All About Minnie Driver’s Son, Henry Story Driver

Minnie Driver welcomed her first and only child, Henry, in 2008

Minnie Driver is not only an award-winning actress but also a devoted mother to her son, Henry.

The Good Will Hunting star gave birth to her first and only child in September 2008, opting to keep the father's identity private. Over the years, Driver has spoken about the joys and challenges of motherhood, sharing heartwarming anecdotes and insights about raising Henry.

Her journey to becoming a parent was filled with unexpected twists: Initially told she was having a girl, Driver was astonished when her baby boy was born. This surprise, coupled with her previous belief that she couldn't have children, made Henry’s arrival even more special.

The actress regularly features her son on social media, posting milestones and glimpses of their everyday life together and expressing sentimental reflections on their bond.

On Henry’s 15th birthday in 2023, Driver shared a photo carousel on Instagram with the caption, “Two things I love most: 1. Your kindness and your wit 2. We share this day. Happy birthday my love ♥️.”

Here’s everything about Minnie Driver’s son, Henry.

He was born in 2008

Driver welcomed her first and only child, Henry Story Driver, on Sept. 5, 2008, in Los Angeles.

During her pregnancy, Driver was informed that she was having a girl, so she was stunned when she saw Henry. On an episode of iHeartRadio’s parenting podcast, The Healthy Baby Show, in 2022, Driver recalled the onset of shock.

“I wanted the first word that he heard to be ‘love’ as I was pushing her out. And then my mum went, ‘Oh my goodness, it’s a boy.’ And I went, ‘F---! What the F---?’ ” the actress said.

Henry’s sex wasn’t the only surprise Driver faced in early motherhood. "I was told I couldn't have children when I was 18," she said on the audio show, and added that she went about her “whole life” thinking she couldn’t have kids of her own.

The experience taught Driver to expect the unexpected and give herself grace as she learned to be a mother. "I always loved an adventure, and here was this great late stage adventure," she added, touching on starting a family at 38.

Henry says moving to England changed his perspective

On the actress’ podcast, Minnie Questions, Henry said that moving from L.A. to England was a fundamental experience that ultimately changed his view on life and broadened his perspective, particularly regarding lifestyle.

“In L.A. I thought you're supposed to live by a certain routine,” Henry shared. “But then, when I moved to England, there wasn't a routine. It just changed, which I just thought was amazing, living completely differently.”

Driver appears to be raising Henry alongside her longtime partner, filmmaker Addison O'Dea.

Henry loves video games and is a “TV connoisseur” 

During their conversation on Minnie Questions, Driver shared that her then-12-year-old son was a "thoughtful, curious, quick-witted lover of video games, music and Dungeons and Dragons.”

Throughout the episode, the mother-son duo unpacked the seven philosophical questions that are the foundation of her podcast, and his creative pursuits and interests increasingly revealed themselves, as did their impact on his life perspective.

One of the questions that Driver posed about defining love through a relationship — real or fictionalized — unearthed a playful and insightful answer.

“Well, I'm a TV connoisseur, as some would say,” Henry joked. “So I do like to watch TV. I'm an enthusiast. I have had my fair share of TV.”

Henry went on to illustrate the dynamic between Adventure Time characters Simon Petrikov and Betty Grof. After Betty leaves Simon, she eventually falls in love with him again when he wins her back thousands of years later.

“I find that love is just a place where you care about somebody so much that you would go through change,” he said. “You go through everything just to find them again, even if you lost them.”

Touched by his answer, Driver remarked how much she knows her son loves Adventure Time and added, “I like that it taught you about love.”

He played his first gig at 13

Taking after his mom — who is not only an award-winning actress but also a talented singer and songwriter — Henry has similarly explored the world of music.

In June 2022, Driver posted a picture of him in a bowler hat and jacquard jacket with the caption, “Henry played his first gig last night. He and all the other musicians were out of this world.”

Driver’s son is frequently featured on the actress’ Instagram alongside glimpses of their daily life, which includes attending concerts and playing music.

Driver and Henry grew closer during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic brought unique challenges for everyone, and Driver and Henry were no exception. Speaking to PEOPLE in March 2021, the British actress opened up about how she and her son supported each other during unprecedented times.

Driver shared that her isolated son formed a friendship with another child by playing the game Warhammer over Zoom after he was introduced to it by a local toyshop owner. This led to virtual playdates with Henry "shouting and laughing" with his new friend.

She also recalled a particular day when the two were “feeling sad,” so they turned on the “gigantic speaker” in the kitchen and blasted “Love's in Need of Love Today” by Stevie Wonder.

"We danced around the kitchen with the dog barking, and we both felt better at the end of it," The Serpent Queen explained. "We collapsed in the pile on the beanbags on the kitchen floor and we felt a lot better."

He takes after Driver in different ways

Driver and her son have a close bond, with many of their interests and hobbies overlapping — as well as their looks. 

In October 2021, Driver posted an old picture of herself as a child, followed by a picture of Henry, meditating on the similarities of their curly hair.

“Mostly, I used to see my hair as a hat, then I saw it on my son and it became a crown,” she wrote. “I am grateful for the evolution of a difficult idea.”

The two also share a love for music, cinema and art, as well as possessing similar quirks when it comes to existence. On the Minnie Questions podcast, Henry opened up about his tendency to feel as though he never gets things “perfectly correct.”

“I'll make something that I'll be like, ‘Oh, this is cool.’ And I'll be like, ‘Wait a second. That's not right. Let me redo that.’ And I'll just keep on doing it until I just never finish it,” Henry said.

His vulnerability unearthed a realization in Driver that they both have an orientation toward perfectionism.

“I wonder if you get that from me,” she said. “You're very hard on yourself. And I also know that I do that. But I don't think either of us give ourselves quite enough credit.”

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