Julia Stiles has spent most of her life in the public eye, but the 10 Things I Hate About You actress has taken a noticeably different approach when it comes to her family.
Stiles is married to camera professional Preston Cook, whom she met while working on a movie more than a decade ago. Together, they have three children, including sons Strummer and Arlo. The couple has deliberately kept their youngest child’s name and gender private.
Her family is receiving renewed attention in 2026 as Stiles prepares for another unexpected career adventure: competing on Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars.
Behind that immediate family is another important part of her story. Stiles was raised in New York by parents Judith Newcomb Stiles and John O’Hara, whose support helped her pursue acting while still young.
Husband Preston
Julia Stiles’ husband is Preston Cook.
Unlike his famous wife, Cook generally works behind the camera. He has built a career in film and television as a camera assistant and other production roles.
Their relationship actually started because of their shared industry.
Stiles met Cook in 2014 while making the thriller Blackway. She starred as Lillian, while Cook was working as a second assistant cameraman on the production.
Their professional introduction eventually developed into a romance.
Cook proposed during a family vacation in Colombia on Christmas Eve 2015.
Stiles later described the proposal as a surprise, even though Cook had dropped a few subtle hints while asking questions about what kind of jewelry she preferred.
Their Wedding
Stiles and Cook did not rush into a large celebrity wedding.
Instead, they chose something remarkably intimate.
The couple married during Labor Day weekend in September 2017 on a beach in Seattle.
According to confirmation provided by Stiles’ representative at the time, only two friends and the officiant attended.
Stiles was pregnant with their first child when they exchanged vows.
She announced the marriage with characteristic humor, joking about having a “shotgun wedding.”
A month later, the couple entered an entirely new stage of their relationship.
They became parents.
Son Strummer
Stiles and Cook welcomed their first child, Strummer Newcomb Cook, on October 20, 2017.
Although Stiles occasionally discusses motherhood, she has avoided turning Strummer into a celebrity.
One interesting glimpse into his personality arrived through her work as a director.
While Stiles was making her feature directorial debut, Wish You Were Here, Strummer visited the set.
She initially expected him to become bored.
Instead, he was fascinated.
Stiles told People that her eldest son watched the monitors, followed her around and even wanted to return for another day. She particularly appreciated that he was seeing his mother in a leadership position rather than simply watching her prepare for an acting role.
For anyone wondering whether another Stiles might eventually enter Hollywood, the answer is far from certain.
His mother has said Strummer is currently much more interested in science.
Son Arlo
The family expanded again several years later.
Stiles revealed in November 2021 that she was expecting her second child.
On January 26, 2022, she announced the arrival of their second son, Arlo.
Her announcement also provided a humorous look at the reality of bringing a new baby home.
Alongside a photograph celebrating Arlo’s arrival, Stiles showed followers how four-year-old Strummer was adjusting to becoming a big brother—by sharing the aftermath of some enthusiastic red-marker artwork on a toilet.
It was an unusually candid parenting moment from an actress who generally keeps her children’s lives private.
Baby Number Three
Julia and Preston quietly became parents for a third time in 2023.
The public did not even know Stiles had been pregnant.
She revealed the news months later, during an April 2024 interview about directing Wish You Were Here.
At the time, she explained that she had a five-month-old baby while embarking on her first feature as a director.
Stiles deliberately declined to discuss the pregnancy in detail.
She also did not reveal the baby’s name or gender.
That information remains private.
Consequently, claims online assigning a name or gender to Julia Stiles’ third child should be treated cautiously unless Stiles or Cook eventually confirms those details.
Motherhood Changed Her
Having three children has affected much more than Stiles’ home life.
It has changed how she works.
Stiles has repeatedly compared motherhood with directing, explaining that both require time management, multitasking and the ability to anticipate problems while remaining focused on what is happening in the moment.
Those skills became particularly important during Wish You Were Here.
Her third child had arrived only months before production began.
Cook also needed to return to work, leaving Stiles facing periods when she was effectively managing three young children while preparing for the enormous responsibility of directing a feature.
That was when another generation of her family stepped in.
Her Parents
Julia Stiles’ parents are Judith Newcomb Stiles and John O’Hara.
Julia was born in New York City on March 28, 1981 and grew up as the eldest of three children.
Her mother, Judith, is an artist associated with ceramics, while her father, John, has been described in biographies as a teacher and businessman.
The creative environment surrounding Stiles contributed to her early interest in performing.
She began acting with New York’s La MaMa Theatre while still a child before eventually moving into television and movies.
Despite becoming famous young, she continued her education and later graduated from Columbia University.
Parents Stepped In
Judith and John remained involved long after their daughter became an established Hollywood star.
That became especially clear during production of Wish You Were Here.
Stiles explained in 2025 that she experienced stretches of “solo parenting” because her husband had returned to work at the same time she was preparing to direct.
Her parents responded by temporarily moving in with the family.
Stiles described them as “immensely helpful” during the difficult period.
It provided an interesting full-circle moment.
The parents who had supported Julia’s early artistic ambitions were now helping care for her children while she took another major creative step.
Her Siblings
Stiles is the oldest of three siblings.
Her sister is Jane Stiles, while her brother has maintained a comparatively private life.
Neither sibling has shared Julia’s level of international fame.
That fits the broader pattern surrounding the family.
Even after decades of Stiles appearing in blockbuster movies, television dramas and major entertainment events, most of her relatives have continued living outside the celebrity spotlight.
Working Together
Julia and Preston’s relationship is unusual because their careers have occasionally allowed them to work on the same productions.
After meeting on Blackway, Cook worked on Jason Bourne, in which Stiles returned as Nicky Parsons.
They also worked together on Riviera.
Stiles has spoken positively about those experiences, particularly because film and television productions can require months away from home.
During Riviera, their work allowed them to spend extended periods together in France rather than maintaining their relationship across different countries.
DWTS Reaction
In September 2026, Stiles added another major television project to the family calendar.
She joined Season 35 of Dancing with the Stars.
ABC’s official biography lists her among the new celebrity competitors while highlighting her recent transition into directing and her upcoming acting projects.
Stiles also revealed to E! News how Preston and their three children responded to the unexpected casting.
The appearance gives a new generation an opportunity to discover an actress many viewers still associate with Kat Stratford in 10 Things I Hate About You or Sara Johnson in Save the Last Dance.
For her children, however, she is simply Mom.
Family Comes First
The Julia Stiles family story looks considerably different from the glamorous image associated with a Hollywood career.
She and Preston Cook have been together for more than a decade and married since 2017. They are raising three children: Strummer, Arlo and a younger child whose identity they have intentionally protected.
At the same time, Stiles remains close enough to her own parents that Judith and John moved in to help when directing and parenting became difficult to balance.
That support now stretches across three generations.
Stiles may be an actress, writer, producer, director and now Dancing with the Stars contestant, but her comments in recent years suggest that becoming a mother has fundamentally reshaped how she approaches all those roles.
And despite spending nearly three decades as a recognizable Hollywood name, she has managed something increasingly difficult: sharing enough about her family to acknowledge their importance while still allowing her children to grow up largely outside the spotlight.
