Connor Douglas Gilliland is the son of award-winning actress Jean Smart and the late actor Richard Gilliland, and although he was born on October 25, 1989, into a well-known Hollywood family, he has always chosen a quiet and private life away from public attention. His parents worked hard to give him a normal childhood and protect him from the pressures of fame, which helped him grow into someone who values peace and privacy.
Today, Connor stays out of the media, does not use public social platforms, and keeps his personal life completely private, making many people curious to learn more about him while respecting his wish for a simple and quiet lifestyle.
Quick Bio
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Connor Douglas Gilliland |
| Date of Birth | October 25, 1989 |
| Age | 35 (as of 2025) |
| Birthplace | United States |
| Parents | Jean Smart and Richard Gilliland |
| Siblings | Bonnie Kathleen Gilliland (adopted), Forrest (adopted) |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Caucasian |
| Height / Weight | 5’9’’ / around 60 kg |
| Hair / Eye Color | Black / Blue |
| Profession | Not publicly known |
| Net Worth | Unknown |
| Known For | Son of actors Jean Smart and Richard Gilliland |
Who Is Connor Douglas Gilliland?
Connor Douglas Gilliland is the son of well-known actors Jean Smart and the late Richard Gilliland, but unlike his famous parents, he has chosen to live a very private and quiet life away from the public spotlight. He was born on October 25, 1989, and grew up in a loving Hollywood family that made sure he had a normal childhood despite their busy careers. Connor does not appear in the media, does not use social platforms, and rarely shares any personal details, which makes him known mainly for his strong preference for privacy rather than for a public career or public lifestyle.
Early Life and Family Background
Connor Douglas Gilliland was born on October 25, 1989, and his birthday holds extra meaning for the family because it falls on the same date as his parents’ second wedding anniversary, making his arrival a joyful and symbolic moment for them. Although he was born into a home filled with scripts, shows, cameras, and the busy world of acting, his parents made a very strong effort to raise him with privacy and balance, giving him a normal childhood away from the pressures that often come with being part of a Hollywood household.
Even though he visited sets when he was young and watched his parents work, he was always kept protected from public attention, and this helped him grow into someone who values peace, independence, and personal boundaries.
Connor Douglas Gilliland Age and Personal Details
Connor Douglas Gilliland was born on October 25, 1989, which makes him 35 years old as of 2025, and he is known for keeping his life very private despite having well-known parents. He is an American of Caucasian background and is described as having black hair, blue eyes, and a slim height of about 5 feet 9 inches. Connor does not share personal information publicly and avoids social media, choosing a quiet and simple life away from the spotlight.
Connor’s Mother: Jean Smart
Jean Smart is an award-winning American actress who has built a long and respected career in television, theater, and film, becoming well known for roles in shows such as Designing Women, Frasier, 24, Watchmen, Mare of Easttown, and her widely praised performance in Hacks. She is admired for her talent, her ability to play many different kinds of roles, and her strong work ethic, and she has won several Emmy Awards, which show how much audiences and critics appreciate her.
Beyond her acting, Jean has lived with type 1 diabetes since she was young, and she has spoken openly about this to help others who face the same condition. Even with her busy acting schedule, she has always been protective of her family and made sure her children grew up with privacy, emotional support, and a strong sense of stability.
Connor’s Father: Richard Gilliland
Richard Gilliland was a talented actor with a steady career that lasted many years, appearing in television shows and films such as Designing Women, Thirtysomething, 24, Operation Petticoat, and Airplane II: The Sequel. He met Jean Smart while working on Designing Women, and their connection grew into a loving and stable relationship that lasted for more than three decades.
Richard was respected for his acting skills and admired for his warmth, loyalty, and calm personality. His unexpected passing in March 2021 was a heartbreaking moment for his family, and it deeply affected his wife and children, including Connor, who had always looked up to him as a caring and supportive father. His memory continues to influence the family in many positive ways, especially through the love and values he shared with them.
Connor’s Siblings
Connor grew up as an only child for many years until his parents adopted his younger sister, Bonnie Kathleen Gilliland, from China in 2009, which brought new joy and light into the family. Connor was around fifteen years old at the time, and he naturally became a protective and caring older brother who supported her as she adjusted to her new life.
Later, the family expanded again when Jean and Richard adopted another child, named Forrest, adding even more love and connection to their home. These family bonds show how close the Gilliland family is and how important kindness and inclusion are in their household, and Connor’s gentle nature helped him build strong relationships with both of his younger siblings.
Education and Personal Development
Information about Connor’s schooling and education is not publicly shared, and this is because his parents always made a deliberate choice to keep those parts of his life private, allowing him to learn, explore, and grow without cameras or outside pressure.
While the exact schools he attended are unknown, it is clear that he was raised in a home that valued learning, emotional strength, creativity, and personal independence, and these values helped him become someone who prefers a calm and private lifestyle. This careful upbringing allowed him to develop his own identity, free from judgment or expectations linked to his parents’ careers, and it helped him build a strong sense of self-guidance later in life.
Appearance and Personality
Connor is described as having black hair, bright blue eyes, and a simple, calm appearance that matches his quiet and thoughtful nature, standing around 5 feet 9 inches tall with a lean build that reflects his modest lifestyle. Even when he was a small child, people noticed that he had a serious and mature presence, often sitting quietly on film sets with headphones on, watching and understanding what was happening around him in a way that most young children do not.
This early behavior showed that he was observant, patient, and comfortable in peaceful environments, and as he grew older, he continued to show these traits, becoming an adult who values privacy, emotional stability, and meaningful personal space.
Career and Professional Life
There is no public information about Connor’s job or career direction, and this is mainly because he chooses not to live publicly or share details about his professional life, which is very different from many children of celebrities who use their parents’ fame for opportunities in acting or entertainment.
Connor’s quiet lifestyle suggests that he may have chosen a completely different field, one that gives him privacy and does not require any public presence, and while people sometimes wonder what he does, he has never shown interest in fame or public recognition. His decision to avoid Hollywood and stay out of the entertainment industry shows how strongly he values independence and personal choice, and it reflects the calm and grounded way he likes to live.
Financial Background and Net Worth
Because Connor keeps his life private, there is no information about his personal income or net worth, and he has never revealed anything about his finances. His parents, however, had long and successful acting careers, with Jean Smart having an estimated net worth of over ten million dollars and Richard Gilliland earning a steady income from decades of television and film work, which means Connor grew up with financial stability, though he has never used this security to seek fame or attention. Instead, he has remained focused on living quietly and keeping his personal life separate from public curiosity, which shows maturity and a strong sense of personal direction.
Public Image, Media Presence, and Privacy
Connor has almost no public presence, which is rare today when most people share their lives on social media, but he seems completely comfortable staying offline and keeping his personal world away from the public. He does not post pictures, does not give interviews, and does not appear on red carpets, and the media generally respects this choice, as there is almost no coverage about him in entertainment news or tabloids.
His approach to privacy reflects the lessons he learned growing up, watching his parents balance fame with personal boundaries, and it shows that he values a peaceful life with real connections rather than online attention.
Family Tragedy and Personal Resilience
The loss of his father, Richard Gilliland, in March 2021 was a very painful moment for the entire family, and in this difficult time, Connor stepped forward to support his mother, Jean Smart, and help care for his younger siblings. Jean has spoken about how her sons gave her strength and comfort during this heartbreaking period, showing how responsible, caring, and emotionally grounded Connor is. The way he handled this tragic moment shows his solid character and his deep sense of love and loyalty to his family, proving that even though he lives privately, he plays an important and supportive role within his home.
Current Life: Where Is Connor Douglas Gilliland Now?
Today, Connor continues to live a quiet and private life away from cameras, interviews, and media attention, making him almost invisible to the public, which helps him maintain the peaceful lifestyle he prefers. There is no public knowledge about his job, where he lives, or whether he is in a relationship, and he has never shown interest in revealing these details.
People who respect privacy admire his decision because it shows that he values personal freedom and emotional calm more than public recognition, and his life proves that people can come from a famous family and still choose to live normally and privately.
Legacy and Significance
Even though Connor is not a public figure and does not appear in the entertainment world, he represents a different kind of legacy, one that is shaped by personal choice and quiet strength rather than fame or attention. He honors his parents’ names not by acting or giving interviews, but by living with the values they taught him, such as humility, respect, privacy, and emotional balance.
His life shows that children of celebrities do not have to follow the same path as their parents, and they can build their own identities based on what feels right to them. His story stands as an example of how a person can be connected to Hollywood yet still live a peaceful and private life that reflects true individuality.
Conclusion
The life of Connor Douglas Gilliland shows that even when someone grows up in a famous family, they can still choose a quiet and meaningful path built on personal values, privacy, and independence. As the son of Jean Smart and Richard Gilliland, he had every opportunity to step into fame, but instead, he chose a different road, one that allowed him to grow peacefully and privately, far from public expectations.
His story reflects a gentle strength, shaped by love, family bonds, and deep respect for personal space. Even though very little is known about his private life, the choices he has made say a lot about who he is, and his calm approach to life reminds us that true happiness does not always come from the spotlight, but often from living simply, quietly, and true to oneself.
FAQs About Connor Douglas Gilliland
1. Who is Connor Douglas Gilliland?
Connor Douglas Gilliland is the son of actress Jean Smart and the late actor Richard Gilliland. He is known for living a very private life away from the spotlight.
2. How old is Connor Douglas Gilliland?
Connor Douglas Gilliland was born on October 25, 1989, which makes him 35 years old as of 2025.
3. What is Connor Douglas Gilliland known for?
He is mainly known for being the son of two well-known actors and for choosing a quiet and private lifestyle.
4. Are Connor Douglas Gilliland’s parents famous?
Yes, his mother, Jean Smart, is an award-winning actress, and his father, Richard Gilliland, was also a respected actor.
5. Does Connor Douglas Gilliland have siblings?
Yes, he has two adopted siblings: Bonnie Kathleen Gilliland and Forrest.
6. Is Connor Douglas Gilliland active on social media?
No, he does not appear to use any public social media platforms and prefers to keep his life private.
7. What does Connor Douglas Gilliland do for a living?
There is no public information about his career, as he keeps his professional life completely private.
8. Where is Connor Douglas Gilliland now?
His current location and lifestyle are not publicly known because he avoids media attention and chooses to live quietly.