Gabourey Sidibe’s Husband Brandon Frankel Shares Cancer Diagnosis

Gabourey Sidibe’s husband has shared that he’s recovering after surgery for stage 1 papillary thyroid cancer.

Brandon shared on Instagram that he discovered the issue early because he insisted on an ultrasound, even though his doctor didn’t believe it was necessary. He explained he didn’t want to ‘wait and see’ and wouldn’t have waited six to nine months for a follow-up.

I took a lot of initiative – I called everyone I knew, used my contacts, and persistently worked to get things done. It paid off in the end.

Brandon, who married the American Horror Story actress in 2021, shared that his cancer surgery was successful and he’s currently doing well. However, he emphasized that he’ll continue to prioritize his health moving forward.

The pathology results showed a more aggressive type of cancer cell, meaning we’ll need to closely monitor the situation going forward. However, we found it at an early stage, which is good. I’m very focused on staying healthy so I can be there for my family.

Brandon shared how thankful and fortunate he feels to have Gabourey by his side, supporting him and their 22-month-old twins, Cooper and Maya, as he dealt with health challenges.

He said his wife was the rock of their family throughout everything, managing daily life while he focused on medical appointments, surgery, and getting better. He added that he couldn’t have gotten through it without her love and support.

As a lifestyle observer, it’s clear Brandon isn’t one to hide his affection for Gabourey! He’s always been so supportive, and I loved seeing that recently when she shared photos of their kids visiting her on the set of her first directing project, Be Happy. He immediately jumped into the comments to express how proud he is of her – it was a really sweet moment!

He shared in a November Instagram post how special it was to see his children visit him at work, and how admirable it was to see their mother being both a successful professional and a wonderful mom. He called it a true honor.

Gabourey shared that her husband was very supportive of the film’s cast and crew. She told People magazine at the premiere earlier this month that he specifically asked for photos to be taken on set so everyone would feel included.

Read on for a look back at some of Gabourey and Brandon’s sweetest moments together.

Gabourey Sidibe and Brandon Frankel started publicly dating in May 2019, sharing a selfie on Instagram. They had met just two months earlier on the Raya dating app. Brandon later shared with Brides magazine that their first date lasted for over seven hours.

Brandon proposed to his girlfriend, who stars on the show Empire, in November 2020. He announced the happy news on Instagram with a heartfelt message about their future together. He wrote that he asked his best friend to marry him, and she said yes! He expressed his excitement about spending the rest of his life with her, describing her as amazing, funny, beautiful, and inspiring. He said he couldn’t imagine life without her and that they make a great team, always making life fun and memorable.

Gabourey Sidibe celebrated Brandon’s birthday a month after their engagement by sharing a playful photo with her fans—and a possible glimpse of the proposal itself. The picture showed Brandon proposing while naked in bed, surrounded by balloons that spelled out “Will you marry me?”

In a December 2020 Instagram post, she praised him, saying, “You’re the funniest, kindest, toughest, and most protective man I know.” She also highlighted his willingness to go along with her quirky ideas, from painting his nails to trying unusual food combinations and participating in silly photoshoots like the one she shared.

Gabourey Sidibe shared a sweet note Brandon left her on Instagram, wishing her a good morning. She explained they’ve been on opposite schedules lately, both working long hours and barely seeing each other. Despite the distance, she said he still makes an effort to show her love. She jokingly added that the note might be a ploy to get a PlayStation 5!

After months of being asked about wedding plans and saying they were aiming for a spring 2023 wedding, the actress surprised everyone in December 2022 by revealing she and Brandon had actually been married for over a year. She explained on Live with Kelly and Ryan that she doesn’t enjoy traditional weddings. In fact, she and Brandon had secretly gotten married at their kitchen table just four months after getting engaged, though they still planned to have a ceremony later. Brandon happily confirmed the news on Instagram, saying he was thrilled to finally be able to call her his wife and that she was his forever person and the love of his life.

In March 2023, Brandon gave his wife a unique surprise: he got her name, Gabourey, tattooed on his thigh. He shared a video of the process on Instagram, along with her adorable reaction. She playfully asked, “What did you do? Why did you do this?” before adding, “Okay. Spelled correctly, good job!” Brandon quickly clarified that the tattoo was entirely his idea, explaining that he wanted a permanent way to show his wife how much he loves her. He joked that she was concerned people would think she’d talked him into it, but he assured everyone it was simply a gesture of his deep affection.

Gabourey and Brandon shared they were expecting twins in February 2024 with a sweet Instagram post featuring Brandon’s hand on Gabourey’s baby bump. Gabourey jokingly captioned the announcement, saying they decided it was time their cats had some responsibility and each needed a baby to look after. She added, “Double the babies, double the cats, double the fun!”

In August 2024, four months after welcoming twins Maya and Cooper in April, she shared a glimpse into life with her newborns. She posted a picture of the babies relaxing in their bouncers while she read Virginia Hamilton’s The People Could Fly to them, simply captioning it “Story Time.”

Gabourey shared an adorable video on her Instagram story showing her 4-month-old twins holding hands. She captioned the August 2024 post, explaining they were too focused on each other to play with their toys.

The talent agent frequently shares posts about his three daughters. In November 2024, he celebrated a milestone with Gabourey and their twins, Cooper and Maya, who turned seven months old, calling them the “loves” of his life. He wrote that seeing their happy reactions to him always brightens his day and that he loves them more than anything.

Gabourey shared a video of her twins’ first Christmas with her and Brandon. The babies, who were eight months old, received an activity table, puzzles, and toys as gifts. She wrote in a post on December 26th that their “first Frankel Family Christmas” was a hit, and they especially loved playing with the boxes! Brandon, her husband, playfully agreed, commenting that they had “won the parent ‘Super Bowl’!”.

Gabourey celebrated six years of marriage with her husband, Brandon, by sharing a sweet post online. She included a collection of photos of the couple and reflected on their relationship. She revealed they first met in late March 2019, and Brandon visited her in New Orleans that June. For fun, she took him to a tarot card reader who predicted he’d be married with children soon. Gabourey added that Brandon has been passionately pursuing her ever since they met, and if she’d known how wonderful he would be, she would have let him ‘catch’ her sooner.

2026-02-21 06:17

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