APPLETON, Wis. — Sterling K. Brown, the Emmy-winning actor known for his role in This Is Us, recently shared a humorous glimpse into family life, revealing that his teenage sons remain unimpressed by his rising fame. In an exclusive interview with E! News, Brown, 48, discussed how his sons, 14-year-old Andrew and 10-year-old Amaré, whom he shares with wife Ryan Michelle Bathe, treat his billboard appearances as just another part of their everyday routine.
"This is so crazy, they’re used to it," Brown told E! News correspondent Will Marfuggi during a joint interview with his Paradise co-star Julianne Nicholson. "I’m not used to it, like it’s cool for me." The actor, who returns for the second season of the Apple TV+ series Paradise premiering on February 23 with three episodes, explained that his boys barely glance at the ads featuring him. "They just don't look at the picture. They'll stay in their phone," he said. "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 anecdotes highlight the grounded reality of parenting in the spotlight, where celebrity status doesn't always translate to hero worship at home. He noted a slight difference in reactions between his sons, with the younger Amaré still finding his father "slightly cool," though Brown joked that the preteen "hasn't gotten to a jaded place yet." In contrast, Andrew, the eldest, maintains a more reserved admiration. "The 14-year-old, he knows I'm cool," Brown said, "but will never admit it out loud and will never treat me that way."
"He kind of understands it like, ‘That is an alright human being,’" Brown added with a laugh, appreciating his son's subtle way of keeping him humble. "But he's always going to bring me down, and I appreciate that." This dynamic underscores a common theme among celebrity parents: the challenge of balancing public acclaim with private family bonds.
Brown's reflections on fatherhood extend beyond the billboards. Since becoming a dad, he has often spoken about the joys of watching his sons grow. In an August roundtable discussion reported by People magazine, Brown 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,’" he 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, Andrew and Amaré are "the most important people" in his life, a sentiment he knows resonates with parents everywhere. "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 sense of wonder is echoed by many in Hollywood, where stars frequently open up about the transformative power of parenthood.
Take Khloé Kardashian, for instance, who has shared heartfelt messages about her daughter True Thompson, now 6, on social media. "Everyday I give thanks that I was chosen to be your mommy," Kardashian posted on Instagram. "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 defines much of celebrity motherhood narratives.
Similarly, Kim Kardashian, mother to four children—North, 10, Saint, 8, Chicago, 6, and Psalm, 4—has emphasized the depth of familial ties. 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 younger sister and mother to 6-year-old Stormi Webster and 2-year-old Aire Webster, has described how parenthood reshaped her priorities. In an interview with Kim, Jenner said, "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.'" She reflected, "Everyone says you change completely when you become a mom, but I really feel the same, just better."
The Kardashian-Jenner family's openness about parenting contrasts with more introspective views from other stars. Kourtney Kardashian Barker, mother to Mason, 14, Penelope, 11, and Reign, 9, with ex Scott Disick, and stepmother to Atiana, 25, shared her philosophy during her pregnancy with her youngest, Rocky, now 3 months old, in an interview with Parents magazine. "Definitely my favorite role in life," she said of motherhood. "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, actress Kristin Cavallari, who has three children—Camden, 11, Jaxon, 9, and Saylor, 8—with ex-husband Jay Cutler, spoke to Modeliste magazine about finding purpose in parenting. "There's just so much more love in your life," she said. "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."
Challenges are part of the equation too, as Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell, mother to 4-year-old Atlas and 1-year-old Rome with fiancé Matte Babel, admitted in a Vogue interview. "There is a lot of stress and anxiety," she said. "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, Mitchell 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, who now has two sons—Luca, 11, with ex-husband Mike Comrie, and Banks, 5, with husband Matthew Koma—acknowledges the ongoing balancing act of career and family, a theme that permeates Hollywood parenting stories.
Beyoncé, the global icon and mother to Blue Ivy, 12, and 6-year-old twins Rumi and Sir Carter with husband Jay-Z, views her role as an opportunity to lead by example. "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," she said in an interview.
Anne Hathaway, mother to Jonathan, 8, and Jack, 3, with husband Adam Shulman, drew inspiration from Prince Harry and Meghan Markle for her parenting style. "They get down on the child's level and speak to them eye-to-eye to make their child feel empowered," she told The Sunday Times. "I thought that was really cool. I started doing that with Jonathan."
Mindy Kaling, who has daughters Katherine, 6, and Spencer, 3, has praised her own mother as her greatest influence. "I would say that my mother is the single biggest role model in my life, but that term doesn't seem to encompass enough when I use it about her," she said. "She was the love of my life."
Vanessa Hudgens, expecting her first child with husband Cole Tucker, has discussed hypothetical parenting lessons in interviews. "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," she said.
Mila Kunis, mother to Wyatt, 10, and Dimitri, 8, with husband Ashton Kutcher, credits her children with shifting her worldview. During press for Bad Moms, she shared, "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, who shares sons Noah, 11, Bodhi, 10, and Journey, 7, with ex-husband Brian Austin Green, and daughter Saga, 1, 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," she told Harper's Bazaar Arabia. "I believe that if I love them the right way, there's no need for that. I'm a free-spirit mother."
Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, parents to James, 9, Inez, 7, Betty, 4, and a 2-year-old son whose name they have kept private, embrace the messy joys of family life. "It's tough when you get pooped on and barfed on, but having a baby is wonderful," Lively joked to NW Magazine in 2016. "Even when it's tough and I'm exhausted, I think, 'I am so fortunate.'"
Angelina Jolie, mother of six—Maddox, 23, Pax, 20, Zahara, 19, Shiloh, 18, and twins Knox and Vivienne, 16—with ex-husband Brad Pitt, instills global values in her children through her work with UNICEF, where she serves as a 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 once said. "I think it's what forms them and it's really important to me."
These stories from Brown and his peers illustrate the universal aspects of parenting—humility, growth, and love—that transcend fame. As Paradise season two approaches, Brown's focus remains on his family, suggesting that for many stars, the real spotlight is at home. Whether it's a teenager's eye-roll or a toddler's milestone, the magic of parenthood continues to captivate even the most celebrated figures.