Chris Noth, 68, Raises 2 Kids in 'Cocoon of Love' & Gets to Stay Young for Them after Losing Own Dad at 11

At age 11, Chris Noth lost his dad following a fatal car crash. Many years after the tragedy, he welcomed his first child. Despite his joy of becoming a dad, Noth was petrified while expecting his secondborn. Thankfully, the 68-year-old is happy raising his two kids these days.

Chris Noth's brilliant interpretation of Mike Logan, a detective in "Law & Order" and "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," made him a beloved character in the crime series.

Offscreen, he is a happy family man with two sons. But before becoming a dad, Noth suffered a tragedy that shaped his views on life.

The actor was born in Connecticut to a war veteran father and a mother who worked as a news correspondent. He was the youngest of three siblings, and his parents separated when he was a child.

Sadly, shortly after the split, Noth lost his dad following a tragic car crash. At the time, he was only eleven. This loss created a vacuum in his heart, leaving the actor yearning for a fatherly voice. He revealed:

"I was always looking to teachers in a needier way because I substituted feelings of them being a father. I was desperately searching for that male voice."

After more than four decades of navigating life without his dad, Noth became a father at 53. He welcomed his firstborn with Tara Wilson, his longtime girlfriend turned wife.

The duo met while the Canadian-born Wilson was working at "The Cutting Room," the actor's New York City bar. Before becoming parents, they partnered to own a business. The couple opened a tea house in Ontario, with Wilson as a partner while her husband was a part-owner.

On January 18, 2008, after welcoming their son, who weighed 7 lbs, and 10 oz, the couple gave him a special name, Orion. His birth was a miracle for them, as doctors had initially failed to find the baby's heartbeat in ultrasounds. According to Noth:

"They basically said, 'You're not going to have this baby. You're going to have a miscarriage.' She [Tara] went home and talked to the baby all night long, and the next day, [there was a] heartbeat. They said, 'You're having that baby.' So he's a warrior the way I look at it."

Despite becoming a dad at 53, Noth settled into fatherhood. During an appearance at the 16th Annual Elton John AIDS Foundation Oscar Viewing Party in West Hollywood, the "Sex and the City" star confessed that being with his son was "very fulfilling, very amazing."

The actor admitted they had help but were also involved in the late-night routine, including feeding and diaper change. Eight years into his fatherhood journey, he is still a hands-on dad, claiming to enjoy every moment of it — thanks to Orion, who inherited his humorous side. In his words:

"My son makes me laugh every day. He's got a little of my goofball in him. He still loves poop jokes. He'll text me poop emojis and then sign, 'Daddy, it's Orion,' and I'm like, 'I know!'"

Noth, a big fan of family time, knows how to have fun with his brood, indoors or outdoors. They all head out to different vacation sites to spend quality time and enjoy good food and clean air.

When it's in-house, the "Law & Order" star does not have a problem bonding with his son, whom he claims inspires him to stay youthful. In 2020, Noth revealed:

"The other day I was throwing my kid around on the bed…He loves to be thrown around, but he's not as light as he used to be! I lifted him up, threw him on the bed… I've got to stay young for him. He's a good inspiration to go to the gym."

On Becoming a Second-Time Dad

Even though Noth understood fatherhood following the birth of his first son, when his wife became pregnant with their second son, Keats, he was consumed with fear.

On an episode of the podcast, "Daddy Talk With Donna," the actor spoke about how he handled being a second-time dad, sharing:

"I was sort of petrified for a lot of the pregnancy. I kind of felt like… 'I am at the age where I didn't know if I could handle it.'"

But after Keats was born on February 18, 2020, the actor became overwhelmed with love. He acknowledged that his son made him cry. He was also charmed by how his wife bonded with their youngest son. Fortunately, Orion shared the emotions as he quickly settled into playing big brother.

While Noth is ever present for his teenage son Orion and his toddler Keats, the 68-year-old has his eye on his rock n' roll bar in New York and has not stopped featuring on hit shows, including "The Equalizer."

Becoming a second-time dad also allowed Noth to experience his family without missing any moment. The onscreen star confessed that when Orion was born, he was sometimes away due to work, but with Keats, he became more present.

Apart from being around his family, Noth appreciated the "day-by-day situation" of watching his youngest son discover the world. In the same podcast, the "Law & Order" star talked about how he quarantined with his family in their California home during the 2020 pandemic.

For him, being away from work and staying indoors with his brood—basking in the private scenery, which included reading to his boys, meant that he was raising them in a "cocoon of love."

Life as a 68-Year-Old Father

Shouldering his responsibilities as a dad to two boys has not been a cause of concern for Noth. Interestingly, the TV star has a schedule that gives him enough time to parent his kids and advance his career.

While Noth is ever present for his teenage son Orion and his toddler Keats, the 68-year-old has his eye on his rock n' roll bar in New York.

On the other hand, his sons value their time with him. Orion, who loves to shop for kicks, plays sports, and goes paintballing, is skilled at making his dad laugh, while Keats thrills his dad by playing with his toy collection tagged "Hurricane Keats."

Noth is overjoyed to give his kids what he never had for long — a dad, and while he may be aging, the actor has promised to stay fit to share and create more memories with his sons.