By Jennifer Harrington
Pregnancy, babies and parenting are always some of the hottest topics when it comes to celebrity news. Much of this news revolves around the mom and baby (think of how much time we spend on “bump” watch and anticipating Hollywood baby name choices), and an important part of the equation is often overshadowed: the celebrity dad. There are some great fathers in the celebrity world, and we wanted to shine a spotlight on them to celebrate their dedication to their children and fatherhood. Here is a list of our top 10 celebrity dads:
Brad Pitt
Hollywood heartthrob Brad Pitt is a father of six (Maddox, Zahara, Shiloh, Pax, Knox and Vivienne) with longtime love, Angelina Jolie. Often when Angelina is working, Brad plays the role of stay-at-home dad with the kids, and it seems to be a duty he relishes in. In a 2012 interview with People magazine, Brad revealed that fatherhood has made him a better man and explained that being a dad “takes you right off yourself.”
Related: Mario Lopez Wants “At Least 4 More” Children
David Beckham
Soccer superstar David Beckham is the dad of four (Brooklyn, Romeo, Cruz and Harper) with wife Victoria Beckham. David has confessed that he hopes his children will be independent and lead normal lives, despite their parents’ star status. He is open about how challenging it is to spend time away from his family for his soccer commitments. He’s also very proactive when he’s with the little ones (he was recently spotted having some quality one-on-one time with Harper in Paris).
Chris Noth
Sex and the City star Chris Noth is the father of one child (Orion) with his wife, Tara. Despite a long list of acting accomplishments, Noth is emphatic about his favorite role. He said, “I love being a dad… being a dad is by far my favorite role!” It may be difficult for some to imagine Mr. Big as a devoted dad, but Noth is frequently photographed as a hands-on dad (we have even seen him sport matching Halloween costumes with his little one), and has even said the sound of his son crying is “music” to his ears.
Tom Cruise
Major movie star Tom Cruise is a dad of three (Isabella, Connor and Suri). While Isabella and Connor are grown and embarking on their adult lives, Tom is famously undertaking the role of single dad, in light of his recent divorce from Katie Holmes. While Suri calls New York City home with Katie, and Tom is frequently traveling for his movies, Tom remains committed to daddy duty for Suri. The duo has been photographed at Disney World together, and most recently, celebrating her 7th birthday together. Tom has also remarked that Suri can call him whenever she needs him!
Ben Affleck
Boston-native Ben Affleck has three kids (Violet, Seraphina and Sam). After a whirlwind year of work and accolades for Ben, his current focus now is parenting his children, so his wife, Jennifer Garner, can go back to work. The couple has agreed that while one is working, the other will stay at home with the kids. Of his summer plans, Ben has been quoted as saying, “There’s going to be a little Mr. Mom action.”
Matt Damon
Ben Affleck’s best buddy, Matt Damon, is also a fantastic dad. Matt is a father to three daughters (Isabella, Gia and Stella) and a stepfather to Alexia, from wife Luciana’s previous marriage. Matt has a simple rule that guides his life and establishes his commitment to his daughters: the family can’t be separated for more than two weeks at a time. Matt is open about the fact that his feelings toward his family are much more than he ever expected, and has remarked that parenthood is “really quite something.”
Will Smith
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air star is a father of three (Trey, Jaden and Willow). Will famously rapped about fatherhood in the 1990’s song “Just the Two of Us”, and he’s watched with admiration as Jaden and Willow, his children with wife Jada Pinkett Smith, have launched their own acting/music careers. Will is very involved and supportive of their blossoming careers, and is always available to provide them with counsel as they navigate Hollywood. He has remarked, “I love producing my kids and my wife’s TV show and all that. I think that’s my most natural space in the business.”
Seal
The singer is father to four children (Leni, Henry, Johan and Lou) with ex-wife Heidi Klum. While Seal and Heidi are no longer married, Heidi knew that Seal would be a good dad the first time she met him because of his “kindness and compassion.” She has publically stated that he is a great father and always puts the needs of the children first (even Leni, who is not biologically Seal’s child), noting that he “does everything in his power” to make sure the kids are happy and safe. Time will tell how Seal adjusts to fathering without Heidi by his side, but we have no doubt he will continue to be a fantastic papa.
Matthew McConaughey
Matthew is dad to three kids (Levi, Vida and Livingston) with wife Camila. His recent acting schedule has been packed, but when he’s not on set, Matthew’s favorite activity is story-time with his tots! Matthew shared with People magazine, “My favorite thing is reading a five-minute story that turns into a never-ending story. When it’s story time and I get to the end, there’s no the end. The kids hate the end!” Matthew also loves long phone chats with Levi, when he’s away shooting movies!
Related: 10 New Celebrity Moms
Barack Obama
President Barack Obama has two daughters (Sasha and Malia) with wife Michelle. Despite his schedule loaded with meetings with world leaders and policy negotiation, Obama makes spending quality time with his teenage daughters a priority. Sasha and Malia absolutely know where they stand with their father; Obama told Essence magazine, “I want my girls to know that no matter what else is going on, they’re my first priority.”
What qualities make a terrific celebrity dad? Any other celebrity dads we should include on this list of Hollywood’s finest?
