Meet Briar Rose Christensen
Rachel Bilson and Hayden Christensen have kept their daughter, Briar Rose Christensen, out of the spotlight. As time passed, the actors began discussing their experiences as co-parents.
On October 29, 2014, Bilson and Christensen’s daughter was born, making them parents. As of February 2024, their daughter, Briar Rose Christensen, is 9 years old.
Bilson and Christensen had been in a relationship for almost six years, with a brief hiatus at some point. They became engaged in late 2009 but ended their relationship in the summer of 2010.
In 2007, the Star Wars actor and The O.C. alum encountered each other while working on the film Jumper. They were both 26 years old at the time. In December 2008, Christensen and Bilson became engaged. Although they reconciled, they ultimately ended their nearly decade-long partnership in 2017.
The Story Behind Rachel Bilson’s Daughter’s Name
During an episode of her podcast “Broad Ideas,” Bilson recounted the process she and Christensen went through to choose their daughter’s name. At first, they were strongly considering the name Millie.
“Then the more we thought about it — ’cause Hayden and I met in a movie called Jumper, and my character’s name was Millie — and then we couldn’t decide if that’s, like, super lame or super cute.”
After hearing from Christensen’s mother, Alie Nelson, that Millie is a nickname for Millicent, the couple began coming up with alternative names. Bilson remembered that the name sounded too similar to “Maleficent,” and she didn’t want to use it.
Finally, they chose Briar as a nod to Sleeping Beauty without meaning to. Bilson explained the Disney theme reference that it wasn’t on purpose because his grandmother’s name was Rose, his daughter’s middle name was Rose, and her first name is Briar, so it’s inspired by Sleeping Beauty.
Hayden Christensen & Rachel Bilson Co-parenting Briar
Christensen and Bilson share the responsibility of raising their child Briar Rose Christensen. According to Bilson, effective communication and being in sync are crucial for the well-being of their child. She believes that prioritizing their child’s needs above all else will ensure a positive outcome.
Bilson posted a photo of Briar on Instagram for the first time when she turned 9 months old but made sure to conceal her baby’s face. The image captures Briar and Christensen sitting on a blanket in a park, with the actor blowing bubbles for his daughter.
Although the parents have occasionally posted a rare photo of Briar without revealing her face, they typically opt to maintain her privacy as much as possible.
Briar Rose Christensen’s Desire For Acting
Having two parents who are both actors, it’s understandable that Briar Rose Christensen has a fascination with their professions. However, Bilson revealed that she was taken aback by Briar’s desire to pursue acting at such a young age.
Bilson also revealed how much her 6-year-old daughter at the time comprehended about her and Christensen’s professions.
“I think she knows that her mom — and her dad’s an actor too — so she kind of knows that we are in that world. But she’s not aware of that level.”
During a recent interview, Hayden Christensen disclosed Briar’s knowledge of the Star Wars franchise, where he is well-known for his portrayal of Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader.
“She knows that I’m in Star Wars and that I play this character, but she’s never seen it yet. So, I’m getting to that. I’m trying to figure out my best point of entry.”
According to Christensen, his appearance on the spinoff series Obi-Wan Kenobi allowed him to expose his daughter, Briar Rose Christensen, to more of the Star Wars universe.
“It was really nice getting to do the Obi-Wan show and actually bring her to set. Not when I was in the Darth Vader outfit, but we did the flashback sequence and I got to play Anakin, and so I brought her to set for that, and she got to see me swing a lightsaber with Ewan [McGregor].”
