June marks two major holidays: Pride and Father’s Day. So we thought: why not combine these major events and celebrate gay celebrity dads? Just because they’re rich and famous doesn’t mean any of these dudes came by fatherhood easily. There were fertility treatments and surrogates involved, or what were likely grueling adoption processes. And now, we get to watch these proud papas raise their kids via social media.
For some men, fatherhood brings out the best in them, and that certainly seems to be the case with this crowd. Not only do they serve as role models of how to be modern, woke parents but they also inspire us to be better men.
Without further ado, these are our favorite gay celebrity dads.
Cover Photo: Bruce Glikas / Contributor (Getty Images)
Gay Celeb Dads
-
Neil Patrick Harris
The How I Met Your Mother actor and his husband David Burtka share parenting duties of twins Gideon Scott and Harper Grace. "I'm loving watching them," Harris told Parade in the past. "It's fascinating to see what they're taking from the world."
Photo: Monica Schipper (Getty Images)
-
Andy Cohen
The Bravo host has a son, Benjamin, born via surrogate. "It’s not that easy for a single guy to do this on his own. It takes a village as they say,” he has said. "I really wanted him and the fact that he’s here and he’s perfect and in wonderful health, I have great gratitude for my surrogate and all the people who helped me get to this place.”
Photo: Gotham/GC Images (Getty Images)
-
Nate Berkus
TLC interior design star Nate Berkus and his partner (on TV and IRL) Jeremiah Brent have a daughter named Poppy and a son named Oskar. “Being a dad is the most rewarding, empowering, and fun experience of my life,” Berkus has said.
Photo: Jon Kopaloff (Getty Images)
-
Ricky Martin
The Puerto Rican pop star has four children – twin boys Valentino and Matteo, daughter Lucia, and son Renn – with his husband Jwan Yosef. “Some people think I'm crazy but I love a big family,” he told Entertainment Tonight. And he’s not done yet. “I have a couple of embryos waiting for me,” he teased.
Photo: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic (Getty Images)
-
Sir Elton John
The British musical icon has two sons, Zachary and Elijah, with husband David Furnish. "That was the greatest decision I've made — well — we've made, in the last six years, is to have those boys," John told Today. "They're our primary concern. They're the things that come first and foremost."
Photo: Michael Kovac (Getty Images for EJAF)
-
Lee Daniels
Filmmaker Lee Daniels became a father in an unconventional way. His children, Clara and Liam, were actually born to Daniels's brother and his girlfriend. Daniels and his then-partner, casting director Billy Hopkins, became their foster parents when the twins were only three days old and later adopted them, the first same-sex couple to adopt in the state of Pennsylvania. Daniels has been raising them ever since. “I was just beginning to make money and have fun with my life, and I didn’t want to grow up, but then the universe said ‘Time!’ I was forced to get my shit together because I wanted them to look up to me,” he has said.
Photo: Peter Kramer (Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival)
-
BD Wong
The Mr. Robot star welcomed premature twin sons, Boaz and Jackson, via surrogate in 2000. Unfortunately, Boaz died only 90 minutes after birth. Wong now co-parents Jackson (who has come out himself as gay) with his former partner, talent agent Richie Jackson. “Before becoming a father I can remember a low-level feeling of somehow now quite being myself,” Wong has said. “I feel more and more like 'myself' these days.”
Photo: Jim Spellman/WireImage (Getty Images)
-
Anderson Cooper
The CNN journalist welcomed a baby boy, Wyatt, into the world via surrogate last year. He co-parents the adorable little dude with his former partner, Benjamin Maisani. “I just love every aspect of it,” Cooper has said of parenthood. “It’s just truly the greatest thing ever. I sort of just feel like ― what was I doing before? I don’t know.”
Photo: Bravo
