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Family Matters: Take a Peek Behind the Scenes With Our Photo Album of Primetime Stars and Their Kids
Friday, May 19th, 2023
We’ve watched them on our screens for years (sometimes even decades), growing with their television families, bringing us joy night after night. But how much do we get to see them off-screen with their real, far less drama-filled, families?
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Honestly, that all depends on the actor — as it should! Some are more open about their loved ones, bringing spouses and kids out to balls and premieres. Others prefer to keep things a bit more private. From the cops of Blue Bloods to the doctors of Grey’s Anatomy, we dug through the archives. going years back to just earlier this month to bring you some of your favorites primetime stars out and about with their off-screen, real-life children.
Whether an adorable tot enjoying the magic of SpongeBob SquarePants, a son out with dad to learn exactly who would have gotten away with it if it wasn’t for those darn kids, or a grown-up child taking in his pop’s Shakespearean performance, there’s a little of something for (and of!) everyone.
We’ve got folks from the Law & Orders, the Chicago franchise and even a number of Hallmark’s greatest all taking in some quality family time. And if you’ve got a yearning to check in on parents from your favorite shows years back, we’ve even through in some Beverly Hills, Melrose Place and L.A. Law love too.
Not seeing someone you want to check in on? Let us know because just like with a happy family expecting another kid, this gallery has plenty of room to grow!
Check out your favorite stars with their real kids in the photo gallery below.
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Image: FilmMagic
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<p>As much as we love Beth Dutton, we’ve got a feeling Kevin Costner is a far less stressed-out father than <em>Yellowstone</em>‘s John with a daughter like Lily Costner! </p>
Image: Jason Merritt
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<p>Does it get more adorable than this? <em>Grey’s Anatomy </em>mega star Ellen Pompeo and her daughter Stella enjoyed a little garden party back in 2013. </p>
Image: WireImage
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<p>Jack Wagner must have been wondering if it was real life or an episode of <em>Melrose Place </em>when he first met his long-lost daughter Carrie back in 2011. And as you can see, Wagner didn’t waste any time welcoming her into the family!</p>
Image: Getty Images for National Women'
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<p>Back in 2020, Andie MacDowell was between<em> </em>Hallmark’s <em>Cedar Cove</em> and <em>The Way Home </em>when she was honored at the National Women’s History Museum’s 8th Annual Women Making History Awards with her proud son Justin Qualley by her side.</p>
Image: WireImage
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<p>And just this past winter, <em>The Way Home</em>‘s Andie MacDowell was looking right at home decked out in the full glamour of Berlin Fashion Week with daughter Rainey Qualley! </p>
Image: Getty Images
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<p>Hallmark’s <em>Chesapeake Shores</em> scored one heck of a coup when it got Diane Ladd to play O’Brien matriarch Nell. But back off O’Brien clan, Laura Dern had her as a mom first!</p>
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<p>From <em>Beverly Hills, 90210 </em>to the short-lived “revival” <em>BH90210</em>, Jason Priestley has been a mainstay in primetime for over 30 years. Still, we’re guessing his and wife Naomi Lowde-Priestley’s kids, Dashiel and Ava, aren’t nearly as impressed as us. To them, he’s just dad!</p>
Image: GC Images
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<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ sometimes Billie may have lived up the glamour on <em>The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills</em>, but she and hubby Harry Hamlin still kept daughters Amelia and Delilah’s feet planted firmly on the ground as they helped feed folks for Christmas back in 2018. </p>
Image: GC Images
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<p>Bridget Moynahan’s son John Moynahan was all ears as the <em>Blue Bloods </em>actress showed him a thing or two at the 2018 US Open. </p>
Image: Getty Images
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<p>What kid wouldn’t love the chance to get a backstage look at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards?! We’re guessing little Everly had a blast when <em>The Rookie</em>‘s Jenna Dewan brought her daughter along to the 2018 show! </p>
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<p>We suppose it only fitting that in 2018 <em>The Rookie</em>‘s Eric Winter and wife Roselyn Sanchez of <em>Devious</em> <em>Maids</em> fame brought their daughter Sebella Rose out to the Rookie USA (no relation) Fashion Show.</p>
Image: Getty Images
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<p>Hallmark’s own <em>Gourmet Detective</em>, Dylan Neal, celebrated the holidays with his daughter Bella at the 2017 screening of <em>Christmas at Holly Lodge</em>. And while Neal has done his share of Hallmark Christmas films, this time, he was just there to enjoy the show! </p>
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<p>Back in 2017, before the college admissions scam derailed Lori Loughlin, the onetime Hallmark mainstay could regularly be found out and about with the daughters she pleaded guilty to bribing into college, Isabella and Olivia Jade Giannulli. </p>
Image: Getty Images
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<p><em>Chicago Fire</em>‘s David Eigenberg brought along son Louie and daughter Myrna for what has to be the youngest Major League debuts ever as he threw out the ceremonial first pitch at a 2017 Chicago Cubs game! </p>
Image: Getty Images
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<p>Marisa Ramirez may play a cop on <em>Blue Bloods</em>, but we’re pretty sure that as far as daughter Violet is concerned, mom is a hero in her own right! Though, she may have had some pretty stiff competition at the second season premiere of <em>Marvel’s Spidey and His Amazing Friends</em>!</p>
Image: Getty Images
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<p>Oh Christmas tree with Brian Tee, how lovely are your branches! And how adorable was the <em>Chicago Me</em>d star’s daughter Medeline back in this 2016 holiday portrait with dad and mom Mirelly Taylor? </p>
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<p>From checking out the 2010 premiere of <em>Killers t</em>o catching them on <em>Blue Bloods</em>, we’re sure wife Jillie Mack and their daughter Hannah are just as proud as ever of Tom Selleck! </p>
Image: Matt Winkelmeyer
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<p>Grant Show and Katherine LaNasa gave daughter Eloise some adorable smile solidarity back during the 2016 holidays. And by 2017, the two were living it up on the CW’s <em>Dynasty </em>revival. Clearly, this was their audition to show off just how glamorous they could be!</p>
Image: Getty Images
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<p>It was a father/daughter movie night when <em>Grey’s Anatomy </em>and <em>Station 19 </em>star Jason George and Jasmine checked out the 2016 premiere of the stop-motion masterpiece <em>Kubo and the Two Strings</em>. </p>
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<p>Back in 2016, <em>The Good Witch</em>‘s James Denton brought his son, Sheppard, out to celebrate at the Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies and Mysteries Summer TCA Press Tour, where we learned father and son have the same sharp-dressed style! </p>
Image: WireImage
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<p>Dr. Karev may have been on-call for 16 seasons of <em>Grey’s Anatomy</em>, but Justin Chambers has been on-call as Kaila’s dad since 1997. And back in 2016, the two enjoyed a night out dressed to the nines.</p>
Image: Getty Images
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<p>it’s not every day you learn you’ve got a supervillain in the family! But Frank Grillo, <em>Yellowstone’s </em>Wendy Moniz and their son Remy got to reckon with that fact in the coolest way possible when Grillo debuted as Marvel baddie Crossbones at the premiere of 2014’s <em>Captain America: The Winter Soldier</em>!</p>
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<p>Graham Waterston got a taste of the New York theatre world that his father, <em>Law & Order</em>‘s Sam Waterston, got his start in, when he and mom Lynn Woodruff took in dad’s <em>Tempest </em>performance in a 2015 Shakespeare In the Park production!</p>
Image: Chelsea Lauren
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<p>Like father, like daughter! <em>Falcon Crest</em>‘s Lance, Lorenzo Lamas, clearly shares more than just DNA with daughter Victoria. They’re clearly cut fromt the same cloth! Or should we say, the same leather?</p>
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<p>Back in 2014, <em>Desperate Housewive’s </em>Felicity Huffman was still five years away from pleading guilty in the college entry exam cheating scandal, so it’s no wonder she, hubby William H. Macy and their daughters Georgia and Sofia all looked so happy! </p>
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<p>In 2015, Dallas’ own Charlene Tilton shared a night out on the town in Nashville with daughter Cherlis Lee. Let’s hope Cherlis was less of a troublemaker than Lucy Ewing was back in her teenage years! </p>
Image: The Washington Post via Getty Im
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<p>Since we’re visiting with the folks in <em>Dallas</em>, how could we resist checking in with Lucy’s Uncle Bobby, Patrick Duffy, and his own son, Padraic? </p>
Image: Kevin Winter
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<p>In <em>Ride</em>, Hallmark’s answer to <em>Yellowstone</em>, Nancy Travis plays the matriarch of a rodeo dynasty. And with two grown sons of her own (this photo with husband Robert N. Fried and their son Benjamin was snapped back in 2013), we have a feeling it’s a role Travis took to like a fish to water!</p>
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<p>Are we seeing double? Not quite, but we are seeing two Jon Sedas! Back in 2010 before the actor landed on either <em>Chicago P.D. </em>or <em>La Brea</em>, he and wife Lisa took son Jon Seda <em>Jr</em>. out to the premiere of Seda’s HBO miniseries, <em>The Pacific</em>. </p>
Image: WireImage
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<p>OK, now we <em>are </em>seeing double when <em>M</em><em>elrose Place </em>alum Marcia Cross was out with her twin daughters Eden and Savannah back in 2011.</p>
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<p>If you couldn’t tell from the nearly identical smiles in this 2013 photo that Ryland is the son of <em>Yellowstone</em>‘s Cole Hauser, then we don’t know what would convince you! </p>
Image: Getty Images
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<p><em>The Flash </em>alum Amanda Pays may be the odd woman out in a family of four boys with <em>L.A. Law</em> star Corbin Bernsen, but somehow, we don’t think she minds. Mom and dad couldn’t look happier in this 2012 photo with sons Henry, Angus, Oliver and Finley! </p>
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<p>Double on the rocks? Tracy Marrow Jr. (sometimes known as Lil’ Ice) followed in his father’s footsteps to join <em>Law & Order: SVU </em>star Ice-T into the musical world, even joining dad’s heavy metal band, Body Count!</p>
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<p>Pictured here in 2012, <em>Grey’s Anatomy </em>mainstay Chandra Wilson couldn’t be closer to her daughter Sarina. And when Sarina was diagnosed with a relatively unknown illness called cyclic vomiting syndrome (CVS), Wilson even pitched the idea of adressing the disease in <em>Grey’s Anatomy </em>and directed the ninth season episode featuring it. </p>
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<p>Back in 2011, before she was fighting <em>The Good Fight</em>, Christine Baranski and daughter Lily Cowles showcased the glitz and glamour of the Kennedy Center Honors to help celebrate legends like Neil Diamond and Meryl Streep.</p>
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<p>Much like his character on <em>Blue Bloods</em>, Donnie Wahlberg and son Xavier followed the clues and helped unmask the bad guys during the 2002 premiere of the live-action <em>Scooby Doo</em>! </p>
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<p>Back in 2007, <em>Chicago Med</em>‘s Oliver Platt and his son George braved the cold for the new New York Citty Apple store opening, and from what we can see, it was well worth it!</p>
Image: Larry Busacca
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