'Walking Dead' Star Tom Payne and Wife Jennifer Akerman Welcome a Baby Boy: 'Love You Immeasurably'

"The next big life adventure starts here," the Walking Dead and Prodigal Son actor wrote while announcing the birth of his son Harrison Magnus Austin Payne

tom payne
Photo: Ally Koonce

The Prodigal Son has a son of his own.

The Walking Dead star Tom Payne and wife Jennifer Akerman announced the birth of their baby boy on Instagram Saturday with a pair of heartwarming posts.

Harrison Magnus Austin Payne was born Jan. 5 at Cedars Sinai in Los Angeles. Payne, 39, shared the news alongside an adorable image of Harrison grasping the new dad's thumb with his hand.

"I can't believe you're here. We love you immeasurably and will always be there for you. The next big life adventure starts here! Thank you so much to everyone at Cedars Sinai, our amazing doula Carmen and all of our friends and family for the support. Not forgetting my incredible wife who rocked the whole pregnancy and birth. I love you," the actor behind Jesus on TWD wrote.

"I can't believe you are here. Welcome to the world Harrison Magnus Austin Payne," Akerman echoed in her own post. "We love you so much."

Akerman, a singer who performs under the name Final Child, shared a look at her newborn baby boy from the hospital bed, but kept his face covered with a sticker.

The proud parents' famous friends and costars were quick to offer their congratulations in the comments sections.

"Love you all SO MUCH. What a lucky little angel to have gotten you guys for parents. Can't wait to know him," Payne's onscreen mom Bellamy Young wrote. Khary Payton, who plays Ezekiel on TWD, added, "Congratulations, you guys!" Alanna Masterson, who plays Tara, also sent love to Akerman with four heart emojis.

Payne and Akerman confirmed their pregnancy news to PEOPLE in November while revealing her baby bump in the music video for her single, "South of the Border."

"We're so happy to share with PEOPLE that we are expecting a baby boy by the end of this year!" Payne told PEOPLE. "When Jen was preparing to release a new single for her Final Child project, we had an idea for a music video that also seemed like a fun opportunity to introduce people to our news."

"She would have spent the whole video trying to hide it anyway so we thought why not include it as a surprise ending!" he added. "We had such a good time making the video and are very thankful for the small crew and extras that we were able to gather to mark such a big moment in our lives."

Akerman and Payne have been a couple since 2013. They got engaged in Nov. 2018 and married in Dec. 2020 after postponing their initial wedding that April due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

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