Gay Actors Who’ve Had Children

Hollywood is showing more LGBTQ+ representation on screen, and many actors are also openly sharing their paths to becoming parents. Whether through surrogacy, adoption, or blending families, these stars have created loving homes while living in the public eye. Here’s a look at some talented performers who have expanded their families, demonstrating the many different ways modern families are built.

Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris, famous for his role in ‘How I Met Your Mother,’ and his husband, David Burtka, are well-known advocates for gay parenting. They became fathers to fraternal twins, Gideon and Harper, through surrogacy in 2010. Harris frequently shares glimpses of their family life online, from their creative Halloween costumes to their exciting travels. He’s also been very open about their journey with surrogacy and the happiness of raising twins in the public spotlight.

Matt Bomer

As a longtime admirer of Matt Bomer, I was so happy to learn more about his personal life over the years. He and his husband, Simon Halls, are raising three wonderful sons. Their oldest, Kit, arrived in 2005, and then they were blessed with twins, Walker and Henry, in 2008. For a long time, Matt kept details about his family private, which I totally respect, but he beautifully shared that part of his life when accepting an award back in 2012. He’s often spoken about how being a dad is the most fulfilling thing he’s ever done, and honestly, it’s lovely to hear!

Ricky Martin

Ricky Martin is world-renowned as a singer, but he’s also acted in shows like ‘General Hospital’ and ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’. He became a father to twin sons, Matteo and Valentino, through surrogacy in 2008. He and his husband, Jwan Yosef, later expanded their family with a daughter, Lucia, born in 2018, and a son, Renn, in 2019. Martin is a strong supporter of accepting and celebrating all kinds of families.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson

Actor Eric Stonestreet and his husband, Justin Mikita, have become parents twice through surrogacy. Their first son, Beckett Mercer, was born in July 2020, and their second son, Sullivan Louis, arrived in November 2022. Stonestreet often speaks publicly about the importance of equal rights for all couples and shares his experiences building a family as a gay man.

Cheyenne Jackson

You know, I’m a big fan of Cheyenne Jackson – that guy is fantastic in everything from ‘American Horror Story’ to ’30 Rock’. What a lot of people might not know is he’s also a dad! He and his husband, Jason Landau, are raising twins – a little girl named Willow and a son, Ethan, who were born back in October 2016. It’s really inspiring to hear him talk about how becoming a father completely changed his life, especially considering his past struggles with addiction. He’s said fatherhood gave him a new reason to stay sober and a real sense of purpose. He’s always sharing the sweetest updates about the kids growing up on social media, which is just lovely to see.

BD Wong

BD Wong, a Tony Award-winning actor known for his role on ‘Law & Order: SVU,’ became a father to twin sons, Boaz and Jackson, in 2000 through surrogacy. Sadly, Boaz passed away shortly after being born. Wong co-parented his surviving son, Jackson Foo Wong, first with his former partner and later with his husband, Richert Schnorr. He’s shared his story—including his experiences with surrogacy and the challenges of premature birth—in a memoir.

Denis O’Hare

Denis O’Hare, a character actor known for his work on shows like ‘True Blood’ and ‘American Horror Story’, is a father. He and his husband, Hugo Redwood, adopted their son, Declan, in 2012, and have often discussed their wish to give a child a supportive and loving family. O’Hare sometimes brings Declan to public events, proudly showcasing their family.

Clay Aiken

Clay Aiken first became well-known on ‘American Idol’, but he’s also built a career as an actor, appearing in the Broadway show ‘Spamalot’ and making guest appearances on television. He became a father in 2008 to his son, Parker Foster Aiken, and co-parents with Parker’s mother, Jaymes Foster, who is the sister of music producer David Foster. After his son was born, Aiken openly shared that he is gay, wanting to be a positive role model through honesty.

Luke Macfarlane

Actor Luke Macfarlane, known for his roles in ‘Bros’ and on the Hallmark Channel, became a dad in 2023. He and his partner, Hig Roberts, a dedicated skier, welcomed their daughter, Tess Eleanor, in June. Macfarlane announced the happy news online, thanking those involved in the surrogacy that made their family possible. He’s said that becoming a father has completely changed his life.

Anthony Rapp

Anthony Rapp, known for his role in ‘Star Trek: Discovery,’ and his partner, Ken Ithiphol, are parents to two sons. They welcomed their first child, Rai Larson, through surrogacy in December 2022. In November 2023, they announced the arrival of their second son, Keony Lee. Rapp has said that becoming a father was a dream he’d had for many years, and it took a lot of planning and patience to make it happen.

Lance Bass

Lance Bass is famous for being in the band NSYNC, but he’s also appeared in movies like ‘On the Line’ and done a lot of voice acting. He and his husband, Michael Turchin, became parents to twins – a boy named Alexander James and a girl named Violet Betty – in October 2021. They openly shared the challenges they faced trying to have children, including several unsuccessful attempts with surrogacy and IVF. Now, Lance uses his experience to raise awareness about fertility issues and support others going through similar difficulties.

Matt Dallas

I’m a big fan of Matt Dallas – I loved him in ‘Kyle XY’! It’s so cool to see him and his husband, Blue Hamilton, building a family through adoption. They adopted their son, Crow, back in 2015 when he was just two years old, and then in 2022, they welcomed their daughter, Rosa, into the family too! They’re really open about their life as a family and share a lot of their parenting journey on their YouTube channel, which is really sweet to see.

Tuc Watkins

Actor Tuc Watkins, famous for his work on shows like ‘One Life to Live’ and ‘Desperate Housewives’, is raising twins as a single father. He became a dad to Catchen and Curtis through surrogacy in December 2012. For many years, he parented on his own, but now actor Andrew Rannells is a supportive stepfather to the boys. Watkins has often shared that becoming a father was always a dream of his, no matter his relationship status.

Dan Bucatinsky

Dan Bucatinsky, known for his role in ‘Scandal’ and his work as a producer, is a father of two with his husband, filmmaker Don Roos. They have a daughter, Eliza, and a son, Jonah. Bucatinsky wrote a funny and honest book called Does This Baby Make Me Look Straight? about his life as a gay dad. Through his writing and acting, he often explores topics related to contemporary parenting and what it means to form an identity.

Alec Mapa

Alec Mapa, the comedian and actor from shows like ‘Ugly Betty’ and ‘Switched at Birth’, adopted his son, Zion, with his husband, Jamison Hebert. Zion was five years old when they welcomed him from the foster care system in 2010. Mapa then created a stand-up special and documentary called ‘Baby Daddy’ to share their adoption story and highlight the need for families to consider adopting older children. He continues to be a strong voice for foster care adoption.

Share your favorite movie or TV show starring one of these actors in the comments.

2026-02-19 14:16