Connor Douglas Gilliland is the older son of Emmy-winning actress Jean Smart and her late husband, actor Richard Gilliland. Born in October 1989, he grew up around television sets and now leads a mostly private adult life. He is also the older brother of Forrest Gilliland.
In this article, you’ll learn about his age, the childhood moments his mother has shared, his family’s history, and the support he gave after his father’s death. His story is closely tied to the people who raised him.
Connor Douglas Gilliland’s Age and Family
As of November 2026, Connor Douglas Gilliland is 37 years old. He was born in October 1989, about two years after Jean Smart and Richard Gilliland married. His parents both worked as actors, and his childhood often took him close to their work.
Jean is known for television roles that range from Designing Women and Frasier to Hacks. Richard spent decades acting on stage and screen. He appeared in Designing Women, 24, and many other shows before his death in 2021.
Both of Connor’s parents loved acting, but their son has not become a familiar face on television. Jean has instead shared small moments from his childhood, including what he was like when he visited her at work.
How His Parents Met on Designing Women
Jean Smart and Richard Gilliland met while working on Designing Women, the CBS comedy that began in 1986. Jean played Charlene Frazier, while Richard appeared as J.D. Shackelford, a character who dated Mary Jo, played by Annie Potts. The cast connection brought Jean and Richard together away from the cameras.
Their relationship grew quickly. They married in June 1987 and welcomed Connor two years later. The show was more than a job for the couple. It became part of the story of how their family began.
Jean continued working while raising her first child. In a 1992 Los Angeles Times interview, she described how pregnancy led her to take more care with her type 1 diabetes. She changed daily habits and followed a strict health routine as she prepared to become a mother.
That period linked two major parts of her life: a busy acting career and a new family at home. For Connor Douglas Gilliland, those worlds were close together from the start.
A Childhood Filled With the Sounds of a TV Set
One of the most vivid stories about Connor comes from Jean herself. In a 2022 interview with Elle, she recalled seeing him on the Designing Women set when he was just two years old.
He sat in a director’s chair wearing headphones. When a signal told the crew to get quiet before a scene, he understood what it meant. He even tried to hush the adults around him. Jean remembered him as a serious little boy, despite growing up amid the laughter of a TV comedy.
Connor Douglas Gilliland knew when a set needed silence, even at age two. The routine of rehearsals, lights, and cameras had become familiar to him. He did not need to become an actor himself to see how a television show came together.
Connor Douglas Gilliland spent some of his earliest years near people making a hit show. Yet Jean’s favorite memory from that time is simply her small son trying to keep everyone quiet before the cameras rolled.
Nearly Twenty Years Between Two Brothers
In May 2009, Jean and Richard welcomed their second child, Forrest, through adoption from China. Connor was already a young adult, so the brothers grew up at very different stages of life. Even so, the new arrival became a major family moment.
During an appearance on The Bonnie Hunt Show in 2010, Jean shared a memory of the trip to China. Connor had looked forward to traveling, but meeting Forrest took him by surprise in a good way. His mother said he was deeply moved by his new sibling.
The age gap has remained a distinctive part of their family. When Forrest was in middle school, Connor was already in his thirties. The brothers did not share the usual childhood routine of siblings born a few years apart, yet both have remained important in Jean’s life.
A September 2026 People profile of Jean’s children describes their bond and the family’s time together. It also tells how Connor Douglas Gilliland returned home when his mother and younger brother needed extra support.
The Support He Gave After Richard Gilliland’s Death
Richard Gilliland died on March 18, 2021, at age 71. Jean was filming the first season of Hacks around that time. Along with losing her husband, she faced raising Forrest, who was still only 12, without the partner she had shared her life with for more than three decades.
Connor moved back in with his mother and younger brother after Richard died. In a 2023 conversation with People, Jean said her older son had been helping her a great deal. She was glad to have him nearby as the family adjusted.
In 2024, Jean told AARP that both sons were living with her then. She said Connor’s help had made a huge difference. Her words gave a rare picture of his place in the family: an adult son who showed up when home life became hard.
Connor Douglas Gilliland was there for his family during a painful stretch. His mother’s comments make clear how much his presence meant when she had to work and care for Forrest without Richard.
Family Appearances Through the Years
Although Connor keeps a low public profile, he has joined his mother for special events. On April 25, 2022, he and Forrest stood beside Jean as she received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles. It was a major career honor, shared with the two sons who meant so much to her.
The family also appeared together at the June 2025 opening-night celebration for Jean’s Broadway play Call Me Izzy in New York City. Photos from the event show Connor, Forrest, and Jean celebrating the occasion as a family.
At the September 2026 Emmy Awards, Jean again spoke about both sons. During her acceptance speech for Hacks, she thanked them and called them her anchor. That public message brought attention back to Connor Douglas Gilliland, even though he is not often seen at entertainment events.
These appearances show how he remains part of his mother’s milestones. He has joined her for some events, but the focus has stayed on her work and the family’s chance to celebrate together.
His Adult Life Outside the Spotlight
Connor is known mainly through his family, not through an acting résumé or a public entertainment business. His work and education have not been a regular subject of Jean’s interviews. She has spoken far more about his kindness and support at home.
His personal relationships are similarly private. The few occasions when he is photographed with Jean show family celebrations, not the details of his life from day to day. That leaves his own choices outside Hollywood largely out of view.
Connor Douglas Gilliland has never been at the center of the kind of public career that made his parents familiar names. The most personal details his mother has shared concern how he grew up and how the family cared for one another.
Common Questions About Connor Douglas Gilliland
How Old Is He in 2026?
He turned 37 in October 2026. Jean Smart and Richard Gilliland welcomed their first son in October 1989.
Does He Have Any Siblings?
Yes. He has a younger brother named Forrest Gilliland. Jean and Richard adopted Forrest from China in 2009. The brothers are almost twenty years apart in age.
What Does He Do for a Living?
His profession is not publicly established. Unlike his parents, he does not have a widely documented acting career. The family stories about him mainly concern childhood, family events, and the support he gave his mother.
Is He Married?
His marital status has not been publicly shared. Jean Smart’s accounts of her older son focus on their family life rather than his romantic relationships.
Did He Attend Jean Smart’s Walk of Fame Ceremony?
Yes. Connor and Forrest joined their mother when she received her Hollywood Walk of Fame star on April 25, 2022.
A Quiet Place in a Well-Known Family
Connor Douglas Gilliland was born into a family that has been part of American television for decades. Yet the moments that tell his story best are not about being famous. They are about a child listening to a TV crew, a young man meeting a new brother, and a son helping his mother through grief.
Jean Smart has given audiences many memorable characters. Her comments about Connor also show a family that has stayed close through work, change, and loss. The support she received from her sons remains a lasting part of their story.
You may also read: James Hayman: Television Career, Photography and Annie Potts. Potts worked with Connor’s parents on Designing Women.
