Major Struggles, Major Wins: What We Know about Jonathan Majors’ Parents and Childhood
Get a look at Jonathan Majors’ life before the fame as we get to know his parents and explore his childhood.
By Talia LeacockMay 21 2025, Published 9:44 p.m. ET
The Breakdown: Jonathan Majors has had a whirlwind Hollywood career. From the highs of starring in Creed III alongside Michael B. Jordan to the lows of legal troubles, he’s run the gamut of headline-making experiences. His childhood and relationships with his parents give us a window into his life behind the scenes.
Some actors spend years fighting to land noteworthy roles. For others, it’s like success comes all at once. Jonathan Majors would fit into the latter category. The Yale School of Drama graduate first stepped into Hollywood with a role in ABC’s miniseries When We Rise (2017). That kickstarted a career that included blockbusters like Da 5 Bloods (2020) and Creed III (2023) and streaming hits like Lovecraft Country (2020).
But what was life like for the California-born actor before the fame? To answer that, we’ll take a deep dive into Jonathan Majors’ parents and the childhood that shaped him.
Who are Jonathan Majors’ parents?
Jonathan Majors is the second of three children born to Terri (nee Anderson) and Winfred Majors. The family lived briefly in California, where his father served in the Air Force. They eventually moved to Texas, where Terri and Winfred split.
Majors describes his father’s departure as “vanishing.” His mother struggled to make ends meet in his father’s absence, and Majors and his siblings moved many times between towns in Texas, facing frequent eviction notices and other financial troubles.
Majors credits both his parents for the man — and the actor — he’s become.
Like many children with challenging home lives, Majors often found himself in trouble. As a youth, he was caught shoplifting and suspended from school for fighting. But when he discovered a love for acting, his mother supported his dreams. Terri, who had earned a master’s in divinity and become a pastor, took out loans to fund her son’s travel to auditions.
Beyond his mother’s financial support, Majors notes that she shaped the way he showed up in the world. He credits her for his “energy for communication,” which is evident in both his acting and his poetry.
Though his father was not present, Majors notes that his influence is undeniable too. “I would say the absence of my father put in me a drive,” he told The Guardian. “My older sister is quite sweet and gentle. We would not have survived if both of us were that way. We also wouldn’t have survived if we were both extremely aggressive and forward [like I was]. I would bark. I would move the whole litter forward. That aspect of me probably comes from my father.”
After years of separation, Majors and his father eventually reconciled. He shared that they reconnected in the pandemic in the midst of the Black Lives Matter protests spurred by the murder of George Floyd; he and his father discussed the parallels between the modern movement and the protests of the 60s and 90s.
Despite his father’s absence in his childhood, Majors is a dedicated dad.
Majors may not have grown up with an example of fatherhood, but he’s committed to changing that narrative for his own family. He’s intentional about spending time with his daughter Ella, who was born in 2013 when Majors was just 23. The actor is careful about protecting his daughter’s privacy, he’s open about being a doting father.
Crime and controversy have challenged his career, but he’s finding his way back.
Though Majors is thriving in fatherhood, other aspects of his personal life have been less positive. In March 2023, Majors was accused of strangling his girlfriend, Grace Jabbari, in a taxi. He was charged and found guilty of assault in the third degree and harassment and sentenced to a one-year domestic violence counselling program.
The case was a big blow to Major's blooming career. He lost several opportunities, including his role as Kang in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
But Majors seems to be bouncing back. On the personal front, he began dating actress Meagan Good in 2023, and the pair got married in a private ceremony officiated by Majors’ mother in March 2025. Professionally, he’s also returned to the silver screen. Magazine Dreams, a film that had been shelved after Majors’ conviction, was also released in March, and the actor has landed a role in the indie film Merciless.
