Dennis Quaid is widely recognized for his on-screen role as a father in The Parent Trap, but beyond Hollywood, he is a proud father of three in real life.
The actor welcomed his firstborn, Jack Quaid, in 1992 with his second wife, Meg Ryan. Over a decade later, he became a father again to twins Thomas and Zoe, born in 2007 with his third wife, Kimberly Buffington.
Quaid has spoken openly about how fatherhood has shaped his outlook on life. In a 2018 interview with PEOPLE, he shared that his definition of happiness revolves around his children’s well-being. As his kids have grown, he has cherished the time he spends with them, especially during their morning routine.
“Breakfast time and school drop-offs are my favorite moments,” Quaid revealed. “In the morning, they’re at their freshest. It’s when real bonding happens—talking about life before the day takes over. It’s much better than nighttime when bedtime excuses come out.”
His eldest son, Jack, has followed in his parents’ footsteps, establishing himself as an actor in major franchises like The Hunger Games and Scream, as well as the hit Amazon series The Boys.
When Jack first expressed an interest in acting, Quaid offered to connect him with an agent. However, Jack was determined to carve his own path. “I told him I’d help, but he wanted to do it himself,” Quaid said. “Now, I joke that maybe he could help me out a little!”
Jack Quaid: Following in His Parents’ Footsteps
Born on April 24, 1992, in Los Angeles, Jack Quaid is the son of Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan. The couple, married for one year at the time of Jack’s birth, later separated in 2000 and finalized their divorce in 2001.
Reflecting on his parents’ divorce, Jack admitted on the Allegedly with Theo Von & Matthew Cole Weiss podcast that it was a challenging experience at the age of eight. “It was a weird age for that to happen—you’re old enough to understand but young enough to still be naïve about it.”
Despite his unconventional upbringing, Jack emphasized that at home, his parents were just that—his parents. “It wasn’t like they were their movie characters at the dinner table. It was a normal household in that sense.”
From a young age, Jack exhibited a natural inclination for filmmaking. During an interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2020, Dennis Quaid recalled how Jack had a camera in his hands by age four, creating his own little films. “It was something he naturally gravitated toward—we never pushed him into it.”
Jack attended Crossroads School in Santa Monica, where he was president of the Bad Movie Club, and later studied at NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. He immersed himself in acting at the Experimental Theatre Wing and was a member of the sketch comedy group Hammerkatz.
Determined to make it on his own, Jack sought representation without his parents’ help and landed his first major role in The Hunger Games. He went on to star in HBO’s Vinyl and later gained widespread recognition for his role in The Boys.
Though his parents never gave him direct acting advice, Jack appreciated their support. “They never told me, ‘You need a backup plan.’ I was lucky to grow up in a house where my dreams were understood and encouraged.”
Jack is also a big brother to his father’s twins, Thomas and Zoe, as well as his mother’s adopted daughter, Daisy. Quaid once shared how meaningful this was to his eldest son. “Jack was really excited to have a younger brother, and I wanted a little girl—so we both got what we wanted.”
In a July 2023 interview, Jack reflected on his childhood, growing up on film sets. “I had friends with parents in the industry, so it didn’t feel unusual at the time. But as you get older, you realize having both parents in Hollywood is pretty unique.”
Dennis Quaid, always proud of his son, lightheartedly told ET in August 2024 that perhaps Jack should “reverse nepo” him and lend a hand in his career. “I’m just so proud of him. He’s making great choices—not just as an actor, but as a person, and that’s what matters most.”
