Actors Who Chose Not to Have Children

Some well-known actors have spoken openly about not wanting to become parents, sharing clear reasons in interviews, books, stand-up sets, and long-form profiles. Their explanations range from protecting their privacy and prioritizing work to believing they wouldn’t be fully present as caregivers. In each case, their comments were explicit enough to make their stance part of the public record.

Below are 15 actors who have publicly said they don’t want children. For each, you’ll find what they’ve actually said on the topic along with a quick look at the work they’re best known for—so you can place the quote in context without guessing.

Seth Rogen

Seth Rogen has repeatedly said he and his wife, Lauren Miller Rogen, don’t want children, explaining on multiple occasions that they’re happy and fulfilled without becoming parents and that the lifestyle trade-offs wouldn’t suit them. In a widely covered radio interview, he said parenting “does not sound fun to me,” and he has echoed the same point in later conversations, noting that being child-free lets him focus on creative projects and philanthropy.

Rogen is known for films like ‘Superbad’, ‘Pineapple Express’, and ‘This Is the End’, as well as the animated series ‘Invincible’. He’s also a producer and director, and he’s co-founded Hilarity for Charity, which supports Alzheimer’s care and research. His public comments about remaining child-free often appear alongside broader discussions of work-life balance and creative productivity.

Ricky Gervais

Ricky Gervais has said for years that he doesn’t want kids, offering a few reasons in interviews and stand-up: concern about overpopulation, a preference for his current lifestyle, and a belief that parenthood simply isn’t for him. He’s also described how he and longtime partner Jane Fallon agreed early on that they wouldn’t pursue parenthood.

Gervais created and starred in ‘The Office’, ‘Extras’, and ‘After Life’, and he’s released several Netflix stand-up specials. When asked about children during press for those projects, he has kept the answer consistent—he doesn’t plan to have them and feels his life is complete without that step.

Christopher Walken

Christopher Walken has been frank that he chose not to have children, explaining that he wanted to devote his time to acting and that his career might have unfolded differently had he been a parent. He has framed the decision as deliberate rather than circumstantial.

Walken’s long career spans ‘The Deer Hunter’, ‘Catch Me If You Can’, and the TV series ‘Severance’. When discussing longevity in a demanding profession, he has pointed to remaining child-free as one factor that allowed him to take risks, travel for work, and accept unpredictable schedules.

John Cena

John Cena—an actor as well as a professional wrestler—has been explicit in interviews that he doesn’t want children, saying he doesn’t believe he could give the time and attention great parenting requires. He has described the decision as thoughtful and rooted in self-knowledge about his priorities and workload.

As an actor, Cena has appeared in ‘Blockers’, ‘The Suicide Squad’, and the series ‘Peacemaker’. When promoting those projects, he has reiterated that he’s content without becoming a parent and that the choice allows him to focus on performance, training, and charitable work.

Ian McKellen

Sir Ian McKellen has said that he never expected to have children and has spoken candidly about not pursuing fatherhood. In interviews, he has connected that decision to the era he grew up in as a gay man and to a personal sense that parenting was not part of his path.

McKellen is celebrated for roles in ‘The Lord of the Rings’, ‘X-Men’, and on the West End and Broadway. When questions about family come up in longer profiles, he typically reiterates that he’s at peace with his decision and that it allowed him to commit fully to stage and screen work.

Rupert Everett

Rupert Everett has long stated he doesn’t want to be a father, remarking that he’s content as an attentive godfather and that parenthood never felt like the right fit. In press over the years he has been clear that the choice was intentional rather than something he drifted into.

Everett is known for ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’, ‘An Ideal Husband’, and his biographical film ‘The Happy Prince’. When reflecting on his career and personal life in interviews and memoirs, he’s maintained that not having children aligned with how he wanted to live and work.

Ralph Fiennes

Ralph Fiennes has publicly pushed back on the idea that not having children is “selfish,” making it clear that he did not pursue parenthood and that the choice shouldn’t carry stigma. He has discussed the topic directly when asked in long-form interviews.

Fiennes has starred in ‘Schindler’s List’, ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’, and the ‘Harry Potter’ series, and he frequently works in theatre as an actor and director. His comments about being child-free have appeared in the same profiles that explore his approach to intense roles and rigorous stage commitments.

Jared Leto

Jared Leto has said in interviews that he doesn’t want kids “right now” and has emphasized that parenting would require a presence he can’t offer while balancing music and acting. He’s repeatedly explained that his schedule and focus make him disinclined to take on that responsibility.

Leto is known for ‘Dallas Buyers Club’, ‘Blade Runner 2049’, and leading Thirty Seconds to Mars. When the subject of family arises in press tours, he tends to repeat a consistent message: he does not plan to have children given his current life and work, and he’s comfortable with that stance.

Crispin Glover

Crispin Glover has spoken about not wanting children because he couldn’t be as present as he believes a parent should be, given his travel and work patterns. He has described the decision as grounded in practicality and respect for what parenting demands.

Glover’s credits include ‘Back to the Future’, ‘River’s Edge’, and ‘Willard’, as well as directing independent features. In interviews tied to those projects, he has connected his child-free choice to creative independence, touring commitments, and the ability to pursue unconventional roles.

Marc Maron

Marc Maron—an actor as well as a stand-up and podcast host—has said he decided not to have kids, often linking that decision to anxiety, lifestyle, and an honest assessment of whether he wanted the responsibility. He’s discussed the topic both onstage and in interviews.

As an actor, Maron appeared in ‘GLOW’, ‘Joker’, and ‘To Leslie’. When profiles touch on his personal life, he reiterates that remaining child-free was a considered choice that suits his temperament and the way he structures his creative work.

Bill Maher

Bill Maher has repeatedly stated that he doesn’t want children, a point he has made for decades in interviews and onstage. He’s framed the choice as consistent with his views on independence and how he prefers to spend his time.

Maher has acted in films and TV while primarily known for hosting ‘Real Time with Bill Maher’ and ‘Politically Incorrect’. When asked about family life over the years, he has kept the message straightforward—that he doesn’t plan to become a parent and is comfortable with that decision.

Stephen Fry

Stephen Fry has said he does not have children and has reflected openly on that fact in interviews, calling it a path he ultimately accepted. While he has spoken about what might have been in a different life, he has also explained that parenthood was not something he pursued.

Fry’s acting and narration work spans ‘Wilde’, ‘V for Vendetta’, ‘Blackadder’, and ‘QI’. In wide-ranging profiles about his career and personal history, he has addressed the subject of children directly and consistently, noting that his life and work took a different course.

John Cusack

John Cusack has explained in interviews that he chose not to marry or have children, describing it as a deliberate personal decision. He has remarked that the demands of his career and his preferences made that choice a better fit for him.

Cusack is known for ‘Say Anything…’, ‘Grosse Pointe Blank’, and ‘High Fidelity’. When the topic of family arises in long-form conversations about his career and activism, he has given a clear, consistent answer that he opted out of parenthood by choice.

Keanu Reeves

Keanu Reeves has addressed questions about children by saying he doesn’t expect to have them and has spoken about letting go of that idea as his life unfolded. His comments have been presented as a settled personal outlook rather than as a temporary pause.

Reeves’ filmography includes ‘The Matrix’, ‘John Wick’, and ‘Speed’. In interviews that touch on his private life, he has indicated that he does not anticipate becoming a parent, and that perspective sits alongside his broader reflections on work, loss, and privacy.

Henry Rollins

Henry Rollins—who has acted in films and TV in addition to his work in music and spoken word—has publicly said he doesn’t want kids, explaining that his temperament and lifestyle aren’t conducive to parenthood. He’s framed it as a clear, intentional decision.

Rollins’ acting credits include appearances in ‘Sons of Anarchy’, ‘He Never Died’, and ‘The Legend of Korra’. Across interviews and essays, he’s kept the same message: he respects parenting but chose a different route for himself.

Share your thoughts: which other actors have clearly said they don’t want kids? Drop your picks in the comments!