Netflix star Penn Badgley welcomes identical twin boys with wife Domino Kirke

Penn Badgley - star of Netflix series You and teen drama Gossip Girl - has announced the arrival of his twin boys.

The 38-year-old actor's wife Domino Kirke gave birth to the identical twins on Wednesday. Penn and Domino, 41, teased fans with the news on Instagram.

In a video posted on the social media, Penn, who was in psychological thriller You for seven years, promoted his upcoming book Crushmore - but subtly said: "Interrupting twin paternity leave" in his plug. The camera then pans to the feet of one of his newborns.

In the clip, the actor, born in Baltimore, Maryland, says: "There's tiny little baby feet right there... I don't want to wake them up." The video has had more than 49,000 likes since it was uploaded on Instagram on Wednesday night.

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Penn and Domino already have a five-year-old son, and Domino's older son Cassius, 16, from a previous relationship. The couple started dating in 2014 and tied the knot in New York City in 2017.

When they announced Domino's second pregnancy, the couple described the news as a "plot twist". They were shocked to discover they were having twins and Domino, a singer, wrote on Instagram: "We are stunned. We are in awe" in February.

Since then, Penn, who played Dan Humphrey in Gossip Girl between 2007 and 2012, told reporters he recognised the importance of being a good role model for his boys. Speaking on the red carpet or the premiere of the final season of You, Penn told he and his wife felt "pressure" to "raise them well."

The star, who was also in 2007 slasher film Drive-Thru said: "They’re identical boys, so now we have four boys. You know, I do mean this sincerely. It sounds a bit tacky, but the world needs more good men, so you know, pressure’s on us to raise them well."

When asked to share his dad superpower, the actor replied: "Well, it’s my patience until I’ve lost it, and then I’m just as bad as anybody else. But, I can be very patient."

Penn began his acting career at a tender age, with his first-ever onscreen role being in the iconic NBC comedy Will And Grace in 1999. He played a young lad named Todd in the ninth episode of the second season, titled I Never Promised You An Olive Garden. Todd was depicted as a bully who tormented another boy until Jack (Sean Hayes) intervened to defend him while Karen (Megan Mullally) was having a meeting with a teacher about her stepson.