The celeb dads having kids later in life, from Al Pacino to Robert de Niro

Al Pacino has opened up about becoming a new father again in his 80s, almost a year and a half after he welcomed his fourth child with his former partner Noor Alfallah.

The Hollywood star, 84, shares 16-month-old Roman with Alfallah, 29. Pacino and Alfallah are no longer a couple, but they co-parent. In a new interview with the BBC, the Godfather star said "it's fun" to be a new dad, as everything Roman does is "interesting" to him.

It comes as Pacino has released his autobiography, titled Sonny Boy. He said his youngest son is "part of the reason" he wrote it, explaining: "I want to be around for this child. And I hope I am. I hope I stay healthy, and he knows who his dad is, of course."

The actor also shares a daughter, Julie Marie, 33, with ex-girlfriend Jan Tarrant, and twins Anton and Olivia, 22, with actor Beverly D’Angelo.

Pacino is far from alone as an older dad. We take a look at other celebrities who have welcomed children later in life.

Older celebrity dads

Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro, 79, revealed he had welcomed his seventh child last year. The Oscar-winning actor shared the news during an interview with ET Canada about his forthcoming film About My Father.

Asked about being a father-of-six, he corrected the reporter, saying: "Seven, actually … I just had a baby."

Representatives for De Niro later confirmed the happy news to PA.

Bernie Ecclestone

Bernie Ecclestone had his fourth child in 2020 at the grand age of 89. The former Formula One boss and his wife, Fabiana Flosi, then 44, welcomed a son.

"We have a son named Ace. I am so proud," he told Blick magazine about the new arrival.

Ecclestone already has three daughters with his previous partners.

Michael Sheen

Michael Sheen, 54, became a father for a second and third time in his 50s after welcoming two children with his girlfriend Anna Lundberg, 27, who shared the news on Instagram.

The Twilight actor is already father to a 24-year-old daughter, Lily Mo, whom he shares with actor and former girlfriend Kate Beckinsale.

Simon Cowell

It’s safe to say the world was pretty surprised when news broke that Simon Cowell was expecting his first child at 54.

The media mogul welcomed his first son, Eric, with partner Lauren Silverman back in 2014. And despite being in his seventh decade, the 63-year-old hasn’t ruled out the idea of adding to his brood.

Hugh Grant

At 51, Hugh Grant swapped bachelorhood for babyhood after becoming a first-time father to daughter, Tabitha, now 11, in September 2011 with his then on-off girlfriend Tinglan Hong.

Son Felix came along two years later. He may have been late to fatherhood, but Hugh has since become a dab hand and, at 62, is now a father-of-five after welcoming three more children with wife Anna Eberstein.

Alec Baldwin

Alec Baldwin hasn't let being in his sixties put him off adding to his brood. The actor, 65, and his wife Hilaria Baldwin share seven children together, having recently welcomed their youngest daughter Ilaria Catalina Irena in September 2022.

The couple's other children include – Carmen, nine, Rafael Thomas, eight, Leonardo, six, and Romeo, four, Euduardo, two, Lucia, two, Maria Lucia, also two (born via surrogate) and Ilaria, eight months. Baldwin also has a 27-year-old daughter, Ireland, with ex-wife Kim Basinger.

George Clooney

George Clooney, now 62, had only just blown out the candles on his 56th birthday cake when he welcomed twins Ella and Alexander with wife Amal Clooney in 2017.

Jeff Goldblum

The Jurassic World star, 70, became a first-time father at 62 when he and wife Emilie Livingston welcomed a son Charlie Ocean in 2015.

Undeterred by being an older father, the couple went on to have another son, River Joe, in 2017.

Chris Noth

Sex and the City and The Good Wife star Chris Noth, now 68, was 53 when he became a dad for the first time after welcoming a son, Orion in 2008, with partner Tara Lynn Wilson.

When discussing his late entrance to fatherhood, the actor claims he simply wasn’t ready before.

Sir Elton John

Elton John, 76, was already well into his sixties when became a father for the first time, welcoming Zachary in 2011 via a surrogate with husband David Furnish. The couple became parents for a second time to Elijah in 2013. Elton loves dad life so much he said he “regrets it a little bit not starting sooner”.

Mick Jagger

Mick Jagger welcomed his eighth child in December 2017 at the age of 73.

His son, Deveraux Octavian Basil, whom he shares with girlfriend Melanie Hamrick, joins Jagger’s three older sons, James, Gabriel, Lucas and daughters Karis, Jade, Elizabeth and Georgia May. Believe it or not, the frontman also has five grandchildren and even became a great-grandfather in May 2014.

Ronnie Wood

Joining his bandmate, Rolling Stones legend Ronnie Wood, 75, also had a child late in life. He and his wife Sally Humphreys, who is 31 years his junior, saw twin girls join the clan just two days before his 69th birthday. Wood also has four adult children from previous relationships.

Rod Stewart

There must be something about rock stars having babies in later life. Just after Rod Stewart welcomed his youngest, son Aiden, at the age of 66 in 2011, his daughter, Kimberly, made him a grandfather.

Anton Du Beke

In 2020, Anton Du Beke, now 56, opened up about the "gruelling" IVF process he and his wife went through before the birth of their twins .

The couple welcomed twins, George and Henrietta, in March 2017, when the Strictly Come Dancing professional was 50.

Clint Eastwood

Clint Eastwood, now 93, was also 66 when he had his seventh child, Morgan, with his second wife Dina Ruiz. Morgan Eastwood is now 26.

Paul McCartney

The former Beatles singer, fathered daughter Beatrice with ex-wife Heather Mills when he was 61.

Additional reporting PA.

Watch: Robert De Niro talks about surprise new baby and it never gets easier

Read more about parenting:

• Being an older parent has its pros and cons. I'm financially stable, but my kids will get less time with their grandparents. (Business Insider, 4-min read)

• The rise of pregnancies in women over 40 as Kourtney Kardashian welcomes baby boy (Yahoo Life UK, 5-min read)

• I'm A Parenting Expert, This Is Why It's So Exhausting Raising Kids Right Now (HuffPost, 4-min read)