All About Gracie Abrams' Famous Parents, J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath

Mar. 15, 2025

J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath at the 2018 Vanity Fair Oscar Party. ; Gracie Abrams at Billboard Women in Music in 2022.Photo:Dia Dipasupil/Getty ; Amy Sussman/FilmMagic

Dia Dipasupil/Getty ; Amy Sussman/FilmMagic

Gracie Abramsis a rising star in the music world, having opened forTaylor Swifton the Eras Tour in 2023 and 2024 andOlivia Rodrigoon her 2022 Sour Tour, but her parents, J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath, have been in the spotlight for years.

The married couple also founded the J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath Family Foundation in 2012, through which they have created grants and funds to support different causes, includingabortion rightsand social justice initiatives liketheir Anti-Racist fund, launched in 2021.

J.J. and Katie are parents to three children: Henry, Gracie and August. “It’s the greatest gift, and you get what you put into it,” J.J. toldRed Carpet Roxyin June 2015, talking about fatherhood.

So, who are Gracie Abrams’ parents? Here is everything to know about J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath and their relationship with the singer-songwriter.

They’ve been married for decades

J.J. Abrams and his wife Katie McGrath on their wedding day.Gracie Abrams Instagram

Gracie Abrams Instagram

J.J. and Katie got married on Sept. 29, 1996.

Although not much is known about the start of their romance, she posted a tribute to her husband in honor of their 27th wedding anniversary in 2023. Katie shared a glimpse of them on the weekend before their nuptials.

“After all of the babies and dogs and friends and family and moves and jobs and heartbreaks and joy, I choose you again, every single day,” she wrote onInstagram, alongside a black-and-white photo embracing J.J. “Best decision I ever made. Best person I know. Endless love, always and forever. ❤️.”

The couple went on to welcome their first child, a son namedHenryon June 22, 1998.Graciefollowed, arriving on Sept. 7, 1999, and the family’s youngest child, sonAugust, was born on Jan. 10, 2006.

J.J. is an Emmy-winning director and producer

Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

In 2001, he founded a production company, Bad Robot, with fellow producer Bryan Burk. Currently, he and Katie serve as the co-CEOs of the company. Under Bad Robot, J.J. co-created and executive produced the hit network showsLostandAlias, composing the theme music for both. In 2005,Lostwon multiple Emmy awards, including Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series, awarded to J.J.

He made his film directorial debut in 2006 withMission Impossible: IIIand worked on 2009’sStar Trekrebootand 2015’sStar Wars: The Force Awakens. He said he hoped to make it more inclusive, especially for girls.

“Star Wars was always a boy’s thing and a movie that dads took their sons to, and though that’s still very much the case, I was really hoping this could be a movie thatmothers take their daughters toas well,” he said in an interview withGood Morning Americain November 2015.

Two years later, J.J. returned to theStar Warsfranchise to direct and co-writeThe Rise of Skywalker.

Katie has a background in politics

J.J. Abrams and his wife Katie McGrath at the 2019 Vanity Fair Oscar Party.Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Dia Dipasupil/Getty

In 2023, Katie was appointed a member of the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. She’s also on the boards of Pro Publica, ARRAY Alliance and The McGrath Abrams Family Foundation, according toher bio.

Most recently, Gracie spoke toGlamourU.K. about her mother’s impact on her as a woman, who alongsideShonda Rhimes, initiallyfunded the Time’s Up organizationin 2018, in support of women who had faced sexual harassment.

“I admire her wholeheartedly,” she said in January 2023. “As I’ve gotten older, I just wanted to be more and more like her. To see her fearlessness in these spaces is something that inevitably has guided me as a woman.”

J.J.’s storytelling inspired Gracie’s career

Singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams as a child hugging her dad J.J. Abrams.Gracie Abrams Instagram

“There’s a privilege in having even grown up around the knowledge of what the entertainment world looks like at all,” Gracie said in a July 2022 interview withiHeartRadio Canada.

The artist shared that she felt fortunate to grow up in a home with a parent like J.J., who told stories, signifying that it could be a lifelong passion. “I think that having that in my childhood solidified my love and appreciation for storytelling … and influenced the fact that I did it all the time,” she continued.

Still, Gracie noted that her parents did not directly influence her songwriting, which was always just for her.

“I definitely kept them so far out of it. Songwriting, for me, was always just a personal outlet to deal with my experiences without having to talk to anyone, especially my parents for many years,” Gracie said on separating her art from her family.

“Now, I’m very lucky … I’m super tight with them and I tell my mom everything,” she added.

Katie influenced Gracie’s performances

Katie McGrath and Gracie Abrams pose together for a photo.Gracie Abrams Instagram

Gracie has spoken about how much she appreciates her mom’s efforts in raising her, crediting her for her fearlessness while singing and praising her for exposing her to important causes.

For Mother’s Day in 2021, she shareda throwback photoof her mother captioned, “Best person I’ll ever know I love you mom @ktmcgrath.”

Her posts of praise go back, though, including a2017 Mother’s Day postwhere Gracie thanked her mom for “encouraging me to perform to the point where it doesn’t scare me anymore and taking me to be a part of great, important movements.”

In a 2024 interview withNylon, Gracie called her mom “the toughest person I know,” adding that she’s learned a lot from watching Katie interact with her fans.

“The way that she treats people is how I want to treat people, and for me to see her be that way towards this community that cares so much about the music,” she said. “Her support and encouragement of my writing my whole life is the reason that I’m doing any of this now.”

They supported Gracie when she opened for Taylor Swift

Taylor Swift and Gracie Abrams perform during the Eras Tour in July 2023.TAS2023/Getty

TAS2023/Getty

Gracie’s parents were elated to see her on tour with Swift, sharing posts from the audience.

Later that month, the mother of three compiled a photo gallery of herself with Gracie at one of the Atlanta Eras tour dates. “Bonkers night with the lifers and my girl and my girl’s chosen mother @taylorswift! ❤️❤️❤️,” she captioned it onInstagram.

While J.J. doesn’t post about his personal life on social media, mostly posting about his projects, Katie previously recorded him and Gracie during a heartfelt musical moment. She shared a clip onInstagramof the two playing the piano together back in 2019.

J.J. and Katie are committed to philanthropy and social activism

J.J. Abrams and Katie McGrath at the premiere of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ in December 2015.Michael Kovac/Getty

Michael Kovac/Getty

Katie’s history in politics is still relevant in her life, as she remains committed to social activism through philanthropy, inspiring her husband, J.J., to follow suit.

Together, the couple have pledged donations to multiple causes, including launching an Anti-Racist fund and giving initial investments of $200,000 to five groups: Black Futures Lab, Black Lives Matter L.A., Community Coalition, Equal Justice Initiative and Know Your Rights Camp.

They also support local politicians, having both donated $125,000 each to L.A. Mayor Karen Bass’ campaign in 2022, according to theLos Angeles Times.

source: people.com