STEVE HARVEY IS A DAD TO SEVEN KIDS: BRANDI, KARLI, BRODERICK, WYNTON, MORGAN, JASON AND LORI
By KATE MANNION
Contributing writer at PEOPLE MAGAZINE (Updated on May 14, 2024)
Family Feud host Steve Harvey is a true family man.
“Family is my reason why,” he once said about fatherhood. “I work to leave a legacy and hopefully [make] the world a better place for them.”
Steve first became a dad in 1982 when he and his then-wife, Marcia Harvey, welcomed twin girls, Brandi and Karli, 40. The couple also had a son, Broderick Harvey Jr., 31, in 1991 before their divorce in 1994.
The talk show host welcomed another son, Wynton, 26, in 1997 with his second wife, Mary Shackelford, whom he was married to from 1996 to 2005.
Two years later, Steve wed Marjorie Harvey and adopted her three children from a previous relationship: daughters Morgan, 39, and Lori, 27, and son Jason, 31.
“When you’re dealing with a blended family, everyone is coming from a place of broken,” Marjorie told PEOPLE in 2016 before explaining how she and Steve wanted to make sure all of their children felt included and loved. “We knew this was right,” she said, adding “Now we’re Mom and Dad to everybody.”
Here’s everything to know about Steve Harvey’s seven kids.
KARLI AND BRANDI HARVEY, 40
Steve and his first wife, Marcia, welcomed twin girls, Karli and Brandi, in August 1982.
At the time, Steve was an insurance salesman, but after trying standup comedy and winning a $50 first-place prize, he decided to quit his job to pursue a life in comedy. Speaking to PEOPLE about that life-changing decision, he recalled, “I’m married, I have twins. I’m supposed to provide for them, but I had to take this chance.”
While he found success in the entertainment industry, it took a toll on his home life. He and Marcia divorced in 1994 and his relationship with Brandi and Karli was strained.
“Years later they said to me, ‘Dad, we didn’t understand why you left us, but we know now you had to go. You didn’t just belong to us. You belonged to the world,’ ” Steve shared, adding, “That was emotional for me.”
In 2015, Karli married Ben Raymond and her father walked her down the aisle. Prior to the wedding, Karli and Benjamin appeared on Steve’s talk show where the comedian tearfully admitted, “It’s difficult to give your daughter away,” before turning to Benjamin to add, “you have to take care of her, because if you don’t, I’m going to take that personally.”
The following June, Karli and Benjamin had their first child, a son named Benjamin Troy Raymond II. They decorated the nursery with a special token from their wedding, a blessing tree filled with messages from friends and family.
“I wanted to incorporate the blessing tree so he always has that encouragement,” Karli told PEOPLE in 2016. They also hung up one of Steve’s favorite Albert Einstein quotes. “And then he made sure that the baby has a copy of his book, Act Like a Success,” Karli shared.
Twin sister Brandi is an author, podcast host and fitness influencer who previously trained as a bodybuilder, even placing second in an NPC competition. She’s also the founder of Beyond Her, a wellness and lifestyle brand focused on helping women reach their health goals.
Additionally, Brandi is the executive director of her father’s foundation, The Steve and Marjorie Harvey Foundation.
BRODERICK HARVEY, JR
Steve welcomed son Broderick Harvey Jr. with Marcia in April 1991 in Cleveland.
Following Steve and Marcia’s 1994 divorce, Broderick stayed in Ohio with his sisters and his mother. Appearing on his father’s talk show, Steve, in May 2019, Broderick opened up about their relationship, sharing, “I didn’t really have my dad full-time in my life until I was 16.”
In response, Steve spoke about his own regrets, saying, “I had spent my entire life trying to make up for the mistakes I made as a young man.”
In 2015, Broderick started a shoe company called Steps By Stephens, which helped fight hunger by donating three meals to a child in need for every pair sold.
The company has been featured on Steve’s talk show. Steve introduced Broderick and his business partner saying, “The most important thing that I’ve tried to teach all of my kids is the value of hard work and giving back to others,” before adding, “that’s why I couldn’t be prouder of my oldest son.”
WYNTON HARVEY, 26
Wynton Brycelon Ali Harvey was born on July 18, 1997, to Steve and his second wife, Mary Shackelford. The couple divorced in 2005 after nine years of marriage.
Speaking to PEOPLE in 2016, Steve opened up about the divorce, saying “I got married for the wrong reasons. I was tired of being alone. I have to own that. It was me, not her.”
Since their split, Mary has made numerous allegations against her ex-husband. In 2011, she claimed on YouTube that Steve cheated on her and took their son after their divorce. Steve responded to the accusations stating that he was awarded primary custody when Wynton was 13 years old and that their son went to live with him willingly.
Today, Wynton is a photographer based in Atlanta.
MORGAN HAWTHORNE, 39
Marjorie welcomed her first child, Morgan, on May 14, 1985.
In 2019, Marjorie shared a heartfelt birthday message to her oldest daughter on Instagram, writing “I was 19 years old when I became pregnant with you….. Scared…. completely clueless…… but determined not to mess this up.”
After Marjorie and Steve married in 2007, Steve legally adopted Morgan and her two siblings and all three took the surname Harvey.
In October 2013, Morgan married her longtime boyfriend Kareem Hawthorn. The couple welcomed their firstborn, a daughter named Elle Monroe, in March 2015. Their second daughter, Marley Jean, followed on Sept. 1, 2020.
Morgan is a professional chef, cookbook author and food blogger. Her blog, I Need Some Mo, was featured on Steve’s talk show in 2016.
JASON HARVEY, 31
Marjorie’s son, Jason Harvey, was born in August 1991. Like his sisters, Jason was legally adopted by Steve after he and Marjorie married in 2007.
In August 2013, Jason started a family of his own when he married model Amanda Harvey (née Hill). Their first child, a daughter named Rose, was born in June 2014. Jason and Amanda have since welcomed three more children: sons Noah Ellington and Ezra Nehemiah were born in 2015 and 2016 respectively, and daughter Joey Iris arrived in 2020.
Jason is a fashion designer and founder of the Atlanta label Worldly. “Worldly looks to embrace the fashion industry while creating an intersection between diversity, spirituality, and empowerment,” Jason said in a 2022 press release. “There’s a lot of creativity that runs within the rich DNA of Black and Brown talent. Therefore, I am creating a house that provides a support system for talent who may not have the necessary resources to scale their business to the next level.”
LORI HARVEY, 27
Steve’s youngest daughter, Lori Harvey, was born on Jan. 13, 1997. Like siblings Jason and Morgan, she was legally adopted by Steve following his 2007 wedding to their mother, Marjorie.
Lori is well-known in the entertainment industry due to her career and her love life. She started modeling in 2015 and has worked with brands including Dolce & Gabbana, Burberry and Michael Kors. In 2021, she launched her own skincare line, SKN.
But she’s also made headlines due to a few high-profile relationships. Lori was pervasively engaged to Dutch professional soccer player Memphis Depay in 2017 and in 2019, she was linked to Sean “Diddy” Combs as well as the rapper Future.
She also had a serious relationship with actor Michael B. Jordan. The pair started dating in November 2020 before ultimately calling it quits in June 2022. A source close to the model told PEOPLE that Lori “wasn’t ready to commit,” and that “she is very focused on her career.”
Following their breakup, Steve shared his thoughts on his podcast saying, “I’m team Lori, 1,000 percent. She’s, my daughter. I love her, I support her.”
In January 2023, the Family Feud host said Lori was “in a really good place in her life right now” during an appearance on Today with Hoda and Jenna.
“I’m not allowed to talk about anything,” he continued. “I’ve given her advice quite a few times but you know, it’s difficult ’cause she’s 25. She’s growing up as a public figure. She doesn’t get to make her mistakes like everybody else. Everybody else gets to make their mistakes in the cloak of darkness at your house. Hers gets publicized.”
Steve added, “But she’s done a really good job of figuring it out and getting it right. …I think she’s content with Lori and I think that’s a great place for her to start from.”
That same month, Lori confirmed her relationship with actor Damson Idris by posting a photo on her Instagram Story of Idris kissing her cheek, adding three heart emojis underneath. That weekend, the two arrived at her 26th birthday party hand-in-hand. Since then, Lori and Idris have made their red-carpet debut and were spotted at a Beyoncé concert and the 2023 Serpentine Summer Party in London.
See article in PEOPLE MAGAZINE at https://people.com/parents/all-about-steve-harvey-kids/
