13 Heartfelt Stories of Stars Who Became Proud Parents to Adopted Children

There are many children in the world who are looking for a happy home. This is why many people, celebrities included, decide to go on the journey of adopting a child. Creating a family is a magical experience that can build meaningful relationships between people. However, sometimes it can be complicated and requires patience and hope.

Adoption can be a long and emotional process, but it’s worth it. Here are the stories of famous people who decided to expand their families in this way.

1. Sandra Bullock

The actress adopted her son, Louis, in 2010 and her daughter, Laila, in 2015. She is very vocal about adoption and thinks that it is very beneficial both for the children and the parents-to-be. Bullock said that there are many children in the world who are looking for love and many adults who would make wonderful parents if they had the chance.

“There are millions upon millions of babies and children on this planet that have no one to love — that have no one to let them know they are the most amazing thing when they walk in a room.”

2. Katherine Heigl

Heigl adopted 2 daughters with her husband, Josh Kelly — Nancy Leigh in 2009, and Adalaide in 2012. She shared that her children have become more curious about their birth parents over the years and that they are giving them all the information about them. Heigl said that they are openly talking with their children about their biological parents. She added that she pays attention to how comfortable her children are about learning things about their mothers and fathers and shares information when the kids want to know more.

3. Kristin Davis

Kristin Davis said that she was wondering whether she could be a single mother, but when her daughter, Gemma, came into her life in 2011, her doubts were gone. Then, when Gemma was 5, she said she wanted to have a brother, so a little boy came into the Davis family in 2018. Davis also said in one of her interviews that she always thought about adoption since many friends of hers had adopted children, and even a character she played in a TV show has done the same. The actress thinks adoption is a wonderful thing to do, but before deciding to go down that road, she wanted to be sure she was ready for it. She added that the urge to be a mother just came to her one day as she felt deeply that she wanted to be a mother and realized she should adopt.

4. Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton adopted her daughter, Dexter, in 1996 and a son, Duke, in 2001. The famous actress stated that she didn’t have any urge for motherhood that she couldn’t resist, but she wanted to be in a stable relationship and then have a child. Since that didn’t happen to her, she decided to adopt children when she was in her fifties.

“Motherhood has completely changed me. It’s just about the most completely humbling experience that I’ve ever had. I think that it puts you in your place because it really forces you to address the issues that you claim to believe in.”

5. Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness

Hugh Jackman and Deborra-Lee Furness wanted to have children, but unfortunately, due to miscarriages, they were not able to. The idea of adoption was something they were contemplating long before, as they figured they would have a couple of their biological children and then adopt. However, when they decided they had enough of IVF, Oscar and Ava came into their lives. Now they believe that all of this was meant to happen in the first place.

“I don’t think of them as adopted — they’re our children. Deb and I are believers in... I suppose you could call it destiny,” Jackman shared.

6. Madonna

Madonna is a mom to 6 children — her 2 biological kids, Lourdes Leon and Rocco Ritchie — and her adopted children, David Banda, Mercy James, Stelle Ciccone, and Estere Ciccone. Just before adopting twins Stelle and Estere, Madonna was wondering what was stopping her from expanding her family. In an interview, she shared how she wanted to have a home filled with happy children since many of them are in need of a home and family. Madonna also said that the whole adoption process can be very rigorous and complicated, but it’s definitely worth it.

7. Viola Davis

The academy award-winning actress and her husband, Julian Tennon, welcomed their daughter Genesis in 2011. In one of her Instagram posts, she shared how happy she is with them. “I am thankful for love and life. That’s all and that is enough,” Viola Davis wrote. She often encourages women to adopt children, stating that it can be as beautiful as birthing a child and that there are other ways for women to become mothers.

8. Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie adopted her first child, Maddox, back in 2002, then Zahara in 2005, and Pax Thien in 2007. She also has 3 biological children with her ex-spouse, Brad Pitt. When asked about how she felt about the adoptions, Jolie shared that “It’s the most amazing journey to share” and that children come with “a beautiful mystery of a world that is meeting yours” which is a great gift. Thoughts about adopting a child came randomly to her one day when she was in Cambodia.

“I was in a school program in Samlout playing blocks on the floor with a little kid and as clear as day I thought, ’My son is here.’ A few months later, I met baby Mad at an orphanage,” Jolie said.

9. Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron’s parents didn’t have a happy marriage, and the famous actress didn’t grow up in a happy home. That’s why she’s so proud that her children, Jackson and August, are growing up in a healthy environment. “My kids live in a home where they feel safe and they feel like they are never going to have to walk on eggshells,” she said.

The actress knew she always wanted to adopt a child, even from a young age. In a podcast, she shared that when she was a kid, she asked her mother if they could go to an orphanage and adopt a sibling for her. Even though that didn’t happen, Theron is now a happy mom with 2 beautiful children.

10. Denise Richards

The actress adopted her daughter, Eloise, in 2011 as a single mom. Denise Richards already had 2 daughters from her previous marriage, but she felt that she wasn’t done with motherhood yet since she always wanted a big family. But since she was divorced and wasn’t in a relationship at the time, she decided to expand her family on her own. Richards also said that her daughters are very supportive and that they embraced the new family member and are very protective of her.

11. Lionel Richie

Lionel Richie was a friend of Nicole’s parents, and after learning they were going through immense financial difficulties, he and his then-wife, Brenda, decided to informally adopt the 2-year-old Nicole. When talking about how adoption changed his life, Richie stated, “I think you [Nicole]...changed my life a great deal in terms of softening my heart because everything up to that point was about songwriting and the business and touring. All of a sudden I found something that I could actually fall in love with that was never going to leave me.”

12. Sharon Stone

Sharon Stone always dreamt about having a large family and also has been thinking about adoption from a young age. Unfortunately, Stone faced many health issues and suffered several miscarriages. When she realized that motherhood wasn’t going to come easily to her, she and her husband at the time decided to adopt. Stone said that this really felt right since the miscarriages took a toll on her health. Soon, the couple welcomed their son, Roan, and in later years, the actress would expand her family as a single mom and adopt Laird Vonne and Quinn Kelly.

“Motherhood didn’t come easily, but it came lovingly to me by angels,” Stone said in one of her speeches.

13. Cate Blanchett

Cate Blanchett is married to playwright and screenwriter Andrew Upton, and together, they have 3 boys — Dashiell, Roman, and Ignatius. The couple actually thought about adoption after their first son was born. They were always aware of how many children in the world were not fortunate enough to be raised in a stable home, and they felt that there was enough space and emotional room for another baby. In 2015, they decided to adopt a daughter, and they welcomed Edith Vivian Patricia to their flock.

What do you think about adoption? Would you adopt a child?