The Hollywood hunks who pressed pause on their careers to raise their children – as Brit Rob Beckett reveals he’s stepping back from comedy to become a stay-at-home dad

Oh my gosh, it’s SO hard for them! Balancing everything – work and family – is a constant struggle, especially in Hollywood. It’s just… unpredictable! Taking even a little time off feels impossible when you’re worried about losing everything. I just want them to be able to breathe and have a normal life, you know?

Okay, can we talk about how amazing it is that more and more male celebs are finally realizing family is everything? It’s seriously the best thing ever to see them stepping back from work to actually be there for their kids and help out with parenting. Like, finally! It’s not just on the moms anymore, and it’s just… perfect. I’m obsessed with this trend!

British comedian Rob Beckett received a lot of positive attention this week after sharing his decision to take a break from work and focus on being a full-time dad.

On The Jonathan Ross Show, Rob revealed he’s going to take on more responsibilities at home now that his wife, Lou, is busy promoting her new book. He admitted he’s been so focused on touring that he’s out of touch with what’s happening in his kids’ lives, saying, ‘I honestly couldn’t tell you what the kids are doing at school tomorrow. It doesn’t sound great, I know.’

On his podcast, he explained that his wife had paused her career to care for their children while he continued working. Now, he’s taking a step back to allow her to pursue her own career goals and have a chance to develop professionally.

Many popular actors like Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Radcliffe, and Ryan Reynolds have intentionally scaled back their work to spend more time with their families.

So who are the other dads who have pressed pause on their careers?

Chris Hemsworth

As a huge fan, it’s always lovely to hear how grounded Chris Hemsworth is. He recently shared how much his family means to him – his wife, Elsa Pataky, and their three kids: India Rose, who’s 13, and his 11-year-old twins, Sasha and Tristan. It’s clear they’re his priority, and it’s wonderful to see!

After a decade of working in Hollywood, he decided to take a break, telling Entertainment Tonight he wanted to focus on spending more time with his three children.

The couple moved from the US in 2015 and now call Byron Bay home. It’s a relaxed surf town located just south of Australia’s Gold Coast.

Chris shared with PEOPLE that they now have a large property – a farm with horses – where their kids spend their days surfing, fishing, and riding motorbikes.

Elsa explained that adopting this lifestyle has been a great help to her family, particularly when managing the household with three children.

Chris shared that this change has allowed him to make family a priority. He explained, ‘Now I can focus on what really matters – spending time with my kids and wife, and just having fun together.’

Daniel Radcliffe

Daniel Radcliffe became famous as a teenager playing Harry Potter, but after his son was born, he decided to slow down his career.

I was so happy to hear that Daniel and Erin welcomed their little boy back in April 2023! It’s wonderful to see Daniel prioritizing his family right now and taking a well-deserved break from acting. Family comes first, and I fully support him enjoying this special time.

Speaking to Entertainment Tonight he said it was ‘a privilege’ to have time off with his son.

I had always planned to take some time off, and I’m fortunate enough to be able to do that. It means I can spend a lot of quality time with him, which is wonderful.

He admitted he’ll likely miss working with this person when he returns to work later this year, and suggested he plans to scale back his workload for the next few years. He clarified he’s always been careful about the projects he takes on, but expects to be even more so moving forward.

When E! News asked me about becoming a dad, I honestly had to pause! There’s a quick way to put it, and a longer one. But the short version? It’s incredible, and my son is the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me.

Honestly, it’s scary how deeply I care about this person.

He explained that everything this other person does will have a lasting impact on his own life, which he finds quite daunting.

Chance the Rapper

Before his divorce from Kirsten Corley in 2024, Chance The Rapper prioritized family, even delaying his tour after their second daughter, Marli, was born in 2019.

The musician shared on Instagram that this year had been amazing, highlighting major life events like getting married, having a baby, and releasing their first album.

It’s been a busy time, and balancing family and work has been really draining.

I started touring just two weeks after Kensli was born in 2015, and as a result, I missed out on many of her firsts. Even more significantly, I wasn’t there for her mother when she needed me most.

Now that I’m a husband and father of two, I’ve learned from past mistakes. I need to fully support my wife and be there for her, especially during these first few months.

Chance likes to spend time with his daughters and recently shared on the Jennifer Hudson Show what they think about his celebrity status.

It’s just… they know I do what I do, you know? They get that people recognize me. But honestly? I don’t think it’s even occurred to them that anyone else is famous! It’s the cutest thing ever, seriously. They just think their dad is… well, their dad. And I love that so much.

My family isn’t thrilled with the people I date, but they appreciate my music and enjoy my songs. For now, I’m focusing on that positive aspect of our relationship.

The couple finalized their divorce in January 2025, almost nine months after they initially announced they were separating.

Brendon Urie

Although many musicians successfully combine touring with family life, Brendon Urie, the singer for Panic At The Disco, has chosen to end the band.

In January 2023, the singer announced he and his wife, Sarah Urie, were expecting their first child. He explained he was stepping away to prioritize his growing family.

He shared on social media that it’s been an incredible experience. Growing up in Las Vegas, he never expected life would lead him to so many places and allow him to make so many wonderful friends around the world.

Every ending creates space for a fresh start. We’ve been keeping something under wraps, but some of you might already have an idea of what’s happening.

My wife, Sarah, and I are thrilled to be expecting a baby! It’s incredibly humbling and exciting to think about becoming a dad and watching Sarah become a mom. We’re both really looking forward to this new chapter in our lives.

So, I’ve decided to close this chapter of my life and dedicate my time and energy to my family. Because of this, Panic! At The Disco will be disbanding.

Adam Levine

Adam Levine, the lead singer of Maroon 5, left his $30 million job on The Voice in 2019 to focus on raising his daughters, Gio Grace and Dusty Rose.

On The Ellen DeGeneres Show, he shared that while he does feel nostalgic about his past work, he’s also relieved to not have the same intense workload anymore.

I worked consistently for years, and I feel incredibly lucky and grateful for that. But right now, I’m thrilled to be able to pause and focus on enjoying time with my young family – it’s been a wonderful experience.

‘Now, I’m a stay-at-home dad. I just stay at home and do very little.’

Adam and his wife, Behati Prinsloo, had a son in 2023. He then rejoined the coaching panel of The Voice in 2025.

Dave Grohl

Even though Dave Grohl is a huge rockstar with a busy life, he makes sure to be present for his kids.

In 2014, he talked about making it a priority to drive his daughters to school each morning, and he shared details of his typical morning on the Ellen show.

He shared that he wakes up at 5:45am. After getting his daughters ready for school, he prepares their snacks for the day.

While I was preparing the snack packs, my family came into the kitchen, and that’s when I started making breakfast.

After breakfast, I dress the kids, then gather their backpacks and snacks and load everything into the minivan.

After picking up the kids and battling a 45-minute commute to school, I drive back home, which takes another 45 minutes, and finally begin my day.

Dave shared in a 2018 interview with CBS Sunday Morning that he’s turned down major job offers to be there for his daughter’s birthday. He even flew back from Australia in between performances just to make it to a father-daughter dance.

He described getting calls from his manager about big performance opportunities, and then having to ask his daughter if he should take them. Once, it was the day after her birthday, and she immediately said no – it was her birthday, after all!

‘And I’ve got to call my manager and say ”sorry, got to do it.”

I’ve definitely experienced some funny situations. One time, it was the Daddy-Daughter dance at my daughter’s school, and luckily it fell on a day I had off between trips to Adelaide and Perth.

Dave mentioned he quickly flew back to the US from Australia just to be at the dance, saying, ‘Sometimes you have to prioritize what’s important!’

Ryan Reynolds

Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively have four children: James, who is eleven, Inez, nine, Betty, six, and their youngest, Olin, who is two.

And back in 2021 Ryan announced he was stepping back to be more present in his children’s lives.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m often asked about work-life balance, and honestly, for me, it all comes down to prioritizing what truly matters. I’ve realized the most important thing is simply not wanting to miss out on these precious years with my kids. It’s a reminder that time with family is irreplaceable, and I make sure to schedule my life around that.

I spend a lot of time filming in Europe, and it’s a huge commitment. The days are incredibly long, and I’m needed on set constantly – not just as an actor, but because I usually write and produce my films too. It really takes over my life when I’m working on a project.

He explained that when he’s filming, people constantly dissect and gossip about his personal life.

Stepping down now feels like the right moment, both for my family and for the companies I’m involved with – MNTN and Maximum Effort. I’m looking forward to dedicating my attention to them for a while.

He shared with Men’s Health UK that he feels fortunate because his job, while demanding at times, allows him periods of downtime, which isn’t possible for everyone.

I’m really thankful for that. It’s wonderful to watch my children grow up, and I hope I get to continue being a part of their lives for many years to come – until they tell me to leave, of course!

Chris Pratt

In 2016, Chris Pratt took a six-month break from work to focus on his four-year-old son, Jack, and spend time with his then-wife, Anna Faris.

The actor recently told People magazine that after working on three films consecutively for over a year, he’s planning to take a six-month break.

I’m bringing Jack to a small beach on one of the San Juan Islands – we bought a place there and named the beach after him.

We’re planning to revisit the fort we built around six weeks ago during our last trip. If it’s still standing, great! If not, we’ll just rebuild it.

Having just finished filming Passengers, The Magnificent Seven, and Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 back-to-back, he shared that while he enjoys being busy, he really values spending time with his family.

We’re absolutely delighted with how things are going – it’s exactly what we needed! We’ve been enjoying a perfect summer filled with fishing, crabbing, bonfires, and simply spending quality time together as a family. It’s been the summer we’ve all been dreaming of.

I’m so happy for Chris! He’s a wonderful dad to his three youngest kids – Lyla, who’s five, Eloise, three, and little Ford, who just turned fifteen months – all with his wife, Katherine Schwarzenegger. It’s lovely to see their growing family!

Dave Chappelle

I’ll never forget when Dave Chappelle walked away from his incredibly successful Comedy Central show back in 2005 – a show that was worth a whopping $50 million! It was a huge surprise, but he explained he wanted to prioritize spending time with his family, and I’ve always respected him for that.

The comedian and his wife, Elaine, have three children: sons Sulayman, 24, and Ibrahim, 22, and daughter Sanaa, 16.

When he returned to performing in 2014, he explained to People magazine that he hadn’t actually stopped performing, just taken a break from the spotlight. He said the pressure of being in the public eye had become too intense, and he wanted to focus on other parts of his life.

‘That kind of attention wouldn’t have been conducive to raising a family.’

In 2006, after welcoming his first two children, Dave and his family relocated to a quiet town in Ohio, seeking a more private life for their growing family.

In a 2020 interview with David Letterman, Dave shared that his family enjoys a private life because they don’t live in Hollywood and aren’t bothered by paparazzi. He explained that the local community helps to protect their privacy.

2026-02-14 13:41