Sophie Kodjoe, Nicole Ari Parker, Boris Kodjoe and Nicolas Kodjoe attend Boris Kodjoe’s 50th Birthday Party at Hotel Bel-Air on March 11, 2023 in Los Angeles, California.Photo:Arnold Turner/Getty
Arnold Turner/Getty
Boris KodjoeandNicole Ari Parkerare in awe of their two kids: Sophie and Nicolas.
TheStation 19alum andAnd Just Like That…star became parents for the first time when they welcomed their daughter Sophie in March 2005. The following fall, their family was completed with the birth of their son Nicolas in October 2006.
Fatherhood changed everything for Boris. “Once you become a parent, you’re introduced to a whole new level of emotion,” he told PEOPLE in 2007. “I want to do well and conquer the world for them, like Superman. It’s as if a whole new chamber in my heart has opened up.”
Though the family had no shortage of love, there were learning moments along the way. As an infant,Sophie was diagnosed with spina bifida, a condition that occurs when the spine and spinal cord don’t form properly, according to theMayo Clinic. Boris and Parker had to quickly learn how to care for a child with a disability, and it inspired them to start a charity, now called theKodjoe Family Foundation.
Nearly 20 years later, Sophie is healthy and thriving as a college student, while Nicolas is a professional basketball player in Europe — and the actors feel “lucky.”
“To me, my family is beautiful because everyone is kind, " Boris told PEOPLE in 2019 for The Beautiful Issue. “They’re compassionate, they’re considerate.”
Even now that they are grown up, family time remains a top priority for the Kodjoes. Whether they’re dancing together onParker’s Instagram, enjoyingelectronic-free home-cooked mealsorcelebrating big milestones, they find ways to stay connected.
Here’s everything to know about Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker’s kids: Sophie and Nicolas.
Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker with their daughter Sophie Tei Naaki Lee Kodjoe at the Ms. Foundation for Women 2023 Women of Vision Awards on May 16, 2023 in New York City.ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty
ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty
Boris and Parker welcomed their daughter Sophie Tei-Naaki Lee Kodjoe on March 5, 2005.
After the birth, the pair learned that Sophie had spina bifida, and they leaned on each other while they navigated the unexpected chapter. “We had to come together as a new couple,” Parker told PEOPLE in 2009. “We went from a fairy tale to the fast track.”
In the midst of adjusting to parenthood, the actors were set to get married in Boris’ hometown in Germany after they got engaged the previous year in 2004. A3-month-old Sophie joined themat the ceremony before they returned to the U.S. for surgery.
Though her early childhood involved multiple procedures, catheter use, supplements and acupuncture, Sophie was full of joy and an active child. “Her personality surprises us every day,” Boris told PEOPLE at the time. “She’s just sunshine; she’s so bubbly.”
Parker added, “After all the crying we’ve done, to hear the giggles, it’s like heaven.”
The experience led Boris and Parker to start an organization in 2008, originally called the Sophie’s Voice Foundation, but later renamed tothe Kodjoe Family Foundation. It focuses on the research and education of spina bifida, plus “some of Sophie and Nicolas’ social and cultural activism interests,” according to its website.
In the fall of 2023,Sophie began her freshman yearat Howard University in Washington D.C. — across the country from where she grew up in Los Angeles. The adjustment was bittersweet for her parents, whoenjoy more freedombut still miss her.
Boris Kodjoe with daughter Sophie.Boris Kodjoe/Instagram
Boris Kodjoe/Instagram
The next year, Sophie officially made her entry into high society in November 2024 at Le Bal des Débutantes in Paris, alongsideother celebrity kidslikeGwyneth PaltrowandChris Martin’s daughter,Apple Martin.
“At first I was like, ‘What do we know about debutante ball?’ " Sophie told PEOPLE when her mom brought up the idea. “[Parker] likes to say I live in my sweatpants … It was a bit foreign to me. But thenI heard princess and I was sold. Since I was five, I was like, I’ve always wanted to wear the big dress and dance and have high tea. And so I was like, this is something that I have to do.”
The preparation comprised rehearsals, photoshoots, dance lessons, fittings and more. While the big night included special moments with both her parents, likea Waltz with her dad.
The celebration moved Boris. “To see her spread her wings, so to speak, in all of her grace and glory and beauty and her personality come out this way on this stage, it was tremendous,” he told PEOPLE. “It was very, very emotional. A lot of tears. Tears of joy, tears of melancholy as she takes the first steps into this big, big life. It’s amazing. It was really, really great.”
Though she had a great time, Sophie didn’t expect the experience to change her everyday life.
“As soon as Le Bal was done, I went right back to my subjects,” she said. I will not forget it at all. And hopefully I can start, I guess, putting myself out [there].”
When she’s not spending time with her family or attending classes, Sophie enjoys doing intricate nail designs and sharing themon Instagram.
Boris Kodjoe with his kids Sophie and Nico.Nicole Ari Parker/Instagram
Nicole Ari Parker/Instagram
Boris and Parker welcomed their son Nicolas Neruda Kodjoe on Oct. 31, 2006.
Born only one year apart, Sophie and Nicolas were close growing up, and when it was time for her to leave for college, their mom knew it was “going to be a big adjustment” for him.
“Their rooms are right next to each other. We moved into this house when they were little, so they still share a Jack and Jill bathroom,” Parker told PEOPLE in 2023. “I feel sorry for Nicolas now with all of her makeup and hair products on his side of the bathroom, but he’s going to miss that.”
For his part, Nicolas is an accomplished athlete. He played for Germany’s U16 National Basketball Team at the 2022 Junior Olympics and the U16 European Championship, perBoris’ Instagram.
Boris Kodjoe and Nicole Ari Parker with their children Nico and Sophie at an event on May 04, 2019 in Los Angeles, California.Randy Shropshire/Getty
Randy Shropshire/Getty
In July 2024, Nicolas celebrated joining FC Bayern Munich, sharing a graphic from the teamon Instagramwith the caption, “‼️The Next Chapter‼️.”
“Alles Gute zum 1️⃣8️⃣. Geburtstag , @nico.kodjoe,”he captioneda clip featuring family photos. “Every single moment of witnessing your adventures has given us a lifetime of joy and I’m looking forward to watching you soar even higher. I’m so proud of who you are, young king. Love you.”
He may be grown up, but Boris still looks after his son — in his own way.
source: people.com