Rob Lowe has had a massively successful career in Hollywood, starting off as a member of the “Brat Pack” with such iconic 1980s films as The Outsiders, St. Elmo’s Fire, and About Last Night. He later scored a new legion of fans with his comedic roles in Tommy Boy and Parks and Recreation. Along the way, he even picked up an Emmy nomination for his work in the TV drama The West Wing. Next up, Rob is hosting the new FOX game show The Floor premiering January 2, 2024.
The former “bad boy” of Tinseltown also found success in his personal life. In July 2021, he celebrated his 30th wedding anniversary with his wife, Hollywood makeup artist Sheryl Berkoff. During their longtime romance, the adorable couple welcomed sons John Owen and Matthew.
Back in 2018, Rob gushed about being a father, saying it is his “proudest achievement” above any role he has ever taken in his storied career. “Raising those guys has been my favorite thing I’ve ever done,” he told Today. “They’re just great kids. Sheryl and I were both lucky that we had the wherewithal to spend a lot of time with them and be really involved and it’s paid off.”
Even though Rob’s a loving dad, he’s not immune to his kids occasionally making fun of him. His younger son has often trolled him on social media, and it later served as inspiration for their Netflix series Unstable, which premiered in 2023. Rob opened up about how the trolling led to the show during an April 2023 interview on The View. “The only thing that a parent has ever liked their kids doing on social media clearly happened to me. He trolled me, and it became a TV series,” he said. “He would make fun of me. People liked it. I liked it, and he came to me and said, ‘Dad, I wonder if there’s a show here.’ Over a few months, he tried to figure it out, and this is what we’ve come up with, and it’s been super fun.”
Find out more about both of Rob’s kids here.
Matthew Edward Lowe
Rob and Sheryl welcomed their first child, Matthew, in 1993. He would go on to follow in his father’s footsteps after graduating from Duke University in 2016. He and his younger brother John starred alongside their famous father in the A&E reality show The Lowe Files, which ran for one season in 2017 and followed the family trio digging up unsolved mysteries across the country.
While he appeared in several other television shows, Matthew also studied law at Loyola Law School in Los Angeles from 2016 to 2019. Last January, he gushed about how his father encourages him in all his ambitions. “[Whether it’s] me going off to college, or to law school, he’s always the cheerleader,” Matthew told People. “He’s the first one to do absolutely anything to help you succeed.”
Matthew also sung Rob’s praises when speaking about his little brother’s struggle with addiction, which Rob knows intimately, as he has recently celebrated over 30 years of sobriety. “The whole family rallied around [and] having someone who has such experience in the realm of sobriety to lead the charge was so invaluable,” Matthew said of his father and family stepping up for John.
John Owen Lowe
Two years after Matthew was born, Rob and Sheryl gave birth to son John Owen. He also went on to study at a university, choosing Standford in his home state of California. In addition to The Lowe Files, John also starred in the legal drama The Grinder alongside his father, playing Joel Zadak. He later went on to create the series Unstable with his dad, inspired by their relationship.
Like Matthew, John also has nothing but the highest praise for his dad. “When you consider what he went through in his 20s, his meteoric rise and some turbulence, and being in the public eye for decades… To come out a family man, a really, really good father, a really, really strong husband, and just a fun, kind guy to be around, that’s the day-to-day example he sets,” John told People in January.
As for his own battle with addiction, John thanks Rob for being by his side and helping him lead a healthy life. “On the most personal level possible, when I was struggling with addiction, he was always there for me,” he added to the outlet. “I credit that with being one, if not the main, reason that I’m sober and living a healthy lifestyle.”
Rob said sharing sobriety with his son is a “dream” during an April 2023 interview on The View. “As any parent will tell you, the road that a teenager, 20-something has with drugs and alcohol is a precarious one, and all you can really do is lead by example, and be there for when they’re ready, because they’re never going to do it for you, or for a job, or for a—never. It’s only when they want it. So I was super blessed that Johnny woke up one day and was like, ‘I’m ready,'” he said. “I feel blessed to be in a recovery club with my son.”