In a candid interview, actor Sterling K. Brown revealed that his young sons remain unimpressed by his rising fame, treating billboards featuring their father with the same indifference they show to everyday sights. Brown, known for his Emmy-winning role on This Is Us, shared these insights during an exclusive conversation with E! News alongside his Paradise co-star Julianne Nicholson. The 49-year-old actor, who shares 14-year-old son Andrew and 10-year-old son Amaré with wife Ryan Michelle Bathe, described how his children barely acknowledge his public image, highlighting the grounded family dynamic amid his Hollywood success.
"This is so crazy, they’re used to it," Brown told E! News's Will Marfuggi. "I’m not used to it, like it’s cool for me." He recounted driving around town and pointing out the billboards to his boys, only to receive nonchalant responses. "They just don't look at the picture. They'll stay in their phone," he added. "They'll be like, 'Yeah, Dad, I've seen it.’ So, I'm like, ‘OK, thanks buddy,' as I turtle into my little shell."
Brown's reflections come as he prepares for the return of Paradise, the HBO series where he stars with Nicholson. Season two is set to premiere on February 23, kicking off with three episodes. The show, which explores themes of loss and redemption in a gated community, marks another high-profile project for Brown following his time on This Is Us, where he portrayed the complex character Randall Pearson from 2016 to 2022.
Despite the excitement surrounding his career, Brown's home life remains refreshingly ordinary. He noted that while his youngest son, Amaré, still finds him "slightly cool," the preteen hasn't yet reached the "jaded" stage of adolescence. "The 14-year-old, he knows I'm cool," Brown said with a laugh, "but will never admit it out loud and will never treat me that way." Andrew, he explained, views his father as "an alright human being" but keeps him grounded. "He’s always going to bring me down, and I appreciate that," Brown shared, emphasizing the value of such humility in parenting.
Brown's comments echo a broader sentiment among celebrity parents who navigate the challenges of fame while prioritizing family. Since becoming a father in 2009 with Andrew's birth, followed by Amaré in 2013, Brown has often spoken about the joys of watching his sons grow. In an August roundtable discussion reported by People magazine, he expressed pride in Andrew's maturity. "I do take great delight in seeing that, 'Oh, he's a more mature person than I was at age 14,’” Brown said. “And that's all you can do is try to do a little bit better than what your parents did for you. And hopefully he's able to do a little bit better as well."
For Brown, his sons are undeniably "the most important people" in his life. He described the magic of parenthood as witnessing their rapid development. “Anybody who's been a parent or even has young children to see how much they change, especially when they're young, as they accrue new skills and learn new words and stuff,” he told E! News. “It is the most magical thing to be in the presence of." This sentiment resonates with many in the entertainment industry, where high-profile careers often intersect with personal milestones.
Take Khloe Kardashian, for instance, who frequently shares heartfelt messages about her daughter True Thompson, born in 2018. On Instagram, Kardashian posted, "Everyday I give thanks that I was chosen to be your mommy. I'll never ever take this role for granted! Thank you Tutu! I will easily love you until the end of time!" Her words capture the unconditional devotion that Brown also describes in his family life.
Similarly, Kim Kardashian, mother to four children—North, Saint, Chicago, and Psalm West—has emphasized the centrality of parenting. On her website, she wrote, "I have such unconditional love for my kids. No matter what, I will always love them and support them in anything they choose to do in life. My family was so close growing up; now that I'm a mom, I understand the bond my mom and dad felt with us." She added, "There can be ups and downs with kids but no matter what, I always learn so much from them. Being a mom is the most important job I have."
Kylie Jenner, Kim's half-sister and mother to Stormi Webster and Aire Webster, shared in an interview with Kim how motherhood has reshaped her perspective. "I think more about the future because of her. Every time I leave and I'm stressed about leaving her, I'm like, ‘I'm doing it for you,'" Jenner said. "Everyone says you change completely when you become a mom, but I really feel the same, just better."
The Kardashian-Jenner family's views on parenting extend to Kourtney Kardashian Barker, who has three children from previous relationships and two with husband Travis Barker. During her pregnancy with her second child, she told Parents magazine, "Definitely my favorite role in life. It has changed me and made me realize there is nothing else I would rather do with my time. Being a mom is what life is about. I hope people realize what the priorities in life should be and know not everything has to be perfect."
Beyond the Kardashians, other stars offer diverse insights into balancing fame and family. Kristin Cavallari, mother of three with ex-husband Jay Cutler, told Modeliste Magazine via People, "There's just so much more love in your life. I finally feel like I have a real identity. I feel like I have a purpose here in life now. I'm a mom to these three amazing little babies, and my whole world just kind of opened up."
Shay Mitchell, who welcomed daughter Atlas in 2019, opened up to Vogue about the anxieties of new motherhood. "There is a lot of stress and anxiety," she admitted. "I'd heard all these things from my friends saying, 'You're going to second guess a lot of things you do, you're going to feel guilty when you leave her.'" Yet, she has grown more confident: "[It's been all about] just taking the time to get ready and be by myself to [say,] 'Okay cool, now I can handle this, I've got this, so many people have done this before me, and so many people have felt the same way.'"
"I don't always balance it all, I do the best that I can, and some months are crazier than others," Hilary Duff told E! News in an exclusive interview. "I'm a mother first, so [Luca]'s always my number one priority. And then my decision-making process is like, 'Hey can I make this work? Is he going to get enough of what he needs from me?'"
Duff, now mother to two sons with husband Matthew Koma, including Luca born in 2012 and Banks in 2018, underscores the ongoing juggling act. Her approach mirrors Brown's emphasis on presence over perfection.
Beyoncé, a global icon and mother to Blue Ivy, Rumi, and Sir Carter, views parenting as a guiding force. She once said, "I realized why I was born and more than anything, all of the things I want to pass onto my child and the best way of doing that is not by preaching or telling her but showing her by example." This philosophy of leading by action aligns with the humility Brown appreciates from his sons.
Even royalty-inspired advice influences celebrity parenting. Anne Hathaway, mother to Jonathan and another child with husband Adam Shulman, credited Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in The Sunday Times. "They get down on the child's level and speak to them eye-to-eye to make their child feel empowered," she said. "I thought that was really cool. I started doing that with Jonathan."
Mindy Kaling, reflecting on her own upbringing, praised her mother as "the single biggest role model in my life, but that term doesn't seem to encompass enough when I use it about her. She was the love of my life." Now a mother to two daughters via surrogacy, Kaling embodies the generational continuity Brown values.
Other mothers like Vanessa Hudgens, who discussed hypothetical parenting with friends, emphasized empowerment: "We talked about how we would have cared for a daughter and the things we would teach: how to grow up to be a strong, independent, and confident woman who knows she is loved." Mila Kunis, mother to two with Ashton Kutcher, shared during Bad Moms press, "I reprioritized my life, in all honesty. I traveled through all my 20's and I was very selfish—in a good way, not in a way I regret. And I think having a kid made me realize how incredibly selfless I want to be."
Megan Fox, co-parenting sons Noah, Bodhi, and Journey with ex Brian Austin Green, and daughter Saga with ex-fiancé Machine Gun Kelly, advocates a gentle approach. "I don't think I need to teach my children with harsh words or with punishment. I believe that if I love them the right way, there's no need for that," she told Harper's Bazaar Arabia. "I'm a free-spirit mother."
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, parents to four children, embrace the humor in parenting. Lively told NW Magazine in 2016, "It's tough when you get pooped on and barfed on, but having a baby is wonderful. Even when it's tough and I'm exhausted, I think, 'I am so fortunate.'" Their lighthearted dynamic contrasts yet complements the grounded realism in Brown's household.
Angelina Jolie, mother of six—Maddox, Pax, Zahara, Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne—instills global values, drawing from her work as a UN Goodwill Ambassador. "With my family, I'm trying to raise them to have respect for all people and make friends around the world and feel at home with the world and really live a truly global [life]," she said. "I think it's what forms them and it's really important to me."
As Brown returns to Paradise, his story illustrates how celebrities strive to keep family at the core amid stardom. The shared experiences of these parents suggest that, regardless of fame, the essence of raising children lies in presence, growth, and mutual respect. With season two on the horizon, fans can expect more from Brown on screen, but his off-screen role as a dad remains his greatest production.