Frankie Iglesias, the stepson of stand-up comedian Gabriel Iglesias, remains close with his stepdad despite the latter’s split with his mom, Claudia.
The younger Iglesias is from a past relationship with Gabriel’s longtime girlfriend (now ex) Claudia Valdez. Frankie came into the limelight in the late 2000s when the American stand-up comedian stated he had a stepson during one of his comedy specials.
Widely famous for his catchphrase, “I Am Not Fat, I Am Fluffy”, the comedian considers his stepson a “miniature version” of himself. While the California-born comedian’s son was often a part of his skits, his then-girlfriend, Claudia (Frankie’s mom), seemingly got fewer mentions.
So, it has intrigued fans to know more about Claudia. Read the full article to learn more about Gabriel’s ex-girlfriend, family and relationship.
| Name | Claudia Valdez |
| Nickname | Claudia |
| Profession | Occasional Actress |
| Gender | Female |
| Sexual Orientation | Straight |
| Career Active | Not Active |
| Social Media | N/A |
Frankie Iglesias’ Mom, Claudia Valdez: What Does She Do?
Claudia Valdez got media recognition after her relationship with one of the top stand-up comedians, Gabriel Jesús Iglesias. The fact that she had a son, Frankie, from her previous relationship and Gabriel adopted him gave further push to the limelight.
Aside from being a celebrity’s partner, she has a connection (yet not significant comparatively) to the on-screen projects.
According to IMDB, Claudia had a minor role as a Nurse in the maternity ward in the 2010 sci-fi horror film Monsters, starring Scoot McNairy and Whitney Able.
However, she has no records of on-screen ventures and has preferably remained out of the media’s attention.
Due to a similar name, she is often mistaken for another actress/ producer who worked in the production department of movies like Troy (2004), The Legend of Zorro (2005), and On the Road (2012).
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What Age And Nationality Of Claudia Valdez?
Frankie’s mother, Claudia, was born in the United States of America. Sources cite that she was born in 1980, which makes her age 44 as of 2024. She is an American by nationality; however, her family background and ethnicity remain under wraps.
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | N/A |
| Religion | N/A |
| Age | 44 Years Old |
| Height | 5 feet 6 inches (1.67 m/ 167 cm) |
Frankie Iglesias Is The Stepson Of Comedian Gabriel Iglesias
Gabriel Iglesias, a Hispanic stand-up comedian, doesn’t have a biological child as of the time of this writing. Despite being technically a stepfather, he is more than a fatherly figure to his stepson, Frankie, born from his then-girlfriend Claudia Valdez’s past relationship.
During one of his comedy specials in 2009, the ‘Mr. Iglesias’ actor mentioned that he had a stepson who was 10 years old then. Moreover, he called Frankie “fluffy” and stated he was his “miniature version”, given that the kid was already 162 lbs.
Like the ‘Coco’ voice actor, his stepson also grew up without a father figure, so he adopted him as his own.
Throughout these years, Gabriel has mentioned his son, Frankie, in his comedy, bringing his unusual habits into the laughter frame.
With comedy as one aspect of it, the stand-up comedian’s skits also tell the tales of his fantastic bonding with him.
In June 2016, Iglesias made a Facebook post congratulating his son on his high school graduation from Long Beach Wilson High School. Well, it’s his alma mater, where he completed high school in 1994.
On April 29, 2017, he first shared a selfie with his son with the caption, “He’s got a better smile, but I have a better double chin”. Many commented that the father-son duo were alike despite no blood relation.
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What Is Age And Height Of Frankie?
As per online sources, Frankie was born on December 8, 1997, which makes him 26 years old as of January 2024.
In January 2017, Gabriel took to Twitter (now known as X) to share that Frankie was already 19 years old and humorously asked if ‘any girl wanna take him off his hands?’.
Even if his exact height is not out, he is allegedly as tall as his stand-up comedian dad, who stands 5 feet 8 inches (1.73 m).
Who Is His Biological Father?
There are no mentions of Frankie’s real father, but according to reports, his biological dad and mom had already parted ways when he was born. His mother, Claudia, raised him as a single mother.
It wasn’t until his mom met and got into a relationship with Gabriel Iglesias that he found a father figure and got adopted. Hence, he goes by the last name “Iglesias”.
| Father | N/A |
| Mother | Claudia Valdez |
| Step-Father | Gabriel Iglesias |
| Siblings | None |
Stepdad Never Married His Mom: Break Up Nearly After A Decade
As reported, Frankie’s mom, Claudia, met his stepdad, Gabriel, at a “Make A Wish” event in 2008 at the Laugh Factory. They began dating shortly after and were living together in California.
Despite being together for nearly a decade, the couple did not marry. Moreover, in September 2015, when asked in a Twitter Q&A session #AskFluffy if he plans to have more kids, Iglesias replied that Frankie ‘will be his only kid.’
However, in a June 2020 interview with People, Gabriel stated he separated from Claudia in 2017. It explains why he opted out of comedy for a few years, which he calls an “emotional rebuild.”
The comedian also stated that after the split, he quit drinking for two years but drinks now, “I needed that time to reflect. I couldn’t drink and fix myself.”
But, he does have a good connection with his stepson, Frankie, whom he raised with his then-longtime girlfriend, Claudia.
Why Did Frankie’s Parents Break Up?
Even if the Cristela actor cum comedian didn’t directly specify the reason for his split with Frankie’s mom, he did state that the stress of balancing work and family took a toll on his relationship, and “everything fell apart.”
Moreover, he also admitted that his struggle with alcoholism and depression had an impact on his family.
Where Is Claudia Valdez Now? Is She Still Alive?
While in a relationship with Gabriel, the stand-up comedian occasionally mentioned his longtime girlfriend (now ex) in his comedy. However, she went relatively low-key after their split, and her name is nowhere to be heard in his videos now.
There are no reports on her current whereabouts or if she passed away.
Is Frankie Iglesias’s Father, Gabriel, Dating Anyone Now?
No, for now, Gabriel is not in any relationship. Probably, after a hiatus from comedy amid his split from Claudia, he is focusing on his career.
During his 2020 interview with the People, he said he was single now and ‘home was different for him now. He could focus on himself, his career, his kid and his dogs.’
On his Instagram, the elder Iglesias often shares pictures of his two pet dogs (Chihuahua), Risa and Vinnie.
Is Frankie Iglesias Into Comedy Like His Stepdad?
In his mid-20s, Frank has yet to make a professional mark in the comedy career, unlike his stepdad, who embarked on his journey at 21. No exacts of his current profession are out.
However, some hopeful fans await to see him transition to comedy, like Gabriel, who worked for a cell phone company in Los Angeles until 1997.
Though, he has made some on-stage appearances with his dad. In September 2017, Iglesias shared a picture of Frankie from one of his UK tours, where he took the stage for the first time in front of a live audience.
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Net Worth Of Frankie’s Dad, Gabriel Iglesias
According to Celebrity Net Worth, Gabriel has an estimated net worth of $40 million as of 2024. He earned a hefty fortune from his comedy career- tours, ticket sales, and comedy specials.
A professional in stand-up comedy since 1997, Iglesias’ expertise with wordplay and crowd work makes him a standout. On top of that, his comedy is clean, and non-controversial material appeals to viewers.
Between 2017 and 2018, he reportedly earned $21 million from his various endeavors, which made him one of the top 10 paid comedians in the world. Sources estimate his average annual earnings stand in the ballpark figure of $20 million.
He produced several stand-up comedy specials with outlets like Comedy Central and Netflix, including I’m Not Fat… I’m Fluffy and Hot & Fluffy.
Aside from comedy concerts, his YouTube and endorsements bring a considerable sum into his account.
Moreover, he has appeared in numerous TV shows like All That, Cristela, Funny You Should Ask, and Mr. Iglesias. He also voiced in many animated films: El Americano: The Movie (2016), Smurfs: The Lost Village (2017), Coco (2017) and Ferdinand (2017).
As reported, Iglesias owns a $1.5 million home in California, while his collection of over 30 Volkswagen buses is worth $3 million.
Conclusion
Frankie Iglesias is the only son (stepson) of American stand-up comedian Gabriel Iglesias. His mother, Claudia, and his stepdad, Gabriel, were in a relationship from 2008 to 2017 but never married.
While Frankie’s biological father remained away in his formative years, he got showers of love and fatherly adoration from Iglesias after he adopted him at 10. His connection with his stepfather has been the subject of the stand-up comedian’s many videos.
Fans hope he might transit someday, even if he is not into the comedy scene now. It’s never too late to start, no?
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