Photo: Jamie McCarthy/Getty
Brendan Fraseris a proud father of three.
The actor, who has recently made headlines forhis comeback film role inThe Whale, shares three sons withhis ex-wife Afton Smith.
The couple first met in 1993 at the start of Fraser’s career and eventually tied the knot on Sept. 27, 1998.
Fraser and Smith welcomed their first child, Griffin Arthur Fraser, a few years later in 2002. They then welcomed two more children: Holden Fletcher Fraser in 2004 and Leland Francis Fraser in 2006.
Fraser and Smith split in December 2007, and the former couple hascontinued to co-parent their children together, with Fraser noting in a 2018GQinterview that his children visit him “all the time.”
Though Fraser doesn’t share much about his kids,he has talked about themfrom time to time in interviews. In November 2022, his sons Holden and Leland made arare public appearanceasthey joined Fraser for a screeningof his filmThe Whale. Fraser also shared thathis kids surprised him with cake and balloonsfollowing his Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
“They sneaked into the house, they had a plan,” he toldExtrawith a laugh. “That and the feeling that sharing that moment with my loved ones is now a core memory of mine.”
In March 2023, Holden and Leland supported their dad atthe Oscars.
“We are unbelievably proud. Over the moon,” Holden toldLaverne Coxon the E! red carpet, referring to Fraser’s Oscar nomination for his role inThe Whale.
Later that evening, Fraser took home the award for Best Actor and mentioned his three sons in hisacceptance speech.
“It’s been like I’ve been on a diving expedition to the bottom of the ocean, and the air on the line [has come from] some people in my life like my sons Holden and Leland and Griffin — I love you, Griffey,” he said.
Here’s everything to know about Fraser’s kids.
Griffin Arthur Fraser
Griffin is Fraser and Smith’s firstborn son, whomthey welcomed on Sept. 17, 2002. In his interview withGQin 2018, Fraser revealed thatGriffin is on the autism spectrum. “He needs extra love in the world, and he gets it,” he said of his then-15-year-old son.
“[He is] a curative on everyone who meets him, I noticed,” the actor continued of his son. “People have some rough edges to them. Or he just makes them, I don’t know…put things into sharper relief and maybe find a way to have a little bit more compassion. They don’t put themselves first so much around him.”
Fraser spoke about Griffin again during aFebruary 2023 interviewwithHoward Stern, revealing why he makes an effort to reach out to fans with autism at public events.
The father of three also spoke about the struggles many parents face while advocating for their children with autism. “You’re going to encounter a lot of really colorful people, and how you navigate that comes down to how much you know that everything’s going to be okay,” he explained. “You must believe that in spite of it.”
Holden Fletcher Fraser
Fraser and Smith welcomed their son Holdenon Aug. 16, 2004. In his interview withGQ, Fraser opened up about his youngest sons' special bond with Griffin. “Ever since they were small, one was always the spokesperson and the other was the enforcer.”
While speaking with PARADE in 2010, Fraser admitted that his filmExtraordinary Measures, which follows a man on the verge of losing his critically ill children, gave him a newfound appreciation for his “very healthy” children.
“I always hug and kiss them whether they like it or not. I’m like, ‘Come here, you,’ and you blow raspberries on them. That’s what I do,” he said. “I’d throw myself in front of a train if I had to for their well being. That doesn’t mean you can protect them from everything, but you have to try.”
In November 2022, Holden made a rare public appearance with his father as he stepped out for a screening ofThe Whalein N.Y.C.
In February 2023, Fraser spoke aboutanother rare appearance: when he visited Holden’s film studies class. “They’d all gone out to seeThe Whale,and they’re whipsmart kids,” he toldWillie GeistofSunday TODAY. “They understand the craft of filmmaking in a way that’s so impressive.”
Leland Francis Fraser
Leland isFraser and Smith’s youngest son, whom they welcomed on May 2, 2006. During an appearance onThe Rachael Ray Showin February 2010, Fraser described his youngest as “a professional fire plug.” “He goes through brushes and briers and comes out on the other side scratched and smiling. It’s all good!”
During an interview with OK!in January 2009, Fraser said that fatherhood teaches him “how to love more and more every day.” He also mentioned that he hopes to show his kids his films when they grow older.
“I know a satisfying experience at the movies with your family is a positive experience,” he explains. “There are other films that I’ve made, and when those kids grow a little bit older, then I’ll show them that work or they’ll find it themselves.”
source: people.com
