Gabourey Sidibe Became a Happy Mother at 40 — Meet Her Twins, Who Are a 'Beautiful Blend' of Both Parents

At 40, the actress embraced motherhood for the first time, welcoming twins with husband Brandon Frankel and proving that love, partnership, and family can bloom beautifully at any stage in life.

Gabourey Sidibe first captured the world's attention with her breakout role in the 2009 drama "Precious," instantly establishing herself as a powerful force in Hollywood. She went on to deliver standout performances in projects like "Empire" and "American Horror Story."

But beyond the silver screen, the actress has built a beautiful life with her husband. Then, at 40, the beloved star stepped into a new role — motherhood. Take a look inside her marriage and meet the adorable twins who've already stolen hearts.

A Match Made by Fate

Sidibe married branding expert Brandon Frankel in March 2021, but their love story began long before that. Like many modern romances, theirs started with a swipe — one that changed both their lives.

Frankel had been married once before, in his mid-twenties. After that relationship ended, he was skeptical about finding lasting love again, especially in a digital dating world he didn't feel part of.

"I never internet dated or had to use any of those apps," he explained. "I told myself, 'I'm out. I'm done. I'll retire.'" But curiosity — or maybe fate — led him to try the exclusive dating app Raya, where he swiped "yes" on everyone.

Sidibe, who had only just joined the app, swiped "yes" on just one person — Brandon. After a few messages — during which Frankel briefly wondered if he was being catfished — the two met for a first date that lasted more than seven hours.

The "Empire" star offered a powerful look at how transformative love can be.

The spark was undeniable. Still, it took time for the actress to fully open up. "I have a real fight-or-flight personality," she admitted. "I was kind of dodgy and scared quite a lot in the very beginning of our relationship."

It wasn't until the pandemic forced the world to slow down that she began to trust the connection. "I really realized that like, this guy's not going to disappear, you know? And my big fear was that, if I loved him, he would just poof and disappear," she shared.

Thus, Sidibe leaned into the relationship — one that, by her own words, felt unlike anything she had imagined. "I think I always, always wanted there to be a partner in my life, [but] I didn't know what he was going to look like or what he was going to be like at all," she revealed. The Hollywood star reflected on past relationships and how they shaped her limited expectations of love:

"I couldn't imagine dating someone I actually liked. Turns out, totally possible! [...] [Brandon] is an incredible, incredible partner."

By 2021, they were officially husband and wife. However, for Sidibe, marriage wasn't just about the spectacle — it was about partnership. "To me, weddings are very different from marriage and partnership," she said.

Fast forward to March 2025, and the couple celebrated their fourth wedding anniversary. Reflecting on their journey, the "Empire" star offered a powerful look at how transformative love can be.

"When you talk about radical love, what I realized was — and it's going to sound selfish — but I realized that I liked who I was when I was with him," she shared in February 2025. "I liked the ways that I got to grow through loving him and being loved by him."

She continued, "I did not know that the person who I am today existed. And she only exists because of how much he loves me. Isn't that crazy? I would have punched myself in the face 10 years ago." With a smile, she added, "My husband's the guy, just that guy."

Introducing Her Beautiful Twins

After celebrating years of marriage, Sidibe and Frankel took the next big step in their journey together — parenthood. On February 27, 2024, the actress announced via Instagram that she was expecting not one, but two babies.

In a humorous and heartwarming post, she wrote, "I'm pregnant! We thought it was time to give our cats some responsibility so we're giving them each a baby to take care of! Double the babies, double the cats, double the fun!! Twin Delivery coming soon! Twinty Twinty Four!!"

The twins, a boy and a girl named Cooper and Maya, arrived in April 2024. Sidibe was 40 years old at the time, entering motherhood with gratitude, humor, and awe.

The couple introduced the bundles of joy to the world in June on Instagram, sharing a joyful update alongside sweet photos. "Welcome to the world Cooper and Maya!" the post started, adding:

"Our babies arrived in April and brought so much life and excitement into our existence. They are sweet and funny and love cuddling with us and are developing a beautiful sibling-hood with each other."

"These last 2 months with them have been so fun getting to know their distinct personalities and figuring out the silly things we can do to make them laugh and it's been absolute Heaven. We are so grateful and honored to be their parents," the post continued.

While the bond between the twins is now undeniable, Sidibe revealed it took some time to form.

By February 2025, the twins were ten months old and growing fast. During an appearance at Essence's Black Women In Hollywood Awards, Sidibe shared a candid update about life with Cooper and Maya and their first birthday on the horizon.

"Them babies don't know what's going on, nothing. They don't know nothing 'bout nothing," she joked. While the couple opted not to throw a big party for their twins' first birthday, the actress hinted at something more intimate.

"We might give them cake, but also they're so little they would throw up a cake," she said with a laugh. "So we'll take them out, probably get them a present...We'll really get into it for probably that third birthday."

Weeks later, in early April, Sidibe opened up even more about the twins' milestones. "They're just like little cartoons," she told E! News, adding:

"They just started walking and toddling around and they're so funny. They're like, learning words. And they're just so smart. I'm so obsessed with them. I really am."

According to the actress, her daughter was already running, waving, and blowing kisses. Meanwhile, her son had shown a surprising talent for music. "My son sings," she shared. "It's the nuttiest thing you've ever seen — a baby that young, doing vocal scales."

While the bond between the twins is now undeniable, Sidibe revealed it took some time to form. "They don't even notice that there's another baby there. But my daughter noticed my son at two months, and at three months, they started holding hands every time they were near each other," she recalled.

"So their bond started really, really quickly, which is really, really beautiful to watch," the "Precious" star added. Then, on April 16, 2025, Sidibe and Frankel celebrated their twins' first birthday.

In a heartfelt Instagram tribute, he wrote in part, "HAPPY HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY COOPER & MAYA!!! Can't believe a whole year of loving you has gone by. You make your Mom and me so proud every single day!"

"Coop is Daddy's twin and Maya looks like Mommy and Daddy. Adorable photos 🥰🥰," one netizen commented on another post of the previous twins. Another person shared, "Omg they are growing sooo fast! Gorgeous babies🥰."

A third person wrote, "They are a beautiful blend of both of you…🥰," while a fourth typed, "OMG, they are the cutest 😍!!! What fun you guys are going to have, enjoy!!!❤️"

A fifth person wrote, "Adorable. I can't believe how big they have gotten," while another remarked, "One is for mummy and one is for daddy how cutesy 😍🥰."

As fans continued to shower the family with love, Sidibe was also carving out a new chapter professionally. Now a mother of two, she returned to work, starring in the Lifetime film "Give Me Back My Daughter."

It marked her first time playing a mom on screen — a role the actress embraced with newfound depth and personal resonance. "I've been a mom for about a year, so obviously I'm a pro at it," she joked, adding:

"But I really like the idea of diving into the role of having a child and doing everything that I can to provide for that child because it's not far off from who I am. It certainly isn't at all far off from the way I was raised."

She credited her own upbringing — raised by a single mother — as inspiration. Still, balancing career and motherhood hasn't always been easy. "Motherhood is so consuming," she admitted.

Sidibe also spoke candidly about the challenges of asking for help. "It took me a bit of time to even admit that," she said. "Because I want to feel like, 'Oh, I'm strong. I got it. It's not that hard. People have babies every day.'"

Fortunately, even while filming in Atlanta with her babies in Los Angeles, she was able to have her children close. Thanks to a supportive crew, the actress made time for nightly FaceTime calls, singing lullabies and sharing bedtime routines virtually. "So, I kind of kept them with me anyway," she said.

Gabourey Sidibe's journey from acclaimed actress to devoted wife and mother shows a life full of growth, love, and purpose. With her husband by her side and their twins lighting up their world, she's embracing this new chapter with the same heart and humor that made her a star.