Kyle Chandler's Daughter Grew Up To Be Gorgeous

Kyle Chandler has had a long and successful career in the entertainment industry, with some of his standout performances including "Friday Night Lights" and "Bloodline" (although his television and film credits list is much longer). What many fans may not have known about him, though, is that he has a daughter, Sydney, who is following in his footsteps.

The eldest daughter of the "Early Edition" star, she has already been making waves in Hollywood thanks to her roles in the film "Don't Worry Darling" and the miniseries "Pistol." She's proven herself as a talented actress willing to learn new things for her roles, including singing and playing guitar. She is also an interesting woman who is close to her family and has had, by all accounts, an incredibly normal upbringing, considering she is the child of a celebrity. (Well, if you consider growing up with miniature donkeys normal, that is.)

As her star status continues to grow, so does the interest in Sydney Chandler: her projects, her passions, and even her love life. So, what does she do when she's not on set, and what makes her so special? It's time to find out.

"Don't Worry Darling" is a mystery/thriller with an impressive cast, featuring Sydney Chandler, Florence Pugh, Chris Pine, Gemma Chan, and Harry Styles. Directed by Olivia Wilde, it became the topic of much discussion — not for the storyline or the acting, but for what happened behind the scenes.

Some of the gossip surrounding the film included the romantic link between Styles and Wilde and an alleged feud between Pugh and Wilde. Chandler was not a part of any of the rumors, though. Moreover, what she's said about the film has been overwhelmingly positive.

"It is just magical. I'm so excited for people to see it," she told WWD. "Florence [Pugh] and Harry [Styles] and Olivia [Wilde] and Chris [Pine] and Gemma [Chan], all of them just shine. I learned so much from them just being able to be on set with them, so it's going to be a big one, I think. I'm really excited for the world to see it."

Released in 2022, "Pistol" is a 6-episode miniseries about the rise of the English punk rock band the Sex Pistols. Sydney Chandler plays the part of Chrissie Hynde, the songwriter and founding member of the Pretenders. To prepare for the role and understand the character better, Chandler took the time to consult the rock legend. 

But what was it like to meet such a famed musician? "To be honest, I had no idea what to expect, or ask, or what I would or would not receive," she said (via Emmys). "You're knocking on a legend's door and saying, 'Hi. I'm playing you. You don't know me. Who are you?'"

Fortunately, Hynde was welcoming, and even offered Chandler advice on how to approach the role. "As she was talking she said, 'One thing I make sure to do is, I don't overthink things. I let things roll off my shoulders, and if there's something that I can't control, I don't focus on it. I focus on the present, and I just jump. That's how I am,'" Chandler said. 

Kyle Chandler knows the entertainment industry. When his daughter Sydney was interested in becoming an actress, he was uniquely positioned to share his wisdom about what making it in Hollywood requires. It is a tough business, but Kyle has continued to show his support instead of dissuading her from following her dreams.

"He's been extremely supportive and we actually, we've had some really good talks about, you know," Sydney told WWD. "I want to make my own way through this, my own path through this, with my work. And he's been really, really just supportive. He's my dad. He's there for me." 

Speaking of her dad, he has also been vocal about his love for his family, emphasizing that fatherhood is a role he takes very seriously. "There's nothing that means more," he told Men's Health of his family. "I give myself over to the family completely."

You may think that Sydney Chandler was automatically drawn to acting, given how she's the daughter of a famous actor. After all, she has someone who can teach her industry secrets and make it easier for her to navigate the challenges that may arise in the profession. However, she was actually reluctant at first to follow in her father's footsteps.

"My dad's an actor, and so you never want to do what your parents are doing," she told WWD. "So I stayed very far away from that." She had planned to pursue veterinary science, but when she didn't have the grades, she started creative writing and took an acting class. "And I wanted to just do a character study on writers, on actors, and see people trying to act, that would be an interesting person to evaluate," she told the publication. "And then I ended up just absolutely falling in love with it." 

It's not just Syndey Chandler's career that has made headlines, but also her love life. In 2023, there was keen interest in whether or not she was dating Louis Partridge, an English actor best known for his roles in "Pistol" (which Chandler also stars in), "Enola Holmes," and "Enola Holmes 2."

Partridge joined Chandler at the Venice Film Festival for the premiere of "Don't Worry Darling." But was this confirmation of their dating status? "Everyone was so focused on all the drama with Florence, Olivia, and Harry that I don't think anyone noticed who Sydney's date was," a source told The Sun (via Daily Mail). "They've been quietly going out for about a year now but have managed to keep it under the radar."

As of publication time, it remains unclear whether Chandler and Partridge are dating, have ever been more than friends, or have broken up.

Despite the fact that she's had a successful acting career and a father who is supportive of her endeavors, Sydney Chandler has also had her own struggles — not the least of which includes coming to terms with how others perceive her.

"I think I lived a lot of my life in fear of other people's judgments," she told Flaunt, "living for the validation of others versus the pure joy of one's self and self-fulfillment. I think when I realized that I was living my life for pleasing others — or getting validation from others — once I kind of woke up to understanding that I was doing that, it changed a lot of things." 

Her comments suggest that now, nothing is holding her back from pursuing her professional dreams. It is entirely possible we will continue to see her work steadily in the entertainment industry, while tackling increasingly complicated roles.

One of Kyle Chandler's most memorable roles was as coach Eric Taylor on the TV drama series "Friday Night Lights." And while his performance on the show was generally well received, it appeared as though his penchant for quoting his lines at home all the time became a bit tiresome for his daughters. 

Chandler reflected on this during his appearance on "The Kelly Clarkson Show" in 2020 (via Us Weekly). "My daughters at that time were high school and grade school [age]. There's six years difference between the two of them. I heard more than a few times, 'Dad, just stop. I saw the episode,'" he said. "Like, when it got to the one, [where I said,] 'I just want you to know boys only want three things.' [They're like], 'Stop.'"

Although Sydney has not spoken about her father's role in the show, the final episode of the series aired in 2011, so it's unlikely that he is still repeating his lines from "Friday Night Lights" to his daughters. Perhaps it is her turn to quote her lines to her dad? 

Kyle Chandler has stressed in multiple interviews how much he values his family — specifically, just how much his girls mean to him.

Chandler and his wife Kathryn Macquarrie have two daughters, Sydney and Sawyer. While it is still unclear whether Sawyer will decide to pursue a career in the entertainment industry like her father and sister, we know that she shares an incredibly close bond with Sydney.

Sydney has used her social media account to share several photos of her sibling with her followers, but one stands out, mainly because of the caption. She shared her thoughts on just how much Sawyer means to her. "This gal. Is my idol. My rock. My blood. My sister. She's the most incredible human being, and most times she takes on the older sister role," she wrote. "She's just... one of the best humans and hearts I've ever had the pleasure of meeting."

Much of what we know about Sydney Chandler's life stems from her interviews and what her father has revealed about his family. Perhaps most interestingly, they share a sweet morning ritual which involves having breakfast together. 

In an interview with Good Housekeeping, Kyle Chandler shared how he likes to cook, even cooking breakfast for the crew of "Friday Night Lights." He also delights in showing off his kitchen skills at home with his own family.

"My father always made breakfast in the morning before we went to school. Whether we wanted to or not, us kids had to sit down and eat," he said. "So now I'm doing that with my kids, and I'm the one standing there while they grunt, saying, "Eat your breakfast now, come on." Indeed, family is one of the most important things in his life, and he has spoken about his love for his daughters in multiple interviews. "Spending time with my girls clarifies my perspective on just about any problem," he told Men's Health.

Taking on the role of Pretenders founding member Chrissy Hynde for the miniseries "Pistol" changed Sydney Chandler's life in many ways. She had to move to London for the filming, but she also had to learn about her character and how to play an instrument. This became a way for Chandler to prove to herself just how talented she really was, as she learned the guitar and tested her vocals.

"I really fell in love with singing," she told Flaunt. "A lot of my friends are musicians, so the dream would be to get a group together at some point." Although she chose not to share more about potentially becoming a musician in the future, she did reveal more about the process involved in learning to be a musician, which involved a band camp.

"I felt like it helped me to earn my character and figure out who [she] was by forcing me, Sydney, to really do what she did — pick up the guitar and learn how to sing," she said (via Emmys).

Sydney Chandler was cast in the miniseries "Pistols" as Chrissie Hynde, an undoubtedly significant figure in the punk rock movement. But another important person from the era is English designer Vivienne Westwood. The celebrated designer was the founder of the punk fashion boutique Sex, and in the series, she was played by actress Talulah Riley. Chandler has shared her thoughts on Westwood and how she admired her for one reason: her dedication to her craft. 

"I really admire Vivienne's work ethic," Chandler said in an interview with Screen Rant. "You see her every day at home, she's raising two children and she's making all the products to sell in the shop and trying to make Malcolm McLaren's vision a reality. But she's the one doing all of the hard work, and all of the pressure falls on her... But it's her life, and she does it and makes it work."

Among the challenges of being an actor is that they are often required to film on location for months at a time. One of Sydney Chandler's roles required her to move to London, United Kingdom. This was a big change for her, but also served as an means to find herself — something she had been unable to do before relocating. For Chandler, this became the perfect opportunity to discover everything she needed to know through introspection. 

"I had no idea who I was," she told Flaunt. "I remember that hit of like, 'Wow, I don't even know what type of music [I like] or what my favorite color is.' Or, 'Do I like the haircut that I have?' I just started taking care of myself for myself, and not for others. I got to know myself, and I was able to look at myself in the mirror and go, 'Hi, stranger, how are you? Who are you? Let's get to know each other.'"

Sydney Chandler's career looks to be going strong as she continues to land new jobs, the latest of which is a part in FX's "Alien" TV series. The news was reported in 2023 via The Hollywood Reporter, and it also confirmed that she would take on one of the lead roles. 

But how will the series differ from the "Alien" movies? "It's the first story in the Alien franchise that takes place on Earth. It takes place on our planet, near the end of this century we're currently in — 70-odd years from now," FX CEO John Landgraf revealed in early 2022. "I hope they will feel like it's faithful to the franchise they love but also a brave and original reinvention of that franchise." 

Fans may be eagerly awaiting new information about the project, but there are currently no further details about Chandler's character. In addition, the rest of the cast has yet to be revealed.

While there are many examples of celebrity children who grew up in busy cities (and have often been photographed by the paparazzi because of this), there are some who grew up without anyone knowing about them or their lives. Sydney Chandler's childhood was closer to the latter than the former. 

Imagine a simpler life, one where you are surrounded by animals (including multiple dogs and miniature donkeys) and wildflowers, and where you constantly enjoy nature's beauty. This was basically how Sydney and her sister Sawyer grew up. They lived in Topanga Canyon, and later moved to a ranch on the outskirts of Austin, Texas.

Her father, Kyle Chandler, advocates for living a more carefree and laidback life, without the hustle and bustle of the city or the need to attend glamorous parties. "My wife is my best friend. We don't go to parties. I believe kids are supposed to get dirty and have fun," he told Men's Health. "When we have people over the house, I'll fire up the grill outside, and we'll have good food, but it's potluck. I love what I do, but I don't need the lavish lifestyle that's supposed to go with it."