Penn Badgley and his wife, Domino Kirke, came close to separating after enduring two devastating miscarriages, the “You” star revealed in his new book of essays, Crushmore: Essays on Love, Loss, and Coming-of-Age.
“This was our second loss together. A time when it did not feel as though the cycle would break,” Badgley, 39, wrote. “My wife and I neared separation as many do after losses like that.”
The actor explained that the strain was compounded by a feeling of isolation, as the couple navigated grief in a culture “that doesn’t talk much about these things or know how to support those going through it.”
“Seeing our still baby in that tripped-out black-and-white sono imagery is a dreadful memory I can’t shake every time we go for a sonogram now,” he added.
On the Totally Booked podcast, Badgley emphasized the importance of talking more openly about miscarriages. “That sort of loss is really common, and we should — I don’t know if talking about it alone is what we need,” he said. “We at least need to start by talking about it more … They do happen all the time, and they can be really, really painful. Well, I would say they universally are painful. Maybe not everybody’s fully allowed to feel that way.”
Though the exact timing of the miscarriages remains private, the couple are parents to son James, born in August 2020. Kirke also gave birth to twin sons in September, sharing her surprise and joy in a February Instagram announcement. “Spontaneous twins are beyond magical,” she wrote. Kirke is also mother to a son, Cassius, from a previous relationship.
“It’s funny because I wrote this before the twins were born, and now I feel like I am — and I mean this with love — but I feel like I’m drowning in children,” Badgley said. “So, it’s harder to get in touch with that feeling of loss because my cup truly runneth over.”
Despite the heartbreak, Badgley expressed gratitude that they did not succumb to the “gravity” of separating. The couple, who began dating in 2014, married in February 2017 at a New York courthouse and renewed their vows that June.
ALSO READ: Tekashi 6ix9ine’s Mother Held at Gunpoint During Armed Break-In at Florida Home
