Anderson Cooper and his ex-boyfriend, Benjamin Maisani, are raising two kids together. They all live in a fire station that Anderson turned into a home for his children. On February 10, 2022, Anderson Cooper shared the news of his second child’s birth on his TV show, “Anderson Cooper 360.” He and Benjamin have a son together. Benjamin used to work in a bar and later opened his own called “Eastern Bloc.” He met Anderson there, and they became close friends.
The journalist used to go to the bar a lot, and that’s likely where he and Benjamin fell in love. According to Wealthy Persons, Benjamin’s net worth was around eight million dollars. When Anderson announced their new son, Sebastian Luke Maisani-Cooper, he described him as healthy and happy, weighing 6.8 pounds at birth. He mentioned Sebastian’s cute hiccups and said he spends most of his time sleeping, eating, and pooping, but already seems wise and thoughtful.
The co-parent made sure to thank the nurses and doctors who helped deliver the little boy. Anderson also expressed his gratitude to the surrogate who carried his second son.
He thanked the woman and her family for taking care of Sebastian and loving him over the past year. This wasn’t the first time he announced the birth of his children on TV. In April 2020, he told CNN viewers about the birth of his first son, Wyatt Morgan Cooper. Then, on February 25, 2022, during an interview on “Live with Kelly and Ryan,” Anderson talked about how Wyatt was getting along with Sebastian. He mentioned that Wyatt calls Sebastian “Luke” and likes to say “Good morning, Luke” every day.
After Sebastian was born, Anderson took three weeks off work to spend time with his new son. He talked to Ryan Seacrest and Kelly Ripa before his break and said he was loving being with his boys. He mentioned how nice it was to come home and relax. Anderson also talked about his special routine with Wyatt every night. He said he loved feeding Wyatt and cuddling him until he fell asleep on his chest, which he thought was the best feeling.
Anderson and his boys have a routine in the mornings. They go to the diner for breakfast, and Wyatt and Sebastian enjoy swimming. Anderson likes to read to his sons until they fall asleep for their afternoon nap. Wyatt and Sebastian get along and play together nicely. They even play with some of Anderson’s old toys from when he was a kid. Anderson thinks it’s amazing to see his sons’ bond with each other.
Benjamin, who owns properties and nightclubs, started raising Wyatt with Anderson when he was born. Even though they were no longer dating, Anderson said they would still be a family and co-parent. In an interview, Anderson mentioned that their co-parenting is easy. When he goes to work at night, Benjamin takes care of the kids. They both wake up just before the boys do, give them milk, and spend the first part of the day with them. Anderson said Benjamin speaks French with their sons.
Anderson made it clear that he and Benjamin would raise little Sebastian together, saying, “We’re co-parents. We’re a family.” Benjamin was already in the process of legally adopting their first child, who calls him “papa.” The older boy calls Anderson “daddy.” When the adoption is done, Wyatt’s last name will be changed to include both parents’, Maisani-Cooper, just like Sebastian’s.
In a September 2023 interview, the 56-year-old famous broadcaster talked happily about being a dad, saying, “This is the best time in my life. There is no doubt about it.”
Anderson’s Relationship & Co-parenting with Benjamin Maisani
Anderson and Benjamin began dating in 2009. They let everyone know about their relationship in 2015. But in 2018, they told people they had broken up. Even though they weren’t together anymore, they were still really close. Anderson said, “Maisani is going to be a co-parent to Wyatt even though we’re not together anymore. He’s my family, and I want him to be Wyatt’s family as well.”
In September 2021, Anderson talked openly about the unique co-parenting situation he has with his ex. He admitted that it might seem strange to some people, but it works well for them and Wyatt. Anderson said, “It’s probably an unusual setup, but I knew he would be a great dad, and he is. We’re exes, but we’re family to each other, and we love each other as family and as co-parents.”
The author often tells us about what’s happening with his older son. One time, he talked about feeling upset because he missed seeing Wyatt take his first steps. On the other hand, Benjamin doesn’t share updates often. But he did mention once that Anderson changed after Wyatt was born. Anderson explained how they share parenting duties, saying:
“I’ve always believed that if you’ve been with somebody and that ends, in terms of an intimate relationship, if you love somebody, there’s no reason why that love shouldn’t continue.”
In February 2021, during an interview on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” Anderson told Ellen DeGeneres that he and Benjamin used to want different things when it came to starting a family. He explained, “It’s interesting, because he wasn’t really sure he wanted to have a kid—which is one of the reasons we probably broke up—but then, he came around to the idea. Now he is such a great parent.”
Inside Anderson’s Firehouse, Where He Lives with His Kids
On June 9, 2020, Anderson showed People around his home, which used to be a fire station. He revealed Wyatt’s nursery, which was mostly decorated in blue. The nursery was still being worked on, and some pictures hadn’t been hung up yet. There was a painting by Anderson’s late mother, Gloria Vanderbilt, of herself and Anderson’s late father, who Wyatt was named after.
There was also a picture of Anderson’s handprint from when he was a kid. In one corner of the room, there were many stuffed animals that used to be Anderson’s. The blue wallpaper had a beetle design, and there was a paper mache cupid hanging above the baby’s white crib.
Anderson said he wanted everything in his son’s room to have a special meaning. They also had a changing area and a picture of Benjamin and his sister when they were young.
Anderson bought a firehouse in Greenwich Village, New York in September 2010 for $4.3 million. The firehouse still had its original features like brass fire poles, spiral staircases, and walls with paintings showing its history as a fire station.
In 2015, David Beckham and Kevin Hart filmed an H&M ad campaign at Anderson’s house.
In September 2018, during a three-day interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Anderson indirectly showed off his house. He lived there with his dog Lilly, a Welsh springer spaniel. Anderson and Benjamin had broken up earlier that year.
The kitchen in Anderson’s home has a big island. He spent a long time fixing it up and even added an elevator. Upstairs, there’s a room with stuffed animals and old paintings. Anderson also has hand-painted signs from trips to Cuba and Africa.
In the living room, there’s a special side table with a Victorian calendar that Anderson found in his mom’s bedroom. It shows the date July 22, 1988, which is the day his brother, Carter Cooper, died by suicide at 23 in their mom’s apartment. After his brother’s death, Gloria moved several times but always took the calendar with her. Anderson explained that he didn’t want to get rid of everything from his mom’s apartment after she passed away.
In Anderson’s home, you can see some of his family’s old stuff, like a notice from his great-great-grandfather’s time in the Civil War. There’s also a photo of Anderson taken by his friend Tim Hetherington when he was in Afghanistan.
One interesting thing in his house is an old Italian marble from the 18th century called Memento Mori. The firehouse, which was built in 1906, was redone by architect Cary Tamarkin to make it look modern inside, but it still has some old-fashioned charm.
In 2015, David Beckham and Kevin Hart filmed an advertisement for H&M in Anderson’s home. The ad let people see Anderson’s nice house, including his living room, gym, roof terrace, and one of his bedrooms.
In 2019, Anderson lost his mom when she was 95, and his dad died from a heart attack in 1978. He didn’t really deal with the sadness for a long time, but then he decided to talk about it on his podcast, “All There Is With Anderson Cooper.” He interviewed actress Molly Shannon, who shared her own experiences with grief. “It has certainly made me feel less alone,” Anderson said about his podcast.