When a strong, rugged movie star snuggles his baby daughter close, or plays catch with his young son, the world gives a collective sigh of adoration. People everywhere melt into puddles of love when they see muscled men hoisting tiny tots up onto their shoulders or chiseled faces contorting into goofy grins in attempts to get their beautiful babies to smile or laugh. Yes, there is something oh-so-special about dads, and famous fathers are no exception.

Celebrity daddies face the difficult challenge of raising children in the spotlight. Some famous fathers can do no wrong in the eyes of their fans. Ryan Gosling, Ryan Reynolds and Ashton Kutcher are just three examples of celeb pops who turn their fans into walking heart-eye emojis with every move they make and every step they take.

Some celeb dads are scrutinized and judged for the choices they make. Others fly completely under-the-radar, and are never really recognized for the impressive ways they parent their tots.

The 20 celebrity dads that follow are totally and completely underrated. One only needs take a second look at the things they do for and say about their children to realize they are actually incredible dads. Get ready to swoon!

20 Chris Pratt

Chris Pratt shares one adorable son with his ex-wife Anna Faris. The Parks and Rec and Guardians of the Galaxy star has gone from goofy guy to Hollywood heartthrob over the course of his illustrious career. He definitely has acting chops, and has proven with some of the things he’s shared about fatherhood that he’s also a pretty adorable and perceptive parent.

Speaking about dealing with Jack when he was a toddler, Pratt revealed on The Ellen Show, “From what I understand, most of the terrible two stuff comes from a kid or toddler’s inability to express what they want..He’s so vocal, it’s not that hard for him. It’s super frustrating because you’re like, ‘Alright, now. Jack, I think it’s time for bed,’ and he’ll say, ‘Hm, I thought about it and no thanks, Dad, not right now.’ And I’m like, ‘He’s so polite! What am I supposed to do?’” Really, is there anything sweeter than a dad who's a total pushover when it comes to his child? 

19 Jay Z

Jay Z shares three children, Blue Ivy, Rumi and Sir, with his beautiful bae Beyonce. The Grammy winner counts being a father as one of his greatest accomplishments, and considers his kids to be some of his most supportive cheerleaders.

When he won a 2014 Grammy for “Holy Grail”, he told his firstborn daughter in his acceptance speech, “Look, Daddy got a gold sippy cup for you!” The love goes both ways, and Jay has also revealed that Blue Ivy is his biggest fan. He told Vanity Fair, “If no one bought the Magna Carta [album], the fact that she loves it so much, it gives me the greatest joy.”

18 Ryan Phillippe

Dreamboat actor Ryan Phillippe shares two adorable children, Ava and Deacon, with his ex Reese Witherspoon. He also has a daughter named Kai with his ex Alexis Knapp. The Cruel Intentions actor has a knack for playing bad guys, but in real life, he’s a stellar father to his little and not-so-little ones.

Speaking about being a dad, the father-of-three has said, “Being a father is the greatest achievement and the most important thing about me. I have...great kids, no question.” The star has also revealed, “I grew up with no money. My kids will grow up with a lot of money and so it’s really important to me, and it will always be part of my parenting, to keep them conscientious and connected socially to other people”

17 Brad Pitt

A-list actor Brad Pitt shares three biological children and three adopted children with his ex-wife Angelina Jolie. The break-up of "Brangelina" was one heard ‘round the world, and many speculated about Pitt’s parenting prowess, or lack thereof, during the split. However, the celeb father has since proven he’s one wonderful dad.

Speaking about being a father, the ultra-successful Pitt has said,Fatherhood is the best thing I ever did. It changes your perspective. You can write a book, you can make a movie, you can paint a painting, but having kids is really the most extraordinary thing I have taken on.”

16 Josh Duhamel

Actor Josh Duhamel and his ex-wife Fergie share one adorable son, Axl Jack. The WildAid ambassador has taken it upon himself to instill a love for the great outdoors in his mini-me. Duhamel recent told Us Weekly, “He’s really learning to love nature.” The star also revealed that little Axl’s screen time is limited, and that he “doesn’t have a tablet.”

Duhamel went on to explain, “It’s important for him to just appreciate frogs, turtles, birds, trees and lakes [and] being outside.” The proud father has revealed that he has a cabin in Minnesota that he and his little boy “go to a few times a year” in order to enjoy the beauty of nature together.

15 Channing Tatum

Silver screen star Channing Tatum and his ex-wife Jenna Dewan share one darling daughter named Everly. He is a protective daddy who feels responsible for keeping his treasured tot safe. When Tatum was promoting the movie White House Down in 2013, he admitted to Us Weekly that his role in the film was similar in many ways to his new role as a father.

He shared, “I’ve never protected the president [in real life], but I have been a new dad, and I can tell you that being a new dad is pretty [intimidating]. I’m pretty sure that something about the president makes the stakes a little higher, but to me as a new father, nothing is more important or scary than protecting a daughter.”

14 Tom Brady

NFL star Tom Brady and his supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen have three children together. Their tots Vivian, John and Benjamin are adored by their affectionate father. He was widely criticized when a video of he and his son sharing a moment went viral, but he didn’t let the haters get him down. He has said, “For people who may think they know, or have snippets of who I am, you can attack that person. That’s part of being a public figure.”

Speaking about being a father, and how much he cares about his children, the athlete has shared, “All parents are concerned about their children’s well-being. As a parent of three kids, I’m very concerned about their well-being.”

13 Jensen Ackles

Supernatural star Jensen Ackles and his wife Danneel have three adorable tots together: Justin Jay, Zeppelin Bram and Arrow Rhodes. Social media is filled with sweet shots of this happy family, and are proof positive that this actor is one involved dad.

At a 2016 Comic-con Supernatural Q&A, the star gave a hilarious response when asked if he and his co-star Jared Padalecki’s kids may ever star together in spin-off of the popular show. He joked, “They’re already kind of a gang as it is. As some of you know, Jared has two sons, and I have a daughter. And, the other day, my daughter was talking about his two boys. I was like, ‘Are they your friends?’ And she goes, ‘Nah, they’re my boys.' She just turned 3. So, we might not have a choice in the matter... And I assume that, you know, they’re going to want to stay in the family business.”

12 Vin Diesel

Fast and Furious star Vin Diesel and his lovely wife Paloma Jimenez have three beautiful children together. His kiddos, Hania Riley, Vincent Sinclair and Pauline Sinclair, are lucky to have a dad with a heart even bigger than his biceps. The star has admitted, “Well, love motivates me in everything I do.”

Speaking about going to work after spending time at home rocking his babies to sleep, he shared, “I was walking around with the babies so much that when I got to the Sidney Lumet picture, I would be on set in between takes and I’d be rocking back and forth. Just standing like this rocking back and forth, and Sidney would say, ‘Why are you walking like that in between takes?’”

11 Cristiano Ronaldo

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo is the proud papa of four adorable little ones. His oldest child, Cristiano Ronaldo Jr., arrived in June of 2010. In June of 2017, he welcomed twins Mateo Ronaldo and Eva Maria to the world and added another new addition, Alana Martina, in November of 2017. Ronaldo has chosen not to reveal the identities of the mothers of his first three children, but he shares his youngest with Spanish model Georgina.

Speaking about his love of being a father, Ronaldo has revealed, “My friends ask me if I want more kids, and I always say yes, I want more; it’s the best thing you can have in your life.”

10 Kevin Hart

Actor and comedian Kevin Hart shares two tots, Hendrix and Heaven, with his former wife Torrei Hart and one young son, Kenzo Kash, with his second wife Eniko Parrish. This funny man has assured the world that to him, fatherhood is no laughing matter. However, he still has fun joking around about parenthood on a regular basis.

Speaking about being a father, Hart has quipped, “My daughter got right to the point, ‘Dad, are we rich? Are we rich, yes or no?’ I said, ‘We’re doing well, but understand why. When you work hard, when you put your mind to something, anything can happen, and that’s what I want you to do.’ My daughter’s so smart she goes, ‘Just answer my question. Are we rich?’”

9 Jack Black

Actor and musician Jack Black and his beautiful wife Tanya Haden share two sons, Samuel and Thomas. Black is known for his quirky ways and his charming personality, and he definitely shares his zest for life with his kiddos.

Speaking about fatherhood, the star has shared, “Fatherhood is just about being present for the kids when they need you. Fatherhood is about getting them ready for when you’re gone. That’s a dark way to say it, but it’s all about teaching them to be able to take care of themselves, to survive on their own, taking off the training wheels. Also, it’s just about enjoying your kids and appreciating their gifts and their sense of humor. I get tons of satisfaction just watching them play.”

8 Joel Madden

Musician Joel Madden and his always-fashionable wife Nicole Richie share two daughters, Harlow and Sparrow. He is confident in his parenting skills, and isn’t above bragging about his amazing ability to care for his children.

At a Pampers “Daddy Play Date” event in New York City, the star told Parade.com, “I’m not trying to sound cocky, but I’m a very good father. I’m an amazing father. I’m not going to lie about that. In general, I’m pretty self-deprecating when it comes to my work or anything else, But when it comes to being a dad, I’m a great dad.”

7 Neil Patrick Harris

Neil Patrick Harris and his husband of nearly 5 years David Burtka share adorable twins Harper Grace and Gideon Scott. The family of four is spotted out and about on a regular basis looking fabulous, stylish and extremely happy. Harris cherishes time spent with his littles. At the close of last summer, he told Today Parents, “This summer has been so fantastic for us to all get to hang out together. We’ve done a lot of traveling, we’ve gotten to watch a lot of movies, gotten to explore...Once the school day starts...I’ll regret not being able to just have a free-for-all with my gaggle of knuckleheads.”

The How I Met Your Mother actor revealed to People magazine, “There is nothing greater than arriving home before dinner and they run down the stairs and jump into your arms and give you a magnificent hug that doesn’t end.”

6 John Legend

"Love Me Now" singer John Legend and his wife Chrissy Teigen have two adorable children together: daughter, Luna Simone and son, Miles Theodore. Wherever he goes and whatever he is doing, Legend is thinking about his kids. He makes fans everywhere swoon when he sings and even more so when he does adorable things for his kids.

When the star recently appeared on Sesame Street, he took it upon himself to gather all of the show’s characters together to record a video for his daughter. He shared the sweet moment on Instagram and captioned the pic, “One day Luna will be very excited by who daddy hung out with today.”

5 Chris Hemsworth

Chris Hemsworth may play a superhero on screen, but he’s a real-life hero to his three beautiful children, India, Sasha and Tristan, whom he shares with wife Elsa Pataky. The Thor star is a natural father who can’t get enough of his little ones. Don’t let his manly, rugged exterior fool you. When it comes to his kids, he’s a big softy.

Speaking about fatherhood, he has shared, “I just have so much fun doing it [being a father]. Now I’m a bit more choosy, I think, with when I work and how I work because it better be worthwhile to take me away from them.”

4 Macklemore

Macklemore and his stunning wife Tricia Davis have two daughters together. Their tots, Colette Koala and Sloane Ava Simone, are lucky to have such a wise father who is committed to teaching his girls to be strong and independent.

Addressing his opinions about fatherhood in his “Growing Up” collaboration with Ed Sheeran and Ryan Lewis, he raps, “They say girls shouldn’t be tough/ And moms should raise their kids at home/ But baby, I know that isn’t true/ ‘Cause your momma’s the toughest person I know. I wanna raise you to be like her/ And watch you show the world how to do it on your own.”

3 Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is the proud papa of three daughters: Tiana, Simone and Jasmine. He is another dad who does all he can instill confidence and strength in the hearts and minds of his little ladies.

On Women’s Equality Day, the strong-yet-sweet dad posted a moving tribute to his middle daughter, Jasmine. He wrote, “She can be anything she wants. She can sit at any table. She can trail-blaze a path, while humbly and gracefully recognizing those before her who paved the way. She and her big sister, Simone and her baby sister, Tiana Gia will always have a strong voice and always make a positive impact. She can also just forcefully shove a buttery, delicious croissant in daddy’s mouth when daddy is on a very strict diet.”

2 David Beckham

Soccer legend David Beckham and his posh fashion mogul wife Victoria have four beautiful children together. It is rumored he’s a strict father, but he is often spotted spending quality time with his kids. He also has a great sense of humor when it comes to parenting his stylish brood. 

Speaking about his teenage son Brooklyn, Beckham told Jimmy Kimmel, “He tells me to park around the corner, and then he gets out and walks around to his school. So he did it to me the other day, after doing it about five times on the trot. So I’m driving around and he’s just walking in his school, and I open the the window and I said, ‘Brooklyn! I love you!’ And, you know, obviously it didn’t go down very well!”

1 Jimmy Fallon

Jimmy Fallon and his wife Nancy Juvonen have two adorable daughters, Winnie and Frances, together. The former SNL star may be a comedian, but he knows his role as a father is no joke. He is one celeb dad who has admitted to being completely and totally smitten with his little princesses.

The Tonight Show host told Parents, “Moms should know that even the manliest guys will become softies when they have daughters. Dads immediately fall in love with their little girls, and will let them get away with everything. So moms are going to have to be the disciplinarians when it comes to daughters.”

Sources: Romper.com, VanityFair.com, UsMagazine.com, Parents.com, ThisIsInsider.com, PopSugar.com, MadeforMums.com, Fatherly.com, Today.com, Parade.com