'Helicopter Parent' Heidi Klum Says New Husband Is 'Amazing' Stepdad! Get to Know Her 4 Kids
See the most recent photos of Heidi Klum's four kids.
Heidi Klum has been dazzling audiences since she beat out thousands of contestants and won a modeling contest on the German talk show Gottschalk's Late Night Show. When she won she was just 18 and nothing like the grunge waifs who were the supermodel standard of the time. "I wasn't tall enough. My face wasn't weird enough for what they wanted. I was too happy for everybody," she told Good Housekeeping.
Yet from there, even with her happiness, Klum was swept up to work in Milan, Paris and London and modeled nonstop. Within six years, she would appear on the cover of The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Since then this judge of America’s Got Talent, who was raised in Bergisch Gladbach, a city near Cologne, Germany, has been a force as an Emmy-winning television host, producer and entrepreneur.
With all her success, she is a devoted and fiercely protective mom to four children, Leni, 18, Henry, 17, Jonah, 16, and Lou, 13. Admitting to be a helicopter parent who wants to keep her kids little as long as possible, she limits TV watching and doesn’t let her younger ones post on social media. On Live With Kelli and Ryan, Heidi shared with Kelly Ripa and Ryan Seacrest that her kids say, “I’m not allowed to this. Can’t do that.” She also rarely shows photos of them and when she does, they can only be seen from the back or with their faces covered by emoji’s.
“I’m more old-fashioned. I don’t believe in just sitting your kids in front of a TV,” she once told this reporter. "They should be outside, playing with dogs or getting dirty. When I grew up, I was outside.”
For Thanksgiving 2022, the supermodel followed tradition and shared a family pic with her kids' faces covered by emoji.
In October 2021, Leni, and her father, Seal, walked the red carpet at the Los Angeles premiere of The Harder They Fall. Following in her mother’s footsteps Leni is getting attention in her own right as a model. She appeared on the cover of Vogue Germany in December, and in August, Leni walked the runway for Dolce & Gabbana's Alta Moda show in Venice. “She has wanted to model for quite some time,” the America’s Got Talent told Parade.com earlier this year. “I finally said yes because I thought, ‘Now, she’s old enough. She’s 16.’ "
Related: Heidi Klum Reveals Why She Finally Said 'Yes to Letting Her Daughter Become a Model
With season 18 of America's Got Talent coming summer 2023 and the AGT: All-Stars season starting in January, what is next for Heidi? Known as the “Queen of Halloween,” she has hosted an epic Halloween bash since October 2000. (The party was canceled in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19.) She always manages to top herself with pull-out-all-the stops costumes becoming Princess Fiona from Shrek, a cadaver on a stretcher (from the touring Bodies exhibit), a 95-year-old version of herself and a creepy worm for 2022.
Related: See Every One of Heidi Klum's Amazing Halloween Costumes Ranked
As the year winds down, Heidi is still keeping busy. In January, she joined forces with Snoop Dogg and released "Chai Tea with Heidi," a dance track, her first music release since her 2006 holiday hit, "Wonderland."
“Sometimes you just cook something up or you voice your dreams or the goals and things that you wanna do,” Klum told Us Weekly. “It just shows you that you have to voice them. You have to speak up because if you don’t, how are people supposed to know you’re even into that? … Anything is possible. You just have to try and go after it.”
As if Heidi's life could get any better, Klum says her new husband, Tom Kaulitz, is "amazing" with her four children.
“I’m sure it’s not easy to step into an immediate family, having all of a sudden four kids and teenagers," Klum said. "They were easier when they were younger, for sure. Every age comes with its challenges.”
How many kids does Heidi Klum have?
Heidi Klum has four children: Leni, 18, Henry, 17, Jonah, 16, and Lou, 13.
Who are the fathers of Heidi Klum's children?
Flavio Briatore
Italian entrepreneur Flavio Briatore is the biological father of Heidi Klum's eldest daughter, Helene "Leni" Boshoven. Flavio began dating Heidi in March 2003. By December of the same year, it was announced that Heidi was pregnant, and the couple split soon after. The two never married.
Seal
Seal is the father of all of Heidi Klum's children. The British-born singer/songwriter, who has known Leni since she was born and raised her as his own, adopted her when she was 5 years old. Seal, who got engaged to Heidi in 2004, adopted Leni in 2009 and changed her name. When asked about his connection to her, Seal said, “It's everything and it has always been like that, from the day I met her mother," he told E! "She was two weeks pregnant with this beautiful lady. We have always had that bond."
Who is Heidi Klum's husband?
Heidi Klum was married to celebrity hairdresser Ric Pipino from 1997-2002.
She and "Kiss from a Rose" singer Seal were married in 2005 and divorced in 2014.
Tom Kaulitz
Today, Heidi Klum is married to German-born composer and musician, Tom Kaulitz, who is the guitarist for the rock band Tokio Hotel. The pair met at a party in February 2018.
“It was to the point so bad when I couldn't even look at him…,” she told Ellen DeGeneres. “You know when you're attracted to someone so badly you're like, 'Oh my gosh, I can't even look at him.'”
In December 2018, Klum announced her engagement on Instagram writing “I SAID YES.” Then, in February 2019, they reportedly married in a secret ceremony in California. In August of that same year, they exchanged vows a second time beneath a canopy of pink and white roses on the deck of Aristotle Onassis’ 325-foot yacht, the Christina O, off the coast of Capri, Italy. A few months later Heidi told Extra that she was still on a honeymoon. “We’re going to be newlyweds hopefully for a long time,” she said.
Heidi Klum's children
Leni Klum
Helene ‘Leni’ Olumi Klum, 18, was born May 4, 2004. Now in the spotlight, Leni is building a successful modeling career. In addition to appearing with her mother on the cover of Vogue Germany in December 2020, Leni also opened Berlin Fashion Week. In a video for Vogue that Heidi and Leni did together, Leni talked about growing up going to shoots with her mother. “From the start, I've always gone to work with you,” said Leni. “And today, I was bringing you along for the first time.”
In a touching December 2020 instagram post to her daughter, Heidi wrote, “I'm so proud of you. And it's not because you've chosen your own path. I know, that no matter which path you were to go down, you would be your own woman. You always know exactly what you want and what you don't want. You are my little mini me. And I'm so happy for you, that you now know who YOU are,” then Heidi added. “I know that being my daughter is not always easy. You never had the opportunity to grow up 'normally.' But what is normal? Growing up with three different daddies probably isn't either.” Leni just teamed up with ABOUT YOU to present her first clothing collection.
Henry Samuel
Henry Günther Ademola Dashtu Samuel, 17, was born on Sept. 12, 2005. In September 2020, on Henry’s 15th birthday Heidi posted a photo of herself pregnant. She wrote a poignant message to her son, “15 years ago today you came into the world. I feel so proud you are a part of me. You are the twinkle in my eye and the love of my life ?? Happy Birthday Henry ... may your birthday be as special today as you are ??" This year, when Henry turned 16, Heidi posted some rare photos of Henry on Instagram saying, “One more year around the Moon and back. I love you so much Henry. Happy 16th Birthday. You have the kindest heart and the biggest SMILE.” In June, Heidi shared a photo with her two sons and captioned the post, “How did i get so short?”
Johan Samuel
Johan Riley Fyodor Taiwo Samuel, 16, was born on Nov. 22, 2006. In December 2006, Heidi and baby Johan appeared on the cover of the German magazine, Gala.
Asked about Johan’s name, Heidi explained that according to Nigerian tradition, people are given many names and that Seal, who has nine names and is of Nigerian descent, wanted to carry on the tradition. “We thought Johan is a traditional and strong name with a wonderful ring to it. That is why we chose this name. Riley is just a name we really liked. Fyodor is the name of a close friend of Seal’s who died shortly before Johan’s birth,” Klum said. “And Taiwo was the name of Seal’s great-great-grandfather who founded the city of Lagos in Nigeria. His full name was “Chief Taiwo Owolow.” So that makes Johan Riley Fyodor Taiwo Samuel all together.”
Lou Samuel
Lou Sulola Samuel, 13, was born Oct. 9, 2009, in Los Angeles, California. Understandably protective, Klum shares very few details about her younger children. When Lou was born, the baby's father, Seal, wrote in a statement: ”It's difficult to imagine loving another child as much as you love your existing children. Anyone who has a family will tell you this. Where will one find that extra love? If you love your existing children with all of your heart, how then can one possibly find more heart with which to love another?
"On Friday, Oct. 9, 2009 at 7:46 p.m., the answer to this question came in the form of our fourth child and second daughter. Lou Sulola Samuel was born, and from the moment she looked into both of our eyes, it was endless love at first sight. She is beautiful beyond words and we are happy that she chose us to watch her grow over the coming years.”
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