Anthony Kiedis Opens His Heart: “Everly Is Magic” — A Father’s Reflection on Love, Life, and Redemption
In a world where rock stars are often remembered for chaos, rebellion, and excess, Anthony Kiedis of the Red Hot Chili Peppers stands apart as a man who found salvation not in fame or fortune — but in fatherhood. In a rare and deeply emotional statement, Kiedis opens up about the bond with his son, Everly Bear, calling him “magic,” and reflecting on how his child became the anchor that steadied his turbulent life. What unfolds in Netflix’s intimate new featurette “Everly Is Magic” is not just the story of a father and son, but the chronicle of a man reborn.
“Everly is a magic,” Kiedis says, smiling softly in the film’s opening moments. “I always ask myself why someone like him — so good, so pure — happened to be mine, considering all the troubles I went through in my life. I try to educate him in the best possible way and spend a lot of time with him.” It’s a statement so disarmingly honest that it instantly reframes the image of Kiedis — once the shirtless, wild frontman of one of the most explosive rock bands on Earth — into something far more profound: a devoted father seeking redemption through love.
The documentary — directed by award-winning filmmaker Gus Van Sant — is a meditation on time, tenderness, and transformation. Through never-before-seen home videos, studio sessions, and heartfelt interviews, “Everly Is Magic” explores how Kiedis, after decades of public highs and private lows, discovered peace in the quiet moments spent raising his son.
For fans who have followed Kiedis since the band’s early days on the Los Angeles strip, the transformation feels almost miraculous. The same man who once embodied the excesses of rock and roll — the adrenaline, the drugs, the dizzying fame — now spends his mornings making breakfast, helping with homework, and surfing alongside his son on Malibu’s calm waves. “I didn’t grow up with much stability,” Kiedis admits. “But I wanted to give that to Everly — I wanted him to feel safe, to know that love doesn’t have to hurt.”
The film traces the arc of Kiedis’s journey with unflinching honesty. From his chaotic upbringing — a childhood surrounded by Hollywood decadence and early exposure to substances — to the explosive success of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Kiedis’s life has been a tightrope walk between self-destruction and salvation. Archival footage from the band’s formative years paints the picture of a young man torn between creativity and chaos. “Music was my medicine,” Kiedis recalls, “but sometimes the medicine became the disease.”
Everything changed in 2007, when his son Everly Bear Kiedis was born. “The first time I held him,” he says, “I realized there was finally something more important than me.” That single moment became a turning point — one that shifted his priorities and softened his worldview. Friends and bandmates, including Flea and Chad Smith, reflect on how fatherhood transformed Kiedis from a restless nomad into a man of purpose. “He used to live for the next gig,” Flea says. “Now, he lives for the next sunrise with his son.”
“Everly Is Magic” balances its tenderness with grit, showing that even love cannot erase the shadows of the past. Kiedis is candid about his fears as a father — the constant worry of passing on the pain he once carried. “I’m always questioning if I’m doing it right,” he admits. “I didn’t have a manual for being a dad. But I know how to be present — and that’s what I give him.”
The film is visually stunning, juxtaposing the fire of Kiedis’s stage persona with the calm of his home life. We see him barefoot on stage, belting “Under the Bridge” to thousands, then later reading bedtime stories to Everly by candlelight. The contrast is striking — a testament to the duality that defines him. “It’s still the same Anthony,” Flea notes in one interview. “Just a little wiser, a little quieter, and a lot more grateful.”
The soundtrack — curated by Kiedis and guitarist John Frusciante — flows like a heartbeat through the film. Stripped-down acoustic versions of “Scar Tissue,” “Otherside,” and “Soul to Squeeze” accompany moments of reflection, while new, unreleased music inspired by fatherhood brings emotional depth. One song, titled “Magic in You,” written for Everly, becomes the film’s emotional centerpiece — a hauntingly beautiful ode to innocence and legacy.
Beyond music, the documentary delves into philosophy. Kiedis speaks about mindfulness, simplicity, and the power of being present. “Everly doesn’t care who I was on stage,” he says with a grin. “He just cares if I’m there when he’s building something with his Legos.” It’s in these small, human moments that Kiedis finds redemption — a sense of wholeness that fame could never provide.
The film also includes Everly’s voice, now a teenager, reflecting on growing up in the shadow of a legend. “He’s not just my dad,” Everly says shyly. “He’s my best friend. We surf, we talk, we laugh. He’s always there — even when he’s not perfect.” Those words hit harder than any lyric. They reveal a truth deeper than fame: the quiet victory of a man who learned how to love completely, after a lifetime of learning how to survive.
As the final act unfolds, Kiedis stands by the Pacific Ocean at sunset — his silhouette framed against the horizon. “I’ve lived a thousand lives,” he says softly. “But this one — being his father — is the only one that feels real.” The camera lingers as he watches Everly run along the sand, laughter echoing over the waves. It’s not the roar of an audience, but something far more powerful — the sound of peace.
“Everly Is Magic” is more than a portrait of a rock star; it’s a love letter to second chances. It captures the essence of Anthony Kiedis — not just as a performer, but as a human being who fought his way through addiction, loneliness, and fame to find something pure and enduring. It’s a reminder that even the loudest souls can find silence in love — and that sometimes, the greatest song we ever write isn’t performed on stage, but whispered in the heart of a child.
By the time the credits roll, one truth rings clear: Anthony Kiedis didn’t just find magic in his son — he became it.
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