Ansel Elgort quietly welcomed his first baby, a son, after spending some time out of the spotlight.
“Fatherhood is exhilarating, exhausting, it’s everything and more,” Elgort, 31, captioned an Instagram post on Tuesday, February 10. “The present feels more present and the future brighter.”
The actor cradled his son, who was bundled up in what appeared to be a fleece swaddle, in the black-and-white image shared alongside the birth announcement. Elgort did not reveal his son’s name.
“He wakes us up all night and yet I’ve never felt stronger during the day. He goes from crying to laughing, expressing everything he feels and it’s freed me to do the same,” Elgort’s caption continued. “I wanted to keep it sacred, just for us, but now I want to share this story with you as it’s the brightest happiest thing I’ve ever experienced. I hope it brings you happiness too.”
Elgort also shared a video of himself playing a guitar in front of his son, who was being rocked in a baby carrier.
Nearly one month before Elgort’s confirmation, multiple outlets obtained photos of Elgort walking around New York City with a baby strapped to his chest. A source revealed to People at the time that the baby belonged to Elgort .
Elgort has stayed out of the spotlight over the years after being accused of sexual assault, making rare appearances following the controversy. He recently starred on two seasons of the HBO series Tokyo Vice, which ran from 2022 to 2024.
In June 2020, a woman claimed via X that Elgort assaulted her in 2014, one day after she turned 17. Elgort allegedly forced himself on the woman “instead of asking me if I wanted to stop having sex knowing it was my first time.” She claimed she didn’t tell anyone at the time of the incident “because he said it could ‘ruin his career.’”
“Years later I have PTSD, I have panic attacks, I go to therapy,” she continued. “I just want to heal and I want other girls who have been through the same s*** as me, you’re not alone. It’s a lot for me to even come on here and tell my story but I know it’s needed.”
Elgort addressed the allegations in a social media statement of his own.
“I was distressed to see the social media posts about me that have been circulating in the past 24 hours,” he wrote via Instagram at the time, claiming the alleged victim’s version of events was “simply not what happened.”
“I have never and would never assault anyone,” he added, explaining that they had a “brief, legal and entirely consensual relationship” in 2014.
“Unfortunately, I did not handle the breakup well. I stopped responding to her, which is an immature and cruel thing to do to someone,” he added. “I know this belated apology does not absolve me of my unacceptable behavior when I disappeared.”
His statement concluded: “As I look back at my attitude, I am disgusted and deeply ashamed of the way I acted. I am truly sorry. I know I must continue to reflect, learn, and work to grow in empathy.”
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
