Jack Matfin Bell is most famous as the only child of Evan Rachel Wood and Jamie Matfin Bell. His father is an actor best known for playing Billy in the 2000 drama/musical “Billy Elliot.”
His mother is also famous as an actress. Wood comes from a family of actors. Her father is a theater actor, director, and writer, while her mom is an actress and acting coach.
Wood’s parents gave birth to two other kids, who also followed in their footsteps into showbiz. One of them is a musician, and the other is an actor. The actress got her first taste of fame thanks to her astounding performance as Tracy Louise Freeland in “Thirteen.”
Who Is Jack Matfin Bell?
Jack Matfin Bell is Jamie and Wood’s first child, and he was born on July 29, 2013, in Santa Monica, California. Unfortunately, because the relationship between his parents quickly turned sour some years after his birth, his early years were not as happy as they could have been.
Jamie Matfin Bell announced the birth of Jack with pride on Twitter. In his post, he expressed pride in his wife, calling her a warrior and confessing that she always left him in awe.
He went further by thanking her for giving birth to their son “naturally & peacefully.” Jack was reportedly born by candlelight at their home.
The actress described it as a “psychedelic experience.” Before his arrival, the proud mother often shared updates with her fans on Twitter. In one tweet, she asked herself how she could fall in love with a child she had not met.
When she did meet him, she fell deeper in love, and so did Jamie. Little did she know just how much her life would change because of him.
How His Parents Met
Wood and Jamie’s careers brought them together. The pair ran into each other in 2005 while filming Green Day’s music video “Wake Me Up When September Ends.”
They dated for a year before going their separate ways, but things didn’t end that way. They reconciled in 2010 and then allegedly married in 2012.
It has never been clear if Jack Matfin Bell’s parents had a valid marriage. This is because his mother once claimed she and Jamie only held a wedding ceremony and were never married in the eyes of the law.
Jack Matfin Bell’s Parents Fought Over Him
However, the former couple relied on the law when they separated and needed to establish custody. Custody battles among celebrities are pretty standard after separation, especially when both parents love the child sincerely and want to be a part of their life.
Jamie and Wood’s marriage lasted between 2012 and 2014. After they divorced, the pair had a nasty custody battle in a family court over Jack.
Wood got custody, but Jamie maintains a close relationship with his son and has been seen spending time with him multiple times. In 2017, Jamie claimed that he and his ex-wife were co-parenting well.
How Motherhood Changed Wood’s Life
Wood once confessed that motherhood is the “hardest thing” she has ever done and will ever do. However, it’s not all negative reviews.
She also claimed that despite the tough times, it saved her life and imparted many lessons.
Wood’s tough time as a mother has been majorly linked to her calling out her former lover, Marilyn Manson, as her abuser publicly and legally. It made a lot of headlines as news of abusers who are celebrities are known to do. It also led to problems for her and her son.
Manson’s fans sent them death threats and hate mail. It left Wood fearful for her and Jack’s safety. The abuse was also referenced during her custody battle with Jamie, who she claimed did not support her fight for justice.
Wood had to upgrade security to protect her son and herself. The actress is grateful for all she has learned and the opportunity to become someone her son can be proud of.
Besides teaching her many things, motherhood kept Wood quite busy. She said, “People say, ‘What about when the baby goes to sleep?’ But that’s when I do laundry, clean the house, and answer emails. I pretty much always have a stain on my shirt. That’s my life!”
Wood continues to pressure authorities to act on her reports of Manson abusing her while they were together. At the same time, she keeps up with her career and her duties as a mom — a superwoman in the flesh.
