Julia Stiles reveals she secretly welcomed third child with husband Preston Cook

Julia Stiles and her husband Ben Cook have privately welcomed their third child.

The 43-year-old actor revealed that she welcomed her baby a few months ago during an interview withThe New York Times, published on 3 April. “I’m kind of like a bundle of emotions, because I have a five-month-old baby and I went into directing my first movie,” she said.

Stiles is now a mother of three, as she and Cook also have two sons, Strummer, six, and Arlo, two.

Speaking to the NYT, she noted that while directing her first-ever movie, Wish You Were Here, she kept the news of her third child under wraps. She also acknowledged that she never publicly revealed that she was pregnant, adding: “I didn’t really talk about it.”

However, the 10 Things I Hate About You star still expressed she’s happy to be a parent again, before opening up about the professional skills she’s gained over the years through motherhood.

“I think that actually being a mom is really great training for being a director,” she said. “You have to think 10 steps ahead but also be in the present moment. You have to be good at time management. You have to be sensitive to people’s needs and guide them, but also hold a boundary.”

She went on to address how she’s had a busy schedule lately, as a mother and first-time director. “I am running on fumes in terms of sleep,” she said. “But I feel more energised than I ever have.”

Stiles and her husband first tied the knot in 2017, while she was pregnant with her first child. In January 2022, she took to Instagram to reveal that she and Cook had welcomed their second child.

“Welcome to the world, Baby Arlo! The newest addition to our family, reminding me how infinite love can be,” she wrote in the caption of the post, which included a photo of her baby’s feet.

“Scroll Forward to see how my four year old is taking it…,” she added, while also sharing a photo of a toilet covered in red marker.

Stiles has previously opened up about balancing her career and responsibilities as a mother. During an interview with People in February 2019, she described how special it is to come home to her children after a day at work.

“One of the most remarkable things is that, in many ways, having my attention focused on my son has made me a better actress because I don’t come home every night dwelling on every little scene, every little line, and obsessing over my work,” she said. “It takes your focus off [the work], which makes you better [in the moment].”