Would you be surprised to learn that Gabourey Sidibe and husband Brandon Frankel's first Christmas with 8-month-old twins Cooper and Maya was totally precious?
"First Frankel Family Christmas for The SidiBabies was a success!" the actress shared in a Dec. 26 Instagram. And though the fraternal twins were gifted with an activity table, puzzles and a slew of light-up and noise-making toys, it seemed all they wanted for Christmas was something big enough to climb into.
As the Precious star, 41, noted in her post, "They really loved the boxes!"
Which is part of the reason why the parents felt they scored big with their kids' first holiday. "We did it!" Frankel commented on his wife's 'gram. "We won the parent 'Super Bowl'!"
Of course, this is just the couple's latest winning play.
On Christmas Eve, Sidibe shared a video of her husband singing with their little ones ("Same energy," she cracked, comparing the moment to a clip of Martin Lawrence) and a day earlier revealed she was the one helming a singalong.
"Those babies got that Ridley spirit in em," Frankel commented on the Dec. 23 post. "Yall betta sing."
And, yes, the parents have been singing their little ones' praises since their April arrival.
“They are sweet and funny and love cuddling with us and are developing a beautiful sibling-hood with each other,” Sidibe wrote in June when announcing their birth. "These last 2 months with them have been so fun getting to know their distinct personalities and figuring out the silly things we can do to make them laugh and it’s been absolute Heaven. We are so grateful and honored to be their parents.”
And, most of all, humbled AF.
“My son and I have a difference of opinion about who I should be,” Sidibe detailed in an October Instagram video. “My son thinks that just because I’m bald-headed with spit-up all over me at home, that that’s also who I should be in the streets, and no. No, I don’t have to be bald-headed and spit upon in the streets. Imma be flourishing. Ok? Ok?”
But no matter how much spit-up she may be sporting at any given time, her husband of three years is there to pump her up, writing in the comments, “You’re doing great, love.”
Both of them have certainly nailed the teamwork aspect of parenting.
“No matter how tough things get, or how crazy the world becomes, the way you all light up when you see me just warms my heart,” the talent agent wrote of his wife in a Nov. 16 Instagram post. “I love you all the most.”
Nearly as much as his bride adores him.
Marking Frankel's first Father's Day, Sidibe gushed that he "wanted these babies so much, he would’ve carried them for us."
That impossibility aside, "Every night he talked to them through my belly button," she detailed. "He made them a playlist to make them dance in there. He made every appointment and listened to all the doctors instructions as I slowly became too dumb with Mommy Brain to pay attention. He was already a father, before they were even born. Now that they’re here, he is present for every feeding, giving each baby equal quality time and attention."
So he was certainly going to ensure this Christmas was going to be a very special Christmas for his brood.
Though, of course, Frankel and Sidibe weren't the only ones caroling through the night. Check out the other stars who spent the holidays rockin' around the Christmas tree and having so much funukkah celebrating Chanukah.
Hard Launch
Gabourey Sidibe made her relationship with Brandon Frankel Instagram official in May 2019 with a selfie, just two months after they met on the dating app Raya. And as Brandon revealed three years later in Brides, their first date lasted “more than seven hours.”
Taking Their Romance to the Next Level
Brandon proposed to the Empire actress in November 2020, sharing their exciting news to his Instagram with a sweet message envisioning their next chapter together.
“I asked my best friend to marry me, and she said ‘YES’! So excited to spend the rest of my life with the most amazing, hilarious, beautiful, and inspiring woman I’ve ever know,” he wrote. “I couldn’t imagine a life without you. We make the best team, and we make everything fun and memorable.”
NSFW Glimpse at the Proposal
Wishing her Brandon a happy birthday one month after getting engaged, Gabourey shared a naughty photo—one that may have also been a peek at their proposal—with her followers. The picture featured Brandon’s proposal from a month earlier, kneeling on the bed naked with ballon’s spelling out “Will you marry me?” in a strategic location.
“You are the funniest, kindest, toughest, most protective man in the world,” she wrote on Instagram in December 2020. “You’re always down for all my hair brained schemes, from painting your nails, to earing rice noodle rose water ice cream, to ridiculous photo shoots like this 1!”
Take Note
The Precious star shared a note Brandon left for her, wishing her a good morning in an August 2022 Instagram post.
“Been working all week and coming home at 2am when @brandontour is asleep and then I’m still asleep when he gets up,” she shared with her followers. “We’re basically ships in the night but he still makes sure to love me real good even when we’re not physically in the same space.”
Gabourey joked, “Damn… he REALLY wants that PS5.”
A Private “I Do”
After being asked about their wedding plans for months and claiming to be planning for spring 2023 nuptials, the Oscar-nominated actress revealed in December 2022 that she and Brandon were already married.
“The thing about weddings is I don’t like them,” she explained on Live with Kelly and Ryan at the time. “Here’s an example of how much I don’t like them: I’m actually married. We got married over a year ago.”
Gabourey went on to explain that her and her husband privately tied the knot at their kitchen table four months after their engagement, but they were still planning to eventually have a ceremony.
And after she revealed the news, Brandon gushed about life as a newlywed.
“I can finally call her my WIFE publicly! Since @gabby3shabby finally spilled the beans today,” he wrote on Instagram. “So thankful to have found my forever person, my partner-in-crime, and the love of my life. Every day if the best day with you.”
Permanently Inked
In March 2023, Brandon surprised his wife with a new tattoo: her name on his upper thigh. He posted a video to Instagram of him getting “Gabourey” inked—as well as her very sweet response.
“Oh what did you do? Why did you do this,” she said, laughing. “Okay. Spelled correctly, good job.”
And he ensured people that the decision was solely his own.
“I love my wife so much I wanted to ink her name on me forever,” he wrote. “And she was very worried once I showed her what I did that y’all would think she made me do it. I assure you, I’m just crazy in love.”
A Growing Empire
Gabourey and Brandon announced they were expecting twins in February 2024 in a picture on Instagram with him placing a hand on her baby bump.
“I’m pregnant! We thought it was time to give our cats some responsibility so we’re giving them each a baby to take care of,” she captioned the reveal. “Double the babies, double the cats, double the fun!!”
Double Trouble
Four months after welcoming twins Maya and Cooper with her husband in April 2024, she gave her followers an update as to how they were navigating life with their newborns. Sharing a picture of the two babies lounging in their respective bouncer chairs while she read The People Could Fly by Virginia Hamilton to them, she captioned the August 2024 post, “Story Time.”
Holding Hands
Gabourey posted a sweet moment between the twins on her Instagram story, showing how strong their bond was at just 4 months old.
“They can’t touch their sensory books,” she captioned the August 2024 video, “because they’re too busy holding hands.”
Family Photo
The talent agent has no shortage of posts dedicated to his three favorite girls. In November 2024, Brandon posted a tribute for Gabourey and their twins as Cooper and Maya reached the 7-month-old milestone, giving them the title of the “loves” of his life.
“No matter how tough things get, or how crazy the world becomes, the way you all light up when you see me just warms my heart,” he wrote. “I love you all the most.”
Merry Christmas
Gabourey posted a video of her first Christmas with her and Brandon’s twins—who were 8 months old for the holiday—and gifted them with an activity table, puzzles and toys.
“First Frankel Family Christmas for The SidiBabies was a success,” she shared in her Dec. 26 post. “They really loved the boxes!”
And her husband couldn’t agree with more with their success, commenting, “We did it! We won the parent ‘Super Bowl’!”
Precious Memories
Celebrating her and Brandon’s sixth anniversary, Gabourey shared a precious tribute to her husband, sharing a series of photos together, reminiscing on their relationship.
“We met in late March [2019],” the Big C alum captioned the March 2025 carousel. “In June, he visited me in New Orleans and for fun, I took him to see a tarot card reader who told him he’d be married soon and with kids.”
“[Brandon] has been running full speed towards me everyday since we met,” she added. “If I had realized sooner what a wonderful husband he would turn out to be, I would’ve stood still and let him catch me sooner.”