From Hollywood to fatherhood! Garrett Hedlund, 35, is reportedly expecting his first child with his girlfriend Emma Roberts, much to fans’ delight. The Friday Night Lights star and the Unfabulous alum, 29, have been dating for a little over a year, and have been very private about their relationship, save for some sweet, sporadic PDA. You already know Garrett from some of your favorite films, but how about these five other facts?
1. He got his start playing Brad Pitt’s cousin. Yes, that was a 19-year-old Garrett playing Patroclus, Brad Pitt’s character’s young cousin in the epic war drama Troy. As if playing an Oscar-winner’s relative wasn’t indicative of a great career, Garrett followed it up with a slew of famous films, most famously: Four Brothers, Country Strong (which he sang on the soundtrack for), Friday Night Lights, Tron: Legacy, and more.
2. He was raised on a beef cattle farm in Minnesota. Garrett grew up in a remote area of Minnesota, near Wannaska. He moved to Arizona to live with his mother in 10th grade, and fostered a love of acting. He even saved his tips from working as a waiter to pay for an acting coach. At the same time, he also worked as a model for L.L. Bean and Teen magazine. He moved to Los Angeles to follow his acting dreams when he turned 18.
3. He could have been known for some very different roles. Garett obviously has a fantastic film career. But he has apparently turned down some very big roles in the past. The actor was reportedly asked to play Finnick in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in 2013. The role instead went to Sam Claflin. He was also up for Christian Grey in Fifty Shades of Grey. Jamie Dornan, of course, was ultimately given the honors. Garrett passed because “he couldn’t connect with the character,” The Hollywood Reporter said at the time.
4. He was in a longterm relationship with Kirsten Dunst. Garrett and the Fargo star dated for more than four years after meeting in 2011 on the set of their film, On the Road. Garrett revealed in an interview with Details that their first date was an early morning canoe ride, and it didn’t go well. “It was not a stable canoe,” he confessed. “We fell out and had to swim back in mucky, sh***y water, like golf-pond water.” The couple split in April 2016.
5. He started dating Emma in March 2019. Garrett and the American Horror Story star were first spotted out together on a date shortly after she split from on-again, off-again fiancé Evan Peters for the third time. Fast forward through a year of cute PDA, and Garrett and Emma are now expecting their first child together. Love is grand!