What you need to know
Anthony Anderson has someone special working with him on his latest project.
While chatting with people on the Star Search live show and red carpet on Wednesday, January 21, the 55-year-old Black-ish star revealed that her son Nathan, 25, is working on the competition show. When asked if he gets positive marks from his children for appearing on the show, the doting father of two said he does, before revealing his son’s role.
“That’s right. Well, my son is actually the PA (production assistant) on the show. He’s actually the PA Nate that we brought in for the first episode,” he says. “So last night, while the show was going on, he was voting backstage. So between acts, I said, ‘Hey, how’s it going, son? How’s your vote?’ He was like, ‘Smooth, Dad, I voted.’ And I watched him vote, so I got to talk about it tonight. ”
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He went on to reveal that this is his son’s first role as a production assistant, and talked about why he decided to join the show and how he is loving it so far.
“He wasn’t doing anything. My son is a young artist himself, he’s an actor, he’s a musician, and he was like, ‘Dad, I’m not doing anything. Can I come to the PA for the show?’ And I’m like, ‘Of course, son,'” he says. “So he enjoys living here and sees the industry from a different perspective.”
Anderson also revealed that he and his son exchanged notes as they experienced the show together.
“My son can see it firsthand, too. He can live it and experience it just like I do. And he has good notes. He sees how he sees it from a different perspective than I do,” he tells PEOPLE. “He helps put this piece together from a production standpoint. So he sees things that I don’t see. He hears things that I don’t hear. So we compare sounds.”
“He’s enjoying it,” he added. “He really enjoys what he does, but he also really enjoys seeing this talent and seeing the show come together like this.”
Matt Sayles/Netflix
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Besides Nathan, the actor is also the father of 28-year-old daughter Kyla. The actor shares children with ex-wife Alvina Stewart. Alvina first filed for divorce in 2015, citing irreconcilable differences and setting the date of separation as April 1, 2014. Two years later, in 2017, she filed to have the petition dismissed, and E! News reported that the two had apparently reconciled their marriage.
Then, on March 25, 2022, Alvina filed for divorce for the second time, stating the separation date as “undetermined.” The two reached a settlement in late 2023, with Anthony agreeing to pay his ex-wife’s spousal support and cover her attorney’s fees.
Attending the Golden Gala at the Beverly Hilton last January, Anderson gave PEOPLE an update on her life a year after her divorce was finalized. Looking back on the past few years, he tells PEOPLE that he puts his family first.
“Family is the most important thing to me,” the actor explained. “I went through a divorce a few years ago and just put my family back together. (I) brought my son here tonight and all I think about is the importance of family and bygones are bygones.”
At the time, Anderson hinted at a possible collaboration with his actor son, saying he would love to work with him.
“My son is following in my footsteps,” he began. “I’m not supposed to say my footsteps,[but]he’s carved out his own path as an actor and he’s had some success over the last three to five years, so I’m happy for him and I support him. I hope we can work together on something someday, but he’s a great musician and a great artist and I’m excited for him too.”
