Some celebrity dads built their broods in unconventional ways.
Dave Grohl made headlines in September 2024 after announcing that he had welcomed a child outside of his marriage to wife Jordyn Blum. “I’ve recently become the father of a new baby daughter, born outside of my marriage,” he wrote via Instagram at the time. “I plan to be a loving and supportive parent to her.”
Grohl — who shares three kids with Blum — continued: “I love my wife and my children, and I am doing everything I can to regain their trust and earn their forgiveness. We’re grateful for your consideration toward all the children involved as we move forward together.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger, meanwhile, famously welcomed his son Joseph Baena as a result of an affair with housekeeper Mildred “Patty” Baena while married to wife Maria Shriver.
Admitting that the affair was “wrong” in his 2023 Netflix docuseries, Arnold, the actor noted that he didn’t “want to make Joseph feel that he is not welcomed in this world — because he is very much welcomed in this world.”
Schwarzenegger added: “I love him, and he has turned out to be an extraordinary young man.”
Scroll down to see which famous fathers welcomed kids while married or in a relationship:
Dave Grohl
Grohl welcomed his daughters Violet, Harper and Ophelia, with Blum in 2006, 2009, and 2014, respectively, before announcing the birth of his fourth daughter — with another woman — in September 2024.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Schwarzenegger welcomed Joseph one month after he and Shriver welcomed their fourth child, son Christopher. The couple, who were married from 1986 to 2011 and finalized their divorce in 2021 — also share kids Katherine, Christina and Patrick.
Schwarzenegger recalled how revelation of his affair with Mildred “crushed” Shriver in his Netflix docuseries, Arnold. “Maria and I went to counseling once a week,” he shared. “In one of the sessions, the counselor said, ‘I think today Maria wants to be very specific about something. She wants to know if you are the father of Joseph.’ And … I thought my heart stopped, and then I told the truth.”
He also admitted that he was initially unsure whether he was Joseph’s biological father. “I just started feeling the older he got, the more it became clear to me and then it was really just a matter of how do you keep this quiet? How do you keep this a secret?” he stated.
Eric Clapton
The musician fathered his eldest child, daughter Ruth, with Yvonne Kelly in 1985 while he was still married to his first wife, Pattie Boyd. He went on to wed Melia McEnery in 2002, and the two share kids Julie, Ella and Sophie.
Clapton also welcomed his son, Conor, in 1986, with Italian television personality Lory Del Santo. Conor tragically died at age 4 in 1991 after falling from an open apartment window in New York City.
Eddie Murphy
After welcoming his eldest child, son Eric, with then-girlfriend Paulette McNeely in 1989, Murphy welcomed two more kids within the span of 16 months. His ex-wife Nicole Mitchell gave birth to their first child, daughter Bria, in 1989, followed by Murphy’s son Christian in 1990, whom he shares with ex-girlfriend Tamara Hood.
Murphy and Mitchell went on to welcome four more kids — Myles, Shaye, Zola and Bella — before calling it quits in 2006. Murphy also shares his daughter Angel with Mel B and kids Izzy and Max with his wife, Paige Butcher, whom he married in 2024.
Tristan Thompson
Thompson had already begun dating Khloé Kardashian by the time his ex Jordan Craig gave birth to their son, Prince, in 2016. He and Kardashian welcomed their first child, daughter True, in 2018 following reports that he had cheated on her with multiple women. Less than a year after they reconciled in 2020, Marilee Nichols revealed that Thompson was the father of her baby boy, Theo.
The NBA star confirmed his paternity in January 2022. Thompson and Kardashian welcomed their son, Tatum, who was conceived via surrogate before Kardashian knew about Nichols, in August 2022.
Clint Eastwood
Eastwood welcomed his son Scott and daughter Kathryn in 1986 and 1988, respectively, with flight attendant Jacelyn Reeves while still dating then-longtime partner Sondra Locke.
The Oscar winner is the father of eight kids, having welcomed his eldest, daughter Laurie, in 1954 with an undisclosed partner. He also shares daughter Kimber with ex Roxanne Tunis, Kyle and Alison with his ex-wife Maggie Johnson, daughter Francesca with ex Frances Fisher and daughter Morgan with ex-wife Dina Eastwood.
Liam Gallagher
The Oasis singer shares his eldest daughter, Molly, with Lisa Moorish. Molly was born in 1998, one year after Gallagher wed ex-wife Patsy Kensit. Gallagher met Molly for the first time in 2018, nearly 20 years after her birth.
Gallagher and Kensit welcomed their son, Lennon, in 1999 before splitting one year later. He also shares his son Gene with Nicole Appleton, to whom he was wed from 2008 to 2014.
Chuck Norris
Norris revealed in his 2004 book, Against All Odds, that his daughter Dina was born out of an affair during his first marriage to Dianne Holechek. He reportedly did not learn about Dina until 1999 when she was 26 years old but immediately embraced her into his life.
Norris welcomed his eldest child, son Mike, with Holechek in 1962, followed by their son Eric in 1965. He also shares twins Dakota and Danilee, born in 2001, with his wife, Gena O’Kelley, whom he wed in 1998.
