COUPLESPenn Badgley and Domino Kirke Almost Split After 2 Devastating Miscarriages
Penn Badgley shared how multiple miscarriages nearly ended his marriage to Domino Kirke.
Nov. 27 2025, Published 3:33 p.m. ET
Penn Badgley and his wife, Domino Kirke, faced a near separation after enduring two devastating miscarriages.
The You star opened up about these painful experiences in his new book of essays, Crushmore: Essays on Love, Loss, and Coming-of-Age.
Penn Badgley revealed that two miscarriages nearly caused him and Domino Kirke to split up.
“This was our second loss together. A time when it did not feel as though the cycle would break,” Badgley revealed in his book. “My wife and I neared separation as many do after losses like that.”
The couple felt “isolated” as they grappled with their grief, caught in a culture that often avoids discussions about miscarriage and doesn’t know how to support those experiencing it.
The couple later welcomed their son James and then twin boys.
“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,” the 39-year-old actor added, reflecting on the lasting impact of their losses.
Badgley stressed the importance of addressing miscarriages during a recent appearance on the “Totally Booked” podcast.
“That sort of loss is really common, and we should — I don’t know if talking about it alone is what we need,” he noted. “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.”
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The 'Gossip Girl' star said the losses left them feeling isolated and overwhelmed.
While the exact timing of the miscarriages remains unclear, Badgley and Kirke, 41, welcomed their son James in August 2020. Kirke later celebrated the birth of twin sons in September, an unexpected joy that surprised her. When she announced her pregnancy in February, she expressed on Instagram, “Spontaneous twins are beyond magical.”
Penn Badgley described how painful the sonogram memories remain for them.
During the podcast, Badgley humorously reflected on his changed circumstances since the twin's arrival.
“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,” he said. “So, it’s harder to get in touch with that feeling of loss because my cup truly runneth over.”
In addition to their three children, Kirke has a son named Cassius from a previous relationship.
The couple, who began dating in 2014, tied the knot in February 2017 at a New York courthouse, followed by a celebratory vow exchange in June. Badgley expressed gratitude that they didn’t succumb to the “gravity” of separation, highlighting their resilience amid adversity.
