All About Michael Keaton's Son Sean Douglas

Mar. 15, 2025

Michael Keaton (left) and son Sean Douglas.Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty

Michael Keatonhas played a number of notable roles, including Beetlejuice, Birdman and Batman, and has won several awards. His most prominent role, however, is being a father to his only son, Sean Douglas.

Keaton and his late wife, actress Caroline McWilliams, married in 1982. One year later, they became parents when they welcomed their son. The couple divorced in 1990, and McWilliams died in 2010.

In September 2024, Keaton told PEOPLE that he has “zero regret” about turning down big movie roles in favor of spending more time with his son during his childhood.

“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," he said. “I always wanted to be a dad.”

Now an adult, Douglas has also pursued a creative career like his father, albeit in the music industry.

Here’s everything to know about Michael Keaton’s son, Sean Douglas.

He and his father have different last names

From left: Sean Douglas and Michael Keaton.Brian Rasic/WireImage

Keaton’s son uses his father’s original surname, Douglas.

Keaton’s birth name is Michael John Douglas. To keep his personal and professional lives separate and to avoid any confusion between him and fellow actorMichael Douglas, he adopted to use the stage name Keaton.

He’s a songwriter and record producer

Sean Douglas.Erika Goldring/Getty

Douglas is a Los Angeles-based songwriter with a pretty impressive résumé.

He started his music career in high school and continued through college — he played in bands and, according toBillboard, served as a songwriter on more than one occasion. As time went on, his band (named The Hatch after a line in a Tenacious D song) began to attract major label attention.

“One of the problems I had in the band was that one morning I’d wake up and want to write a country song — another morning, I’d want to write a rock song,” Douglas toldBillboard. “I realized that I can do something different every day.”

“Writing for Demi [Lovato] or Jason [Derulo] is like having the greatest megaphone in the world — you say an idea into it, and it comes out as the perfect performance on the other end,” Douglas toldThe Hollywood Reporterin 2015.

He and his father are best friends

In 2015, Keaton thanked Douglas in his acceptance speech for the best actor in a musical or comedy award during the Golden Globes, calling him his “best friend.”

“My best friend is kind, intelligent, funny, talented, considerate, thoughtful,” Keaton said. “Did I say kind? He also happens to be my son, Sean. I love you with all my heart, buddy.”

Keaton also gushed over what a “good kid” his son turned out to be while talking to PEOPLE in September 2024.

I think there’s something in some people that’s just in them. I mean, there’s no question, parenting is not just important, it’s key, right?” he said. “But sometimes there’s just something in certain people. So, the rest of the credit I give to him. He just is built a certain way, always was. Sweet guy, thoughtful.”

He’s married to his manager

Sean Douglas and wife Rachel Bartov.Michael Kovac/Getty

On Aug. 30, 2014, Douglasmarried his longtime girlfriend, Rachel Bartov.

The couple met at Washington University in St. Louis and began dating in 2008. Today, Rachel is a talent manager and partner at Range Media, perVariety.

“When @thisisracheld started managing me, I was adamant about one deal point: That all media attention/industry buzz be directed toward her star client Sean D.,” Douglas wrote in a2021 Instagram post. “Despite the clear violation evidenced in today’s glowing press, I’m incredibly proud of my intelligent, beautiful, force-of-nature wife and excited for all her future triumphs with @rangemusic @rangemp.”

He has a degree in anthropology

Although Douglas' heart belongs to music, he was dead set on majoring in anything but.

“I know a lot of people who have a classical education in music, and there are good reasons to make that choice,” Douglas toldWashington Magazinein 2015.

“But I love that I was an anthropology major and got this broad liberal arts education,” he continued. “It informs how I think about people and cultures. It gives me points of reference that maybe other writers don’t have. I think that matters when you are trying to write songs that appeal to a broad spectrum of the population.”

He and his wife have two children together

Sean Douglas.

Sean and his wife share two children: a son namedRiverand a daughter namedMaggie.

The couple has been known to post a few snaps and reels on Instagram of their family, including anadorable video of River giggling.

He’s a Grammy Award nominee

Sean Douglas.Steve Jennings/Getty

Douglas has come a long way since his start in 2012.

“That one felt really special writing it,” Douglastold The Shotgun Seat. “I did feel very personally invested in that. It came out of a conversation: let’s write something for our wives, or fiancée, in [co-writer] Joe [Spargur]’s case. We all have a personal connection with that one.”

source: people.com