These Celebs Saw Adoption as the Best Way to Expand Their Family

Celebrities who adopted children share how and why they built a family on their own terms.

Celebrities Who Adopted Children — and Why

As the one and only Oprah once said, “Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.”

It’s a phrase applicable to all sorts of modern maternal relationships — stepmothers, mother figures, blended families, and, of course, adoption. (For the record: Oprah gave birth at age 14 to a preemie who did not survive. She has no other children of her own.)

Here, celebrities who became parents through the transformative power of adoption share how and why they built a family on their own terms.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt

Now a mother of six, Angelina Jolie adopted her first child, Maddox, from Cambodia back in 2002. At the time, she was just 26 and, after breaking up with her then-husband, was also a single parent.

She later adopted daughter Zahara from Ethiopia and another son, Pax, from Vietnam, before giving birth to three biological children — Shiloh and twins Vivienne and Knox — with now ex-husband Brad Pitt.

In Their Own Words

Angelina Jolie on her long-held belief in adoption: "When I was growing up, I wanted to adopt because I was aware there were kids that didn't have parents. It's not a humanitarian thing because I don't see it as a sacrifice. It's a gift. We're all lucky to have each other.”

Brad Pitt on having both adopted and biological children: “They’re as much of my blood as any natural born, and I’m theirs. That’s all I can say about it. I can’t live without them.”

Connie Britton

Though she played one of the most iconic television moms in recent memory — the unflappable, down-to-earth Tami Taylor of “Friday Night Lights” — Connie Britton wasn’t drawing inspiration from her own life.

She didn’t become a mother until she adopted her son, Eyob — known as Yoby — from Ethiopia in 2011.

In Her Own Words

Connie Britton on adopting as a single parent: “I’ve always hoped to find a man that will be a great husband and father. I have faith that I’ll find that. It’s just in a different order.”

Mariska Hargitay and Peter Hermann

“Law & Order’s” Mariska Hargitay was 42 years old when she gave birth to a biological son, August, with husband actor Peter Hermann. That was in 2006.

To grow their family, they successfully adopted two more children — Amaya and Andrew — after a heartbreaking, failed attempt with another birth mother who changed her mind.

In Her Own Words

Mariska Hargitay on the heartache that can come with the adoption process: “I’m not gonna lie. There were wrenching moments. I say to everybody, ‘Adoption is not for the faint of heart.'”

Mary-Louise Parker

In 2004, Mary-Louise Parker gave birth to a biological son, William, with whom she was pregnant when father Billy Crudup famously left her for another actress.

Three years later, she adopted a daughter, Caroline Aberash Parker, from Ethiopia, and has raised both children on her own.

In Her Own Words

Mary-Louise Parker on always knowing she would adopt: "I would daydream about it all the time. I thought about the fact that there were children who didn't have anything, and I felt like I could help. It was something that weighed on me."

Mary-Louise Parker on why she chose to adopt on her own: “It was something I did for the world and for my son and then for me. And when I say the world, I also mean my daughter. Once I knew her, she became part of that."

Cate Blanchett and Andrew Upton

In 2015, Cate Blanchett and husband Andrew Upton, a playwright, adopted a girl — Edith Vivian Patricia — in addition to already having three biological sons.

In Her Own Words

Cate Blanchett on adopting as a privilege: “I felt we had space, enough emotional room in our hearts, and we’re privileged enough to have the capacity to have another child, so it wasn’t about biology.”

Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron is mother to two adopted children — Jackson, adopted in 2012 from South Africa, where she is from, and August, adopted in 2015 from the U.S.

In Her Own Words

Charlize Theron on adoption always being her first choice: “Even when I was in relationships, I was always honest with my partners, that adoption was how my family would look one day. This was definitely not a second option for me. It was always my first.”

Madonna

Madonna — a mother of six — has made plenty of headlines with her various adopted children — David, adopted in 2006; Mercy, adopted in 2009; and twins Esther and Stella, adopted in 2017.

Each of her adopted children was born in Malawi, where Madonna founded the charity Raising Malawi. (Madonna also has two biological children, Lourdes, born in 1996, and Rocco, born in 2000.)

In Her Own Words

Madonna on falling in love with her adopted children: “It's inexplicable. It's like saying, 'Why do you fall in love with the people you fall in love with?' You look into the eyes of somebody, you feel their soul, you feel touched by them — that's it."

Madonna on choosing to adopt again after eight years: “Sometimes, I would just close my eyes and just think, ‘Why isn’t my kitchen filled with dancing children?’ There are so many children that need a home. I thought, ‘What am I waiting for? Just do it.’”

Katherine Heigl and Josh Kelley

Katherine Heigl and husband Josh Kelley, a musician, adopted two daughters together — Naleigh, from South Korea, in 2009, and Adalaide, from the U.S., in 2012. Then, in 2017, she gave birth to a son, Josh Jr. Heigl.

The choice to adopt from South Korea was a no-brainer for Heigl, as her own sister is adopted from there.

In Her Own Words

Katherine Heigl on what defines love as a mom: “Anyone who doesn’t have experience with adoption wonders, ‘Does love for a child come through DNA?’ I knew it didn’t.”

Katherine Heiglon wanting a family that looked like her own: “I wanted my own family to resemble the one I came from, so I always knew I wanted to adopt from Korea.”

Sheryl Crow

In 2007, shortly after undergoing treatment for breast cancer, Sheryl Crow adopted her first son, Wyatt. Three years later, she adopted another, Levi.

In Her Own Words

Sheryl Crow on the magic of adoption: “Little souls find their way to you, whether they’re from your womb or someone else’s.”

Sheryl Crow on changing her priorities to include family after her cancer diagnosis: “Being diagnosed with [breast] cancer was a showstopper for sure. I think it dictated that I re-evaluate my life and set up new guidelines for the way I want to live.”

Jamie Lee Curtis and Christopher Guest

Jamie Lee Curtis has two adopted children with husband Christopher Guest. The couple adopted Annie in 1986 and Thomas, 10 years later.

Curtis was so inspired by the experience that she wrote a children’s book meant for adoptees, “Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born.”

In Her Own Words

Jamie Lee Curtis on struggling with infertility: “Adoption was the only way for us to have a family.”

Jamie Lee Curtis on taking adoption seriously: “We look at adoption as a very sacred exchange. It was not done lightly on either side. I would dedicate my life to this child.”

Sandra Bullock

In 2010, despite the dissolution of her then-marriage to Jesse James, Sandra Bullock continued with plans to adopt a son, Louis, from New Orleans as a single parent.

Five years later, she adopted a toddler, Laila, from a Louisiana foster home.

In Her Own Words

Sandra Bullock on choosing to adopt in the wake of Hurricane Katrina: “I knew. Something in me told me my child was there.”

Sandra Bullock on the fluid meaning of family, which at one point also included stepchildren: “You don’t have to give birth to someone to have a family. We’re all family — an extended family.”

Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise

After suffering a failed pregnancy early in her marriage to Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman chose to adopt two children with him — Isabella, in 1993, and Connor, in 1995. In the wake of their 2001 divorce, both children, who are practicing Scientologists, remained with Cruise, also a Scientologist.

Kidman also has two biological children with Keith Urban: Sunday, born in 2008, and Faith, born via surrogate in 2010. Cruise has another biological child, Suri, born in 2006, with his ex, Katie Holmes.

In Their Own Words

Nicole Kidman on adoption: “Somehow, destiny comes into play. These children end up with you, and you end up with them. It's something quite magical.”

Tom Cruise on not feeling any difference between his adopted and biological children: “My adopted children are my own children. There is no separation in that for me whatsoever. There's no way there is any difference, and anyone who has adopted would say the same. I've been up in the middle of the night changing diapers. There's no question in terms of me being the father; that bond couldn't be any stronger.”

Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness

Hugh Jackman and his long-time wife, Deborra-Lee Furness, adopted two children — Oscar, in 2000, and Ava, in 2005 — after years of struggling to get pregnant.

In His Own Words

Hugh Jackman on finally choosing to adopt: “We struggled, a couple miscarriages, [in vitro fertilization] — it was not easy. It was difficult, obviously particularly on Deb. I remember saying to her, ‘We were always going to adopt — let's just adopt now.’”

Hugh Jackman on the relief of starting the adoption process: “From the moment we started the adoption process, all the anxiety went away.”

Ty and Holly Burrell

You may know him as the dad in “Modern Family.”

But fatherhood didn’t come to Ty Burrell until he and his wife, Holly, adopted Frances, in 2010, and Greta, two years later.

In His Own Words

Ty Burrell on his path to adoption: "In a weird way, it wasn't planned. It's a weird thing how adoptions can sometimes be as irrational as regular birth."

Kristen Davis

In 2011, the "Sex and The City" star announced she had adopted baby girl Gemma Rose.

Then, she adopted a baby boy, Winston, in 2018 because Gemma Rose "wanted a brother," Davis shared on Live With Ryan and Kelly.

In Her Own Words

Kristin Davis on the uncertainty of adoption: "It is terrifying, partly because with adoption you always know there's the chance that it won't work. So, you're on pins and needles."

Denise Richards

After her breakup with actor Charlie Sheen, with whom she had two daughters, the actress adopted a baby girl named Eloise in 2011 as a single parent.

She has since married Aaron Phypers, who she met at a healing center where he works.

In Her Own Words

Denise Richards on adopting as a single parent: “I felt like I wasn’t done having children, and I’ve always wanted to have a large family. And, so after my divorce, I felt like, ‘Oh well, I’m sure I’ll soon enough get remarried and have my family [grow],’ and that wasn’t in the cards at the time, so I decided to expand my family on my own.”

Viola Davis and Julius Tennon

In 2011, actress Viola Davis and her husband adopted a baby girl named Genesis.

In Her Own Words

Viola Davis on what she tells her daughter: "I always tell Genesis she was born from my heart, not my belly."

Meg Ryan

In 2006, actress Meg Ryan adopted Charlotte from China as a single parent. She later changed her daughter’s name to Daisy.

Ryan also has a biological son, Jack, with ex-husband Dennis Quaid.

In Her Own Words

Meg Ryan on the certainty of adoption: "I am convinced, completely convinced, that there was nothing random about [the adoption]; she is the daughter I should have.

Sharon Stone

The “Basic Instinct” star adopted her first son Roan in 2000 with then-husband Phil Bronstein.

After a rather painful divorce, she adopted two more kids – Laird and Quinn – in 2005 and 2006, respectively.

In Her Own Words

Sharon Stone on seeing the world differently: "I’m now a single mother with three adopted sons, and it has been the great privilege of my life to raise them. When you adopt, you realize any child could be your child, any person could be your relative. After that, you never see the world in the same way again. I’m connected to everyone on this planet. And that’s a miracle in and of itself."

Calista Flockhart

The "Ally McBeal" star adopted son Liam as a single mother in 2001 before her marriage to Harrison Ford.

In Her Own Words

Calista Flockhart on motherhood for the first time: "I have always wanted to adopt a child, and I am overjoyed that I have been blessed with a beautiful and healthy son. I'm completely enchanted and awe-struck."

Nia Vardalos and Ian Gomez +

The “My Big Fat Greek Wedding” star underwent multiple in-vitro fertilization treatments and several failed adoption attempts before her and her husband finally adopted daughter Ilaria in 2008. The couple split in 2018, but needless to say, their feelings about their adopted daughter haven't changed a bit.

In Her Own Words

Nia Vardalos on the feeling of love: “Anyone who ever wondered how much they could love a child who did not spring from their own loins, know this: It is the same. The feeling of love is so profound; it's incredible and surprising.”