In the modern world, it’s easy to find moms who raise their kids on their own, while fathers who perform this task alone are a rare thing. Nevertheless, the tendency is there and men are sometimes seen taking full responsibility for the upbringing of their kids.
Bright Side collected the stories of celebrity fathers who, due to different circumstances, were raising their kids alone. Some decided to raise their kids by themselves, others — after a divorce with the spouse, and the last group had to live through some tragic events.
1. Liam Neeson
10 years ago, Liam Neeson’s wife Natasha Richardson fell down and hit her head while skiing at a ski resort and died after several days. Neeson stayed alone with their 2 sons Daniel and Micheal, ages 12 and 13. It took a lot of time for the family to overcome this tragedy but they managed to cope with the loss. Liam Neeson dedicated his life to his kids and never married again.
2. Pierce Brosnan
After marrying actress Cassandra Harris, Pierce Brosnan adopted her 2 kids: Charlotte age 9 and Chris age 8. 3 years later, they gave birth to their own son Sean. Later the Brosnan family experienced a tragedy — Cassandra died from cancer. Since then the actor has been raising their kids alone without any intention to get married again. But in 1994, he met a journalist Keely Shaye Smith whom he married officially in 2001. They have 2 sons — Dylan and Paris.
3. Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage’s son, Weston, was born in 1990. The actor wasn’t officially married to the child’s mother and the couple soon broke up. Cage was required to give his ex-girlfriend a house in Hollywood in order to have the right to raise his son alone. Today Weston is 28 years old, he is a musician, and is also starting his career in acting. In 2005 Cage had another son.
4. George Lucas
The creator of the legendary Star Wars saga, George Lucas, has been raising 3 adopted children for many years on his own. Amanda was adopted together with his spouse and she stayed with her father after the divorce. Later he also adopted another daughter, Katie and son, Jett. By the way, they all were filmed in small parts of Star Wars. George Lucas didn’t get married again until 2013. His spouse is the chairwoman of DreamWorks Animation and the president of Ariel Investments, Mellody Hobson. After their marriage, the couple soon gave birth to a daughter.
5. Al Pacino
Al Pacino is the father of 3 kids yet he has never been officially married. His eldest daughter, Julie was born in 1989, and in 2001, actress Beverly D’Angelo gave birth to their twins — Olivia and Anton. The couple broke up after several years, but the parents managed to keep their common child custody which is why their kids spend an equal amount of time with both their father and their mother. The actor has always tried to schedule his working hours so that he could spend more time with his kids.
6. Colin Farrell
Colin Farrell is raising 2 sons: 16-year-old James and 10-year-old Henry. James’s mother is the model Kim Bordenave, but Farrell’s and her relationship didn’t last long. Nevertheless, Colin said that he would provide for his son for life. In 2009, Farrel had his second son Henry. His mother is a Polish actress whom Colin broke up with very quickly.
7. Lenny Kravitz
After his divorce, the musician Lenny Kravitz started to raise their daughter Zoë alone. He had lived with his spouse Lisa Bonet for 3 years. The parents had equal rights to their daughter, but when Zoë turned 11, she moved to live with her father full time. Today Zoë Kravitz is a famous actress and model. This father and daughter often appear at social events together.
Cristiano Ronaldo has many kids. His first son was born by a surrogate mother in 2010. His name is also Cristiano. In 2017, the athlete became a father to 2 twins: daughter Eva and son Mateo. Now he is getting ready for his wedding to Georgina Rodríguez and recently they gave birth to their daughter Alana Martina.
9. Norman Reedus
The star of The Walking Dead TV series, Norman Reedus, has been raising his son Mingus alone for many years. He had been dating supermodel Helena Christensen for about 5 years, but their relationship fell apart. The couple shares joint custody of their son, however, he has lived most of his life with his father in Los Angeles. Today Mingus is 20 years old. Several years ago, Norman Reedus started dating actress Diane Kruger and in 2018, they had a daughter.
Which of these stories impressed you most of all? Please tell us about it in the comments!
Remembering the Stars Who Have Died Since Appearing on ‘Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew’
Since the VH1 reality show’s 2008 debut, twelve of its alumni have passed away.
Celebrity Rehab was founded by Dr. Drew Pinsky to counter the tabloids’ depiction of addiction, according to a 2009 New York Times article on the set of the show. Pinsky, 65, was first opposed to the concept of receiving treatment on television. Following the premiere of the first season of the show, the addiction medicine expert told PEOPLE about his friend, counselor Bob Forrest, who persuaded him to get treatment: “He said, ‘I am so tired of people talking about rehab who have no idea what they’re talking about.’” They are unaware of the struggles and addictions that celebrities face.
The VH1 series, which ran from 2008 to 2011, featured a number of celebrities addressing their substance misuse problems in the Pasadena Recovery Center in California with Pinsky. Celebrity Rehab featured prominent artists, actresses, sports, TV celebrities, models, and more throughout the course of five seasons. Regretfully, following their performances on the reality show, twelve celebrities have passed away. Let’s examine their lives in more detail and how they openly discussed their difficulties in an effort to assist others.
If substance misuse is a problem for you or someone you know, please call the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP. Please call the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741741, or visit 988lifeline.org if you or someone you know is thinking about taking their own life.
It’s funny how life tricks us, isn’t it? The frontman of Crazy Town, who was well-known for being insane both on stage and, regrettably, off, died in June 2024 at the age of 49. Shifty went in and out of dangerous circumstances during his career, including comas and DUI accusations. It was heartbreakingly obvious how much cocaine and medications affected him. “If I kept at it, I was going to die,” he once said to PEOPLE. My goal is to remain sober.
Tom Sizemore
On March 3, 2023, Tom Sizemore, the guy whose Golden Globe-nominated performances could have you riveted to the screen, passed away. His struggle with drug usage was more tragic than amusing. Paul, his brother, said, “He was bigger than life.” More than anyone I know, he has impacted my life. I am heartbroken by his passing and will always mourn him.
Frankie Lons
Every child’s worst dread is to watch their own mother battle addiction before giving in to it. Frankie Lons, the mother of Keyshia Cole, had a turbulent life. What a horrible irony it was that she died on her own birthday. The emotional Instagram post from Elite Noel, her daughter, stated it all: “My mother in a body bag on her birthday is the worst anguish I have ever experienced! My heart ached so much.
Kitaen Tawny
At the age of 59, actress and ’80s star Tawny Kitaen passed away quietly at her Newport Beach home. Her children Wynter and Raine verified their grief with a statement, “You gave her life every day,” following her diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy. We love and miss her, and we are aware that her legacy will endure forever.
McKibbin, Nikki
Do you recall Nikki McKibbin from the inaugural season of American Idol? She was generous enough to give her organs before she went away at the age of 42 from a brain aneurysm. Craig, her spouse, put it poetically: “Even in the end, she is still giving.” An appropriate homage to a giving person.
Jason Davis
At the age of 35, the voice actor that embodied a character in Disney’s Recess passed away from fentanyl overdose. His mother remembered him as a season 4 participant who “had a true heart of gold with such a zest for life.”
Chyna
On April 17, 2016, Chyna, a formidable WWE performer, passed away. The mixture of drugs in her system was the accidental offender. Her life served as an example of publicly facing one’s inner problems while clinging to hope.
Mindy McCready
On February 17, 2013, Mindy McCready, a country music vocalist with a beautiful voice, suddenly passed away. She dealt with alcohol and opioid addictions on the show, and her end was clouded in sadness following the suicide of her boyfriend. A terrible domino effect.
Joey Kovar
Joey Kovar, a reality star from The Real World: Hollywood, passed away suddenly at the age of 29. A life that appeared to be headed toward happiness was ended by opioid abuse. With regret, his brother remarked, “He had turned into such a happy person.” I’m still not really clear what transpired.
Rodney King
On June 17, 2012, the civil rights activist passed away at the age of 47. King’s stress from the vicious assault he suffered in 1991 at the hands of LAPD cops drove him to battle substance usage. Alcohol, marijuana, PCP, and cocaine all had a nasty part in his death; he was discovered drowning in his swimming pool.
Jeff Conaway
The well-known face of Grease actor Jeff Conaway concealed personal troubles. On May 27, 2011, the man who lighted up Broadway and little theaters alike passed away. He battled his addictions all the way to the end, but his job and the people in his life gave him comfort.
Mike Starr
To wrap up this solemn homage, on March 8, 2011, Alice in Chains’ Mike Starr overdosed on prescription drugs. Friends, family, and fans came together for an open memorial service in Seattle to honor a life that inspires people via music.
Leave a Reply