
Eddie Murphy feels 'lucky' to be his kids' dad
Fans of comedian Eddie Murphy may not be aware that this star is a father to 10 kids. In 2018, Murphy and fiancée Paige Butcher shared a picture they took with all of Murphy's children. According to Us Weekly, it was "the family's first public photo together."
Per Parade, the "Coming to America" actor had his first son, Eric Murphy, with ex Paulette McNeely in 1989. (Fast-forward to 2021 when Eric made headlines for his relationship with Martin Lawrence's daughter Jasmin Lawrence.) Eddie was married to Nicole Mitchell from 1993 to 2006, with whom he has five children: Bria Murphy, Miles Murphy, Shayne Murphy, Zola Murphy, and Bella Murphy. Like Eric, Bria was born in 1989. And in 1990, the same year Miles was born, Eddie and Tamara Hood welcomed a son named Christian Murphy. His daughter Angel Iris Murphy Brown was born in 2007 to Spice Girls member Melanie "Mel B" Brown, and drama ensued when Eddie wanted a paternity test to prove he was the father. Finally, he shares two kids with Butcher: daughter Izzy Murphy, born in 2016, and a son Max Murphy, born in 2018.
Eddie is proud of all his children, telling People in 2016, "I got really lucky with my kids. There really isn't a bad one in the bunch, everyone turned out to be really good people."
Alec Baldwin is a father of seven
Alec Baldwin and wife Hilaria Baldwin welcomed their sixth child, daughter Lucia Baldwin, via surrogate in March 2021. Lucia arrived five months after their fifth child, son Eduardo Baldwin, was born, per Page Six. On Instagram, Hilaria shared a photo of herself among her children and newborn baby Lucia with the caption, "7" along with a red heart emoji.
The Baldwins are parents to four additional children: Carmen Baldwin, Rafael Baldwin, Leonardo Baldwin, and Romeo Baldwin, per Us Weekly. Speaking about her ever-growing family, Hilaria shared in People, "My kids are used to new siblings coming in, so they're already like, 'When is the next one going to come?' And I'm like, 'Guys, you and the entire world need to stop asking me that!'" She added, "They've been really great, though ... It's actually amazing to watch them because I know that they're going to be the kind of adults who are really good with kids because they just know so much."
Before Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria Baldwin wed in 2012, he was previously married to Kim Basinger from 1993 to 2002. They share daughter Ireland Baldwin.
Angelina Jolie puts her kids first
Speaking to People about her role as Thena in "The Eternals," Angelina Jolie shared that her kids love that she plays a strong female character. "What's really moving to me is that they want to see me strong, and so it's less to see me in a film, but they're just happy I will be strong and having fun," she said.
Per Us Weekly, Jolie became a mother in 2002 when she adopted son Maddox Jolie-Pitt from Cambodia. In 2005, she adopted a daughter named Zahara Jolie-Pitt from Ethiopia. That same year, Jolie and Brad Pitt went public with their relationship. Pitt would eventually become the adoptive father to Jolie's children. In 2006, Jolie and Pitt welcomed a child named Shiloh Jolie-Pitt, and the following year, adopted a son named Pax Jolie-Pitt from Vietnam. In 2008, Jolie gave birth to twins, Knox Jolie-Pitt and Vivienne Jolie-Pitt. Jolie and Pitt would tie the knot in 2014, but split two years later.
Raising her children while going through a tough custody battle with Pitt, Jolie shared with Entertainment Weekly that she had to take a step back in her career. "I love directing, but I had a change in my family situation that's not made it possible for me to direct for a few years. I needed to just do shorter jobs and be home more, so I kind of went back to doing a few acting jobs. That's really the truth of it."
Gordon Ramsay won't 'spoil' his five kids
International chef Gordon Ramsay may be known for yelling at wannabe chefs in "Hell's Kitchen" and tossing food at restaurant owners on "Kitchen Nightmares," but in real life, his on-screen persona is anything but when he is with his five children.
Gordon and his wife Tana Ramsay have been married since 1996 and became parents for the first time when daughter Megan Ramsay was born in 1998. Their family also includes twins Holly Ramsay and Jack Ramsay, who were born in 2000, Matilda Ramsay, who was born in 2001, and their youngest, a son named Oscar Ramsay, who arrived in 2019, per Closer Weekly. Although Gordon shared with The Telegraph that his children won't be inheriting his money so as "not to spoil them," it appears that they have made names for themselves in their own right.
According to Delish, eldest daughter Meghan has made appearances on her father's shows including "Hell's Kitchen" where she celebrated her 21st birthday. Holly has a podcast titled "21 & Over with Holly Ramsey" where she discusses mental health, while Jack joined the Royal Marines with Gordon proudly sharing the news on Instagram. As for Matilda, the youngest daughter has a huge fan base on Instagram and is a published author with the release of her book "Matilda and the Ramsay Bunch: Tilly's Kitchen Takeover." She was also a contestant on "Strictly Come Dancing."
James Van Der Beek is a father of six
"Dawson's Creek" star James Van Der Beek is a proud father of six and has been extremely open about the fertility struggles he and wife Kimberly Van Der Beek have faced. The Van Der Beeks have been married since 2010 are the parents to six children: Olivia Van Der Beek, Joshua Van Der Beek, Annabel Van Der Beek, Emilia Van Der Beek, Gwendolyn Van Der Beek, and Jeremiah Van Der Beek.
In November 2021, James announced the birth of their son Jeremiah on Instagram but shared the devastating news that his wife suffered two miscarriages. And so, they "kept this one quiet" until he arrived. "Each child brings their own energy, their own manifestations of consciousness, their own lessons. The ones we lost each gifted us with different pieces of the puzzle ... leaving us that much more grateful for the ongoing master class we get to enjoy with this sweet, wise little one," the actor wrote.
In 2020, Van Der Beek talked to People about fatherhood, sharing, "My philosophy has always been to be completely honest. Use the right terms, use the correct terminology. There is no shame if you talk about things bluntly. If you don't make it weird, it's not weird."
Ricky Martin didn't believe he could be a dad
Ricky Martin and his partner Jwan Yosef are proud parents to four children, but long before the "Livin' La Vida Loca" singer had a full house, he worried that being a gay man meant he wouldn't have children one day. In an interview with Out, Ricky shared, "Many years I dreamt of being a father, and many, many, many, times I went through this grieving process of I am gay, I am a closeted gay man, and I'm not going to be able to be a daddy." Martin also shared that although adoption was an option, it's more "difficult" for a gay man.
In 2008, Ricky's dream came true: He became a father to twins Valentino Martin and Matteo Martin. A handful of years later, he began dating future husband Yosef, and the couple eventually added two more kids to their family: Lucia Martin-Yosef and Renn Martin-Yosef. All four children arrived via surrogate.
Speaking to Oprah Winfrey in 2010 about the surrogacy process, Ricky shared that he was able to speak to the woman who was to carry his children. "I said, 'Why do you do this?'" he recalled. "And she said, 'Because I'm a very spiritual woman, and I've never felt closer to God than that moment where I can give the gift of life to someone that cannot do it on his own.' I said, 'You are the one.'"
Taylor Hanson is all about fatherhood
Taylor Hanson and his wife, Natalie Hanson, had a baby girl named Maybellene Hanson in December 2020. She is kid number seven for the Hanson family. The musician posted a sweet photo holding his daughter on Instagram and wrote, "Meet our baby girl Maybellene Alma Joy, born Dec. 7th 2020. 7 is a beautiful number."
Taylor and his wife have been married since 2002 and that same year, had their first child, Jordan Hanson. After that, the couple welcomed Penelope Hanson, River Hanson, Viggo Hanson, Wilhelmina Hanson, and Claude Hanson, per ET. While having a bunch of siblings may sound overwhelming to some, Taylor is all about it. As he told Today's Parent in 2017, "I think what's really cool about bigger families is that everybody develops this innate ability to figure out how to compromise, work with others and realize that the entire world doesn't revolve around you. It also encourages you to be an individual because you can clearly see your differences from a brother or sister. I see that with my kids; They're very different, but I see that they love and respect one another."
Taylor's brothers Issac Hanson and Zac Hanson, who make up the band Hanson, also have large families: Issac and his wife Nicole Hanson have three children, while Zac and his wife Kathryn Hanson are parents to five kids, per People.
Elon Musk believes in populating the Earth
Elon Musk might be busy sending people to space with his SpaceX company and designing innovative cars with Tesla, but he's also a very busy father raising six children.
According to The U.S. Sun, Musk became a first-time dad when he and ex-wife Justine Wilson welcomed Nevada Musk in 2002. Nevada died at just 10 weeks old from sudden infant death syndrome. In 2004, the couple had twins named Griffin Musk and Xavier Musk, and in 2006, added triplets Kai Musk, Saxon Musk, and Damian Musk to the family. All five were born through IVF. The couple split in 2008, with Wilson declaring to Marie Claire that she was Elon's "starter wife" and had turned into a "trophy wife." In 2020, Elon would go on to have another child with musician Grimes. The former couple made headlines when they named their newborn X Æ A-12 Musk, which was then changed to X Æ A-Xii. He told Joe Rogan that his son's name is pronounced X-Ash-A-Twelve.
During a virtual event with The Wall Street Journal, per CNBC, Elon shared that while there are people who believe that the world population is out of control, he believed that it was the total opposite, sharing, "There are not enough people, I can't emphasize that enough ... If people don't have more children, civilization is going to crumble, mark my words." When asked about having many children, he joked that he practices what he preaches.
Ziggy Marley loves bringing all of his children together
Musician Ziggy Marley and his wife, Orly Marley, have four kids: Judah Marley, Gideon Marley, Abraham Marley, and Isaiah Marley. Chatting with Fatherly about how he spent time with his family during the pandemic, the son of Bob Marley shared, "The most rewarding part of being a dad is having your children around and having them inject in you that child-like spirit. That childlike attitude. There's times you get serious. I like having children. The best part is that innocent energy. They bring a lot of love."
Marley has a full house, but he also has three other kids from previous relationships named Bambaata Marley, Justice Marley, and Zuri Marley. Per People, the father of seven gets to see all his kids during the holidays but got to bond with them even more after they did an ad for the shoe company UGG in 2019. "Doing the UGG campaign was a great opportunity for us actually as a family together because the older ones, they don't live with me and they stay separate so my kids, we don't see each other unless it's an occasion so it was really good for us to get involved with the UGG campaign," Marley shared with the outlet. "It kind of brought us together and made us become even more close."
The Gaines' kids have grown up on TV
Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines regularly feature their children on their hit show "Fixer Upper," and fans have watched the little ones grow up on camera and even help out their parents. Chip and Joanna have five children: a son named Drake Gaines who was born in 2004, a daughter Ella Rose Gaines, born in 2006, son Duke Gaines who was born in 2008, daughter Emmy-Kay Gaines, who was born in 2010, and their youngest, a son named Crew Gaines, born in 2018, per Parade. What may come as a surprise to fans is that Chip is way more strict with their children. He shared with People, "I grew up in an environment that was pretty much 'back by dark' — [my parents] didn't generally know what we were doing, and it was all good, clean fun, so I thought, 'Oh, I'm gonna be a wild parent.' And when I got to be a parent, I don't know what it is about it. ... I feel a little bit like a drill sergeant sometimes."
In a 2018 chat with People, Joanna teased that their family may not be done growing. "We're looking forward to what's to come, and what's to come, we have no idea. ... I joke with my friends that I'm going to be that 45-year-old who's pregnant."
Nick Cannon is considering having no more kids
Nick Cannon may be done having children after he welcomes his eighth child with model Bre Tiesi in 2022. When the comedian made an appearance on "The Language of Love" podcast, he told Dr. Laura Berman, "I don't have the bandwidth for it anymore. Because I feel like I do owe the women that are currently in my life, I owe them as much energy, time, and effort as I possibly [can] — specifically my kids."
In 2011, the TV presenter became a first-time dad when then-wife Mariah Carey gave birth to twins Moroccan Cannon and Monroe Cannon. In 2017, Nick and then-girlfriend Brittany Bell had a son named Golden Cannon, and 2020, a daughter named Powerful Queen Cannon. In 2021, "The Masked Singer" host and Abby De La Rosa became parents to twins Zion Cannon and Zillion Cannon. That same year, Nick and Alyssa Scott welcomed Zen Cannon. In December 2021, Nick shared on his talk show that Zen tragically died at five months old from brain cancer.
Appearing on "The Breakfast Club," Cannon explained why he has so many children with different women and how he doesn't believe in monogamy, calling it "a Eurocentric concept." He explained, "And really, that's just to classify property when you think about it. When you go into that mindset, if you're really talking that talk, just the idea that a man should have one woman? We shouldn't have anything. I have no ownership over this person."
Jude Law surprised fans with his sixth child
In September 2020, actor Jude Law surprised host Jimmy Fallon on "The Tonight Show" when he shared the joyous news that he and his wife Philipa Con had their first child together. Having a baby during the pandemic, Jude shared, "It's really wonderful. Again, we feel pretty blessed that we were in a time where we could, as a family, you know, we can just nest and enjoy each other's company every day as it came. It was unusual but a kind of enforced love-in."
The"Sherlock Holmes" actor has five other children with three different women. He and first wife Sadie Frost share Rafferty Law, Iris Law, and Rudy Law in 2002, per People. In 2009, Jude had a "brief affair" with American model Samantha Burke which resulted in his fourth child, Sophia Law, per MTV News. In 2015, he became a father of five when he and his ex Catherine Harding welcomed a daughter named Ada Law. Harding told the Mirror at the time, "I didn't plan to have a baby. It just happened. It's so exciting to be a mom." She added that she and Jude were "friends" and called him a "good dad."
Jude's older kids look just like the star and have made careers in modeling and acting. Raf has worked for several high-end campaigns and starred in a film adaptation of the Charles Dickens novel "Oliver Twist," while Iris has graced the cover of Vogue Hong Kong.
Kevin Costner is glad he didn't stop having kids
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner married in 2004 and share three kids: Cayden Costner, Hayes Costner, and Grace Costner. Though their relationship has stood the test of time, it wasn't an easy road for the love birds when they first started dating.
Per Parade, Kevin and Baumgartner broke up for a short time because he did not want to have any additional children. Prior to his relationship with Baumgartner, the actor was already a father to four other kids. In 1975, Costner married Cindy Silva and the couple had Annie Costner, Lily Costner, and Joseph Costner. The couple divorced in 1994 and two years later, he and then-girlfriend Bridget Rooney welcomed Liam Costner. In the aforementioned Parade interview, Kevin said of Baumgartner, "She said, 'I'm going to wait for you, but not too long. When you come to your senses, come back to me.' And I did.'" The couple rekindled their relationship and got married at the Oscar winner's stunning ranch in Colorado.
Kevin gave a sweet shoutout to his offspring when accepting the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 Critics' Choice Movie Awards. "My children have always been bigger than the movies," he shared. "They've always been more important. It's because of them that I've been able to do what I love."