ATWT's Paul Leyden and Wife Alexia Welcome a Baby Boy!

Please join us in congratulating AS THE WORLD TURNS alum Paul Leyden (Simon) on the birth of his beautiful baby boy, Pierce James Leyden! Delivering their son on June 18, Alexia Barlier gave her husband one heck of a Father’s Day present!

“Well, 10 days ago, on Father’s Day no less, the magnificent Alexia Barlier gave me the most epic gift — a son!” Leyden exclaimed on Instagram, sharing a photo of himself with the infant and another of his wife holding their son in an adorable heart-patterned onesie at a cafe. “Meet Pierce James Leyden!

“As a storm ravaged the Parisian streets,” he continued, “Alexia harnessed all that powerful natural energy to birth this beautiful boy!”

Leyden made his daytime debut when he joined the cast of ATWT as devilishly handsome con man Simon Frasier in February 2000. He played the character on and off over the next decade, right up until the end of the CBS soap. The actor also enjoyed a brief run as Blake Joseph on THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS from 2010-11. More recently, Leyden has stepped behind the camera, directing episodes of the TV series CLEANERS as well as the films Come Back to Me, Chick Fight, and the recent R.I.P.D. 2: Rise of the Damned.

Leyden married French actress Barlier back in August 2018, and the couple welcomed their daughter, Raphaelle on June 7, 2019. And shortly after the family celebrated the little girl’s fourth birthday, she became a big sister! “Maman and Pierce are doing great and already a brilliant team!” Leyden reported. “And Raphaelle is being lovely and adjusting… slowly.”

Pierce is absolutely beautiful, and we look forward to seeing more photos of the little angel as he grows up!