James Badgley Is Penn Badgley's First Son with Domino Kirke

Penn Badgley already had some experience as a step-father to his wife's older son before welcoming his first biological child, James Badgley. The youngster will celebrate his third birthday later this year.

Penn Badgley rose to fame after starring as Dan Humphrey in the popular drama series "Gossip Girl." While his character on the show was beloved, his most recent and riveting performance as Joe in Netflix's "You" brought a massive surge of new fans.

The actor's new supporters also became curious about his personal life, a few glimpses of which he has allowed. He welcomed his first biological son, James Badgley, with his wife, Domino Kirke, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in August 2020.

James' parents have taken care not to share his pictures online, as he doesn't appear on any of their social accounts. Still, his dad has shared a few details about how it felt to become a father simultaneously as Joe with Love, played by Victoria Pedretti, on "You."

Penn's Fatherhood Experience Gave Him a New Objective

The opening scenes of Season 3 of "You" saw Joe and Love looking after their newborn baby; it mimicked a new milestone in Penn and Domino's life as they were also tending to a new life, James, they'd recently welcomed.

In October 2021, a few months after James celebrated his first birthday, Penn sat down with InStyle and chatted about his newfound fatherhood. Much like his character, Penn was new to being a dad, as he explained:

"I don't know what it's like to be at least a biological father outside of the pandemic. It's just been us, my wife and I, taking care of him."

He added that because of the isolation brought by the COVID-19 lockdowns, he and Domino having James to themselves was a thrill. There was "joy and lightness" in how they connected with the youngster. Regardless, Penn admitted, though he didn't specify, that there were some challenges.

James Has a Brother from Mom's Previous Relationship

Before James' parents met, his mom welcomed a son, Cassius Riley, in 2009 with her former lover Morgan O'Kane. She told Penn about Cassius early in their relationship, which she never thought would lead to marriage.

The couple met sometime in 2014, but they kept their romance private and tied the knot during two separate ceremonies in 2017. They had a courthouse ceremony in Brooklyn and celebrated their union at a reception held in upstate NY several months later.

Sharing Family Time

In August 2021, James enjoyed a beach day in the Hamptons with his parents. Penn, who wore blue beach shorts, a teal cap, and sandals, was seen trudging the shores as he carried a white tote bag and water bottle with baby James strapped to a carrier on his back.

Domino also took a dip in the water before covering herself up with a towel. Before then, she carried James while they made their way to the beach, donning a colorful patterned dress with strap-on sandals and sporting a messy bun.

Domino Shares Sweet Family Moments

Last year in February, she celebrated her fifth wedding anniversary with a sweet tribute on Instagram, sharing a wedding photo of herself and Penn, who previously dated Ryan Reynolds's wife, Blake Lively. The previous month, she celebrated a young girl's birthday, who had turned 11.

Domino referred to her as "Madame President" and "Goddy," but the nature of their relationship is unclear. However, the nickname "Goddy" may indicate that the pre-teen is her godchild. She also concluded the caption with the hashtag "#chosenfamily."

Later, in April, Domino penned a heartfelt post reflecting on her birth experiences and expressed great gratitude for delivering via c-section. She revealed that she had been sexually assaulted at six years old, and giving birth through C-section gave her long-awaited relief, as she added:

"Since my first was born, parenthood has called me to work on myself like it's a full-time job. I believe my two birth experiences were night and day because, this time, I woke up to myself. I invited myself to the party. Thank God for my C birth."

The mother of two didn't clarify which of her sons she spoke of; however, it's likely her youngest son. In July, she poked fun at her husband, saying, "Spot the husband of a childbirth educator," alongside a photo of him sitting cross-legged while carrying a baby doll.