Shay Mitchell and Matte Babel are proud parents to two daughters. The couple, who have been romantically involved since 2017, welcomed their first child, Atlas Noa, in 2019.
Their second daughter, Rome, joined the family in May 2022, and was named in honor of Mitchell’s late grandmother.
Mitchell shared the news of Rome’s birth on Instagram with a heartfelt message, reflecting on the bittersweet experience of welcoming her daughter while mourning the loss of her grandmother.
“Losing the most important person in my life in the same year I welcomed my second daughter has shifted everything for me, but one thing remains steady in my soul — I’m certain they spent time together and that brings me peace and joy,” she wrote.
“We’re so happy you’re here Rome, named after my best friend, my soulmate, my ‘person,’ my Grandma Romaine.”
Despite being deeply committed to each other as “partners in life,” Mitchell and Babel have no plans to marry.
“I’ve manifested quite a few things in my life and getting married was never something that was right for me,” the BÉIS founder explained during an appearance on Today with Hoda & Jenna in May 2024.
For both of us, everything works so smoothly. He’s an incredible father, great partner, and that’s really how I see us.”
Shay Mitchell and Matte Babel both come from Ontario, Canada. Babel, a Toronto native, attended Wilfrid Laurier University from 1999 to 2003, where he double majored in communications and sociology, with a minor in business, and graduated with honors.
Mitchell, who studied acting in Toronto, revealed to FOX411 in 2017 that they had known each other for years before becoming romantically involved.
“We knew each other in Toronto. Like Drake and all them, it’s a Toronto crew,” she said, referring to Babel and her Degrassi co-star Drake. “We’re really, really awesome friends.”
Babel has a multifaceted career as a television host, producer, and branding expert. He has served as a host for MuchMusic, co-hosted CP24 Breakfast, and worked as a correspondent for Entertainment Tonight Canada.
In addition, Babel has worked as a consultant for various brands. He currently serves as the Chief Brand Officer of DreamCrew, the management company and entertainment group owned by his longtime friend Drake. In this role, Babel oversees projects like NOCTA, a Nike sub-label.
While Shay Mitchell is very active on social media, boasting over 33 million followers on Instagram, Babel prefers to keep a low profile, posting only occasionally. His Instagram posts primarily feature his work with Drake, as well as photos of Mitchell and their daughter.
In June 2019, Babel shared a heartfelt tribute to Mitchell alongside a stunning photo from her first maternity shoot.
“Watching the both of you grow over the past 6 months has been the most beautiful thing in the world. The strength, vulnerability, and grace you’ve had during this pregnancy has left me in awe. You’re going to be an incredible mom…We’re lucky to have you, love you,” he wrote.
In October 2019, one year after Mitchell experienced a miscarriage in 2018, the couple welcomed their first daughter, Atlas Noa.
Before Atlas was born, Mitchell shared glimpses of her pregnancy journey with fans through her YouTube series Almost Ready.
The series highlighted Babel’s unwavering support, from assembling strollers and car seats to attending every ultrasound appointment and encouraging her during her 33-hour labor.
“He’s going to be a great dad,” Mitchell said in the first episode. “He is so good with kids. He is just so comfortable. After the pregnancy, I don’t have a worry at all.”
In May 2022, Babel became a father for the second time with the birth of their daughter Rome, named after Mitchell’s late grandmother. Despite having two children together, marriage is not in the cards for Mitchell and Babel.
In 2021, the YOU actress told, “I don’t really know if that’s in the cards for us. I’m not in a rush to get married. I love the fact that we come home and every day I’m like, ‘I choose you and you choose me.’ It keeps us on our toes. It keeps it sexy.”
Two years later, Mitchell reiterated on the Call Her Daddy podcast that she didn’t need “a piece of paper and a big celebration and a ring” to validate her love for Babel.
“I just was never that girl who had a Pinterest board of her wedding. And my parents have been married for like 38, maybe even 40 years, and they’ve had an amazing relationship, but it just wasn’t something that I wanted,” she added.
In addition to her acting and social media success, Mitchell is a thriving entrepreneur with multiple businesses. She launched the travel and lifestyle brand Béis in 2018 and co-founded the tequila seltzer brand Onda.
Babel serves on the board of both brands and plays a strategic role in Béis. In a video Mitchell posted to her YouTube channel titled “How I Started My Brand,” Babel is seen contributing to the development and launch of Béis, even traveling with her to China to help source materials for her travel bags.
In January 2023, Babel and Mitchell teamed up in a charity pickleball tournament hosted by Béis, where Babel, a father of two, even posed for photos sporting the brand’s sport sling.
