Dean Cain’s father left after he was born, so the actor swore to be a better dad when the time came. Once he became a dad, he sacrificed his career to raise his son, and today, they share an enviable bond.
While he would later become a renowned movie star, Dean Cain’s heart was not always in the business. He preferred professional football over gracing the silver screens.
However, a knee injury ended his sports career and thrust him into acting, landing his breakthrough role as Superman/Clark Kent in the 1993 “Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman.”
He would later land various roles in “The Broken Hearts Club,” “Rat Race,” “Out of Time,” and “Bailey’s Billion$,” among many others.
He recalls playing sports with many celebrities of his age at the time, but many do not realize that the man who raised him was not his biological father.
Cain’s Father Abandoned Them
Born Dean George Tanaka on July 31, 1966, in Mount Clemens, Michigan, the actor is the son of actress Sharon Tanaka and Roger Tanaka.
Unfortunately, his father, who had only been married to Sharon for two years between 1964 and 1966, abandoned the family. When Cain was 3, his mother married Director Christopher Cain, who adopted Cain and his brother, Roger.
Although he carried his name on his birth certificate, Cain never met his biological father. He later changed his surname to his adoptive father’s. He shared:
“My biological father is Japanese. I never knew him, never met him.”
When Dean’s biological father separated from his mother, he also moved on and married Grace Southhard in 1982 and started a family. He, however, never got in contact with his boys.
Because of his experience with being abandoned by his biological dad, Cain swore to be a better father to his children once he started a family.
Like many actors, Cain had several whirlwind romances, majorly with actresses and models. In June 2000, he became a first-time dad with ex-girlfriend, Playboy Playmate, and Spanish model Samantha Torres.
Cain named his son after his adoptive father, Christopher. And while he was ecstatic about becoming a father, his relationship with Torres took a hit, resulting in a nasty custody battle.
Determined to be the father he’d always promised he would be, the “Hit The Floor” actor fought tooth and nail for his son, finally assuming sole custody in 2011.
He adopted a hands-on approach to raising his son, telling ABC News that he’s always cooked his son’s meals because that’s the only way Christopher would eat. The actor shared:
“I cook every meal for my child. If I don’t cook, he doesn’t eat. I cook a very mean steak. I’m also very good at taking the nine leftovers I have and turning it into something.”
Cain is a more present dad than many actors, but that did...
