Sterling K. Brown is opening up about the unique reason he chooses to share his children’s faces online. The This Is Us star, 49, revealed during an appearance on Dax Shepard’s Armchair Expert podcast that his decision is rooted in safety concerns for his sons, Andrew, 14, and Amaré, 10.
While Shepard and Kristen Bell keep their daughters’ identities private to allow them anonymity, Brown explained why his approach differs. “Your children are obviously White. My children are Black. I feel like the more I put them on social, the safer they are,” he said. “Any proximity that Black boys can have to some sort of celebrity or access or whatnot. I’m trying to make sure they make it home.”
Balancing Fame and Family
Brown emphasized that while he shares his children online, he enforces strict boundaries in public. “We have a policy of no pictures. And the policy is because they deserve to have a regular night out. It’s their time,” he explained. At events where photos are expected, he allows it, but at everyday outings like soccer games, he asks fans to respect his role as “just a dad.”
Public Reaction
His comments sparked discussion online, with many acknowledging the racial realities behind his choice. One Reddit user wrote, “I regularly silently judge celebrities for putting their children in the public eye, without considering how being white allows me to believe it’s a choice for everyone.” Another added, “It’s sad that he chooses to show his children on social media so that they are protected by his celebrity [status], if they are ever racially profiled and targeted by law enforcement.”
Family Life
Brown, who shares his sons with wife Ryan Michelle Bathe, has previously spoken about how his children view his career. He told E! News that his kids are unfazed by seeing his face on billboards. “They’re used to it,” he said, joking that his youngest thinks he’s “slightly cool,” while his oldest refuses to admit it.
A Thoughtful Approach
By sharing his children’s faces online, Brown hopes to use his visibility to protect them while still giving them as normal a childhood as possible. His comments highlight the different realities faced by families of color and the ways celebrity status can intersect with safety concerns.
