Everything We Know About Michael Keaton's Son Sean Douglas

Actor Michael Keaton might only have one child, but that child, his son Sean Douglas, is the apple of his eye. Douglas — who uses Keaton's actual surname, which he changed for his acting career due to the obvious overlap with actor Michael Douglas — was born in 1983, when Keaton was married to Caroline McWilliams. 

Though Keaton and McWilliams divorced in 1990, they were committed to providing Douglas with a grounded childhood filled with love. This required two present parents, and it is the reason why Keaton sacrificed professionally during Douglas' formative years. While he has had a fantastic career, Keaton passed on several big films in the 1980s and 1990s including "Splash," "Philadelphia," and "JFK."

Keaton has no regrets about turning down big movie offers while his son was growing up, either. "That's not to say if I'll see a movie that I didn't do, and I go, 'Oh, boy. That turned out to be a good movie.' But the choice was always the correct choice," Keaton told People in 2024. "I always wanted to be a dad." Keaton might have fewer limitations now that Douglas is grown, but his desire to be a good father — and now grandfather — remains intact. Keaton has called his son his best friend and has expressed immense pride regarding his son's character and accomplishments. But who exactly is Sean Douglas outside of his famous father? Keep on reading to find out.

Sean Douglas has achieved great success as a songwriter and producer over the years, and he has reportedly done so largely without relying on his connections. Sure, he had an obvious leg up coming from a wealthy family with connections, but many did not even know Douglas had a famous dad until Michael Keaton name-checked him in a 2015 Golden Globes speech. "I don't go out of my way to not talk about it, but I maybe downplay it a bit," Douglas confessed to Billboard after the speech saw him trend on X. "That's sort of the way I was raised, to keep things separate, I guess. [The attention] is mostly fun, because I'm just so happy for my dad."

Since first signing a publishing deal with music publishing company Warner Chappell in 2012, Douglas has written over 275 songs for massive stars such as Jason Derulo, Lizzo, and Lewis Capaldi. These songs have garnered Douglas "20 platinum RIAA certifications and have been streamed on Spotify over 4 billion times," according to the National Music Publishers' Association.

Who knew that Michael Keaton's son was to thank for major jams like Demi Lovato's "Sorry Not Sorry" and "Heart Attack?" (The latter of which is on an album Lovato avoids listening to, by the way). Though he may not be a household name, Douglas is known as a pro within the industry. He has won a dozen BMI awards and received a Grammy nomination for "Best Country Song" for "Die A Happy Man," a 2016 hit sung by country star Thomas Rhett. 

It is no surprise that Sean Douglas has prioritized building a family for himself since he had a solid template for how to balance work and personal life in Hollywood. Douglas' mom tragically died in 2010, but he and his father Michael Keaton have had only amazing things to say about her. The father-son duo also speak highly of each other, and their adorable bond is truly admirable. "My best friend is kind, intelligent, funny, talented, considerate, thoughtful," Keaton said during his 2015 Golden Globes acceptance speech (via Hello!). "Did I say kind? He also happens to be my son, Sean. I love you with all my heart, buddy." Douglas' parental role models have no doubt impacted his own take on parenting now that he has children of his own.

Douglas met his wife Rachel Bartov when they were both students at Washington University in St. Louis in 2008. Bartov eventually became Douglas' manager, in addition to his partner, and she remained involved in his career after the couple wed in 2014. They have two kids — a son named River, born in 2017, and his sister, Maggie, two years his junior. Keaton is actively involved as a grandparent, and he has spoken about prioritizing his grandchildren much like he does his son. "It's great. I love it. It's fantastic," Keaton said about being a grandparent on "The Tonight Show," saying that he enjoys outings with them. "I take them everywhere."