Anna Faris Got Off To A Rocky Start With Husband Michael Barrett's Kids
Blending two families is a difficult and delicate task no matter who you are, as comedic actor Anna Faris quickly learned when getting to know her third husband Michael Barrett's two kids. Despite already being a mom to her son Jack, whom she had with her second husband, "Parks and Recreation" star Chris Pratt, her relationship with Barrett's kids didn't come that naturally.
Faris opened up about her experience bonding with Barrett's two children, whom he had with his previous wife, Natasha Sabrina Sizlo, in a November 2022 interview with People. The "Scary Movie" actor said her first instinct was to connect with her new stepkids as a kid herself. "I was listening to music so loudly. I was embarrassing them," she recalled. "I was always like, 'Why don't they like me?'"
Although her relationship with Barrett's kids got off to a rocky start — and what mom hasn't embarrassed their kids, anyway? — she's found much more solid ground with her blended family. Not only is she learning more about her new stepkids, the actor said she's also learning more about herself. "I've really learned a lot about myself through his kids. It's been really rewarding," she told People in 2021.
Anna Faris says Barrett's kids taught her to reevaluate how she navigates relationships
Anna Faris told People that developing a relationship with her third husband Michael Barrett's kids revealed a lot about how she's accustomed to going through life as a well-known movie star. She admitted that as a performer, she's used to generally positive social interactions. But with Barrett's kids, she had a bigger learning curve to get over before they opened up.
"I think that I didn't give them a ton of reason to cultivate a trusting relationship," Faris admitted. "Most people, even if they don't care for you, are really kind to you, which, of course, inflates your ego or whatever. I think that I didn't respect the idea that I have a completely different relationship with them." Once she got a little more perspective on how they were all relating to each other, though, Faris said it's gone much more smoothly. "I have this special place in their life where I just get to be supportive. And I have been working really hard on that," she said.
Faris' approach to parenting is no surprise, given her relaxed dynamic with her biological son, Jack, pictured here. In an interview with E! News in October 2022, Faris said she loves having a young son and she often laughs at his antics. "He is hysterical," she said. She attributed this to her childlike nature, which she's been learning to rein in as a stepmom to Barrett's kiddos.
The Faris-Barrett family went through major changes early on
Anna Faris and Michael Barrett are no strangers to Hollywood, working as an actor and cinematographer, respectively, so it's not surprising that the pair met while on the set of "Overboard" in 2017. The couple announced their engagement in 2019, and one year later, the COVID-19 pandemic put Faris and Barrett's blended family to the test. Despite the universal challenges of 2020 and 2021, the couple seemed to come out on top relationship-wise.
Faris and Barrett secretly eloped in 2021 in a private courthouse ceremony on San Juan Island off the coast of Washington. The couple was spotted at LAX later that year, where Faris told Page Six that they decided on a low-key ceremony because "with a little bit of age, you don't need the whole thing." In addition to their secret ceremony, Faris and Barrett grew even closer as they spent quarantine traveling with their children that year.
"We bought a camper van and traveled with a portable printer for school," Faris told People in May 2021. "Jack has been handling this whole thing like a champ. I just feel very happy that my family is safe. And I don't think I've ever been so present." Despite the rocky start to Faris and Barrett's family, it seems like the couple — and all their kiddos — have been enjoying smooth sailing ever since.