Adoption is a beautiful way to grow a family and provide a loving home to a child in need. Many celebrities have embraced adoption, showcasing the joys and fulfillment it can bring. Here are 25 famous figures who adopted children and became incredible parents in the process:
1. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
Hollywood power couple Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt are well-known for their blended family of biological and adopted children. In addition to their three biological kids – Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne – the pair adopted Maddox from Cambodia, Pax from Vietnam, and Zahara from Ethiopia. Jolie first adopted Maddox as a single parent in 2002 and later adopted Zahara in 2005. After beginning a relationship with Pitt, he adopted both children as well. The couple then adopted Pax together in 2007.
Jolie has been a vocal advocate for adoption, once stating, “I’m drawn to kids that are already born. I think some people are meant to do certain things, and I believe I’m meant to find my children in the world somewhere and not necessarily have them genetically.” Despite their 2016 split, Jolie and Pitt continue to co-parent their six children together. Their adoption stories have inspired many and highlighted the beauty of creating a multicultural family.
2. Sandra Bullock
Actress Sandra Bullock adopted her son Louis in 2010 amidst her highly publicized divorce from Jesse James. She kept the adoption process private until after it was finalized. Bullock said of her decision, “He’s just perfect, I can’t even describe him any other way.” A few years later in 2015, she adopted daughter Laila, who had been in foster care.
Opening up about the emotional adoption process, Bullock shared, “When I look at Laila, there’s no doubt in my mind that she was supposed to be here. I can tell you absolutely, the exact right children came to me at the exact right time.” The actress has embraced motherhood fully and works to keep her children grounded and out of the spotlight. She once joked, “I’m just the mom who makes the lunch, drives to school, finds where the toys are, washes the clothes, and I’m here to play. And that’s all I should be.”
3. Hugh Jackman
Actor Hugh Jackman and his wife Deborra-lee Furness struggled with infertility and went through IVF treatments before deciding to adopt. They adopted son Oscar in 2000 and daughter Ava in 2005. Jackman has said, “From the moment we started the adoption process, all the anxiety went away. I don’t think of them as adopted – they’re our children.”
The Jackmans have been open about the joys of adoption and embracing their mixed-race family. “We’re a very mixed family. I’m Australian, Deb is Australian, Oscar is African-American, and Ava is half Mexican, half German,” Jackman shared. He is a devoted dad who frequently gushes about his kids, once saying, “The love I have for my kids is so intense, it’s amazing.”
4. Madonna
Pop icon Madonna has adopted four children from Malawi: David in 2006, Mercy in 2009, and twins Esther and Stella in 2017. She first met David while doing charity work at an orphanage in Malawi and felt an instant connection. His adoption was met with controversy due to Malawian laws, but was ultimately approved.
Madonna has said of the adoption process, “It’s complicated, but it’s so worth it. I feel like I’ve expanded my family and I’ve expanded my world.” She is a fierce advocate for her children and Malawi, founding the charity Raising Malawi to support health and education initiatives. Despite facing criticism, Madonna remains committed to her family, stating, “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.'”
5. Connie Britton
Actress Connie Britton adopted her son Yoby from Ethiopia in 2011. She had always wanted to be a mother and embarked on the adoption journey as a single parent. Of the decision, Britton said, “I lost both of my parents within three years of each other and I kind of thought, ‘What am I waiting for?’ I wasn’t in a relationship at the time, but I thought, ‘This is something I want to do. I can do it.'”
Britton has shared the profound impact adoption has had on her life: “My son is adopted from Ethiopia so I always say I can take very little credit, but he, from the beginning, just inherently has had such an open and curious heart and love of life.” She frequently advocates for adoption and the beauty of building a family in different ways.
6. Viola Davis
Oscar-winner Viola Davis and her husband Julius Tennon adopted daughter Genesis in 2011. Davis had always wanted to adopt due to her own family background. She grew up in poverty and has two sisters who were adopted as well.
Davis has described the adoption process as “the biggest blessing”. She opened up about the emotional journey, sharing, “I always tell Genesis she was born from my heart, not my belly. There are so many ways to mother rather than to carry a child in your body. So many children need parents, and so many of us want to mother. Know that you will experience motherhood to the full extent.” Davis is a proud mom who frequently shares sweet family moments on social media.
7. Lionel Richie
Music legend Lionel Richie informally adopted Nicole Richie when she was four years old. Nicole’s biological parents, friends of Richie, were struggling to care for her financially. Nicole would spend time at the Richie home and Lionel eventually became her legal guardian along with then-wife Brenda Harvey. They raised Nicole as their own daughter.
Lionel has said of the decision, “I don’t think she touched the ground for years. I was Dad and Mom.” He officially adopted Nicole at age nine and has been a devoted father to her. Despite her highly publicized rebellious phase, Lionel remained a supportive dad. He shared, “I’m a father, I’m a friend, I’m her support system and I’m her bank. I’m all those things, but most importantly, I’m her dad.”
8. Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman
During their 11-year marriage, Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman adopted two children: daughter Isabella in 1992 and son Connor in 1995. The couple kept the adoptions very private at the time. Following Cruise and Kidman’s 2001 divorce, they agreed to joint custody of Isabella and Connor.
Both Cruise and Kidman have expressed their unconditional love for their adopted children. Kidman once shared, “They are generous and kind and hardworking. And these are traits that I love to see in my children.” Despite their divorce and subsequent new marriages, the actors remain devoted parents to Isabella and Connor.
9. Jamie Lee Curtis
Actress Jamie Lee Curtis and her husband Christopher Guest adopted their two children, Annie and Thomas, after struggling with infertility. Curtis has been open about the profound impact adoption has had on her life. She said, “Adoption is an issue for everybody at all stages. There are so many birthmothers who need to know that there’s a way for their children to be loved. And there are so many parents who want to love a child into their life.”
Curtis wrote a children’s book called “Tell Me Again About The Night I Was Born” about adoption and regularly speaks out as an adoption advocate. She once stated, “Birthdays are big in our family. We make a big deal out of them because we are celebrating the birth of our children, the days they came into our lives.”
10. Hoda Kotb
“Today” show anchor Hoda Kotb adopted two daughters, Haley Joy in 2017 and Hope Catherine in 2019, after battling breast cancer left her unable to conceive. Kotb chose to adopt as a single mother in her early 50s and has called it the best decision of her life.
She has been candid about the emotional process, sharing, “I wake up sometimes and go, ‘Oh my God, I have a baby!’ But it feels totally real. I guess if you’ve been waiting this long for something, and you wish for it, pray for it, hope for it, wonder if it will ever be, and then it happens, nothing’s more real.”
11. Sheryl Crow
Singer Sheryl Crow adopted her two sons, Wyatt and Levi, as a single mother. She adopted Wyatt in 2007 and Levi in 2010. Crow had always wanted to be a mother and decided to pursue adoption in her 40s. She has said of her decision, “Adopting my boys — that’s just been the biggest everlasting event that has informed everything.”
Crow frequently shares glimpses into her life as a mom on social media and in interviews. She once described the adoption process as “an emotional roller coaster,” but one that was completely worth it. “My sons are the joys of my life,” she gushed.
12. Diane Keaton
Actress Diane Keaton adopted her daughter Dexter in 1996 and son Duke in 2001 when she was in her 50s. Keaton had always wanted to be a mother but never married. She has said of her decision to adopt, “Motherhood has completely changed me. It’s just about the most completely humbling experience that I’ve ever had.”
Keaton has been vocal about the challenges and joys of single parenthood, once stating, “I think it was the most humbling moment of my life, having children and feeling the responsibility of trying to be their mom.” She added, “I’m sorry, but it is the most completely humbling experience that I’ve ever had, and I just feel like I’m always going to be a work in progress.”
13. Katherine Heigl
Actress Katherine Heigl and her husband Josh Kelley adopted their daughter Naleigh from South Korea in 2009. They chose to adopt from Korea due to Heigl’s own family background, as her sister Meg was adopted from Korea as well. A few years later, they adopted a second daughter, Adalaide, domestically in 2012.
Heigl has been open about the joys and challenges of adoption, sharing, “I always knew I wanted to adopt. It’s been a big part of my life and my family. Naleigh’s story is one of the most beautiful stories I have. I’ll never forget getting that call and them telling me ‘your daughter is in South Korea, here’s a picture, you have 10 days to get her.’ It was the most profound moment of my life.”
14. Kristin Davis
“Sex and the City” star Kristin Davis adopted her two children, Gemma in 2011 and Wilson in 2018, as a single mother. Davis had always been drawn to adoption, partly due to her childhood experience of temporarily living with a foster family. She first adopted Gemma domestically and a few years later adopted Wilson from an orphanage.
Davis has expressed her gratitude for her adoption journey, saying, “Now I have a family and it’s changed my life. I never thought I would be able to have a family, so it’s been an amazing journey.” She frequently shares sweet moments with her kids on social media.
15. Calista Flockhart
Actress Calista Flockhart adopted her son Liam as a single mother in 2001. A few years later, she married Harrison Ford and he adopted Liam as well. Flockhart had always wanted to be a mother and decided to pursue single parenthood through adoption.
She has shared the profound impact it had on her life, stating, “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.” Flockhart keeps her family life very private but is said to be a devoted mother to Liam.
16. Meg Ryan
Actress Meg Ryan adopted her daughter Daisy from China in 2006. Ryan was inspired to adopt after visiting an orphanage in China and feeling an instant connection with Daisy. She once said of the moment they met, “I just held her and I knew that I was going to be able to love her the way I love my own son.”
Ryan had previously welcomed son Jack with ex-husband Dennis Quaid. She has expressed the joys of parenting both biological and adopted children, sharing, “I am convinced, completely convinced that there was nothing random about it. She is the daughter I should have.” Ryan keeps a low profile with her family but is known to be a hands-on, loving mom.
17. Sharon Stone
Actress Sharon Stone has three adopted sons: Roan, Laird, and Quinn. She adopted Roan with then-husband Phil Bronstein in 2000 and later adopted Laird and Quinn as a single mother in 2005 and 2006 respectively. Stone had always wanted a big family and pursued adoption after experiencing multiple miscarriages.
She has been candid about the ups and downs of single motherhood, once stating, “Motherhood didn’t come easily, but it came lovingly to me by angels. We’re a happy and lucky family. That is the credo we stand for.” Stone frequently shares proud mom moments on social media and is known to be very involved in her sons’ lives.
18. Charlize Theron
Oscar-winner Charlize Theron adopted her two daughters, Jackson and August, in 2012 and 2015 respectively. Theron had always known she wanted to adopt, partly due to her own mother’s desire to adopt a child. She chose to adopt as a single parent and has been open about the joys and challenges of solo parenting.
Theron has said of adoption, “I always knew I would adopt. Always. You know, I don’t think any mother aims to be a single mom. I didn’t wish for that, but it happened.” She is a fiercely protective and devoted mother who keeps her daughters largely out of the public eye. Theron once shared, “Everything that I hoped would happen during my adoption process did happen because these two babies were meant to be in my life — and they’re my children.”
19. Mariska Hargitay
“Law & Order: SVU” star Mariska Hargitay and her husband Peter Hermann adopted two children, daughter Amaya and son Andrew, after facing secondary infertility. The couple welcomed a biological son, August, in 2006 but struggled to conceive again. They adopted Amaya in 2011 and Andrew in 2011 just six months apart.
Hargitay has said the adoption process happened very quickly and felt meant to be. She shared, “Having lost my mom at a young age, I then grew up with my stepmom, and I have half siblings, and so I know that families can be built in all sorts of different ways, that there isn’t just one way to create a family and that it isn’t just about biology.”
20. Sia
Singer Sia surprised fans in 2020 when she announced she had adopted two teenage boys who were aging out of the foster care system. The notoriously private star shared, “I adopted two sons last year. They were both 18 — they’re both 19 years old now. They were aging out of the foster care system. Yeah, and I love them.”
Sia has since shared that adopting her sons is the “best thing she’s ever done” and that they have changed her life for the better. Despite her busy career, Sia is said to be a very involved and loving mother to her boys.
21. Denise Richards
Actress Denise Richards adopted her daughter Eloise in 2011 as a single mother. Richards was already mom to two daughters, Sam and Lola, from her previous marriage to Charlie Sheen. She had always wanted to adopt and embarked on the domestic adoption process alone.
Richards has been open about the unique challenges of adopting Eloise, who was born with a rare chromosomal disorder. She shared, “She wasn’t able to sit up on her own for a very long time, and she didn’t start walking until she was 2, and that was with physical therapy.” Despite the obstacles, Richards says Eloise has thrived and completed their family. “She has brought so much joy and love to our family and all the people who love her.”
22. Nia Vardalos
“My Big Fat Greek Wedding” star Nia Vardalos and her husband Ian Gomez adopted their daughter Ilaria in 2008. The couple had struggled with infertility for over 10 years before deciding to adopt. Vardalos chronicled their adoption journey in her book “Instant Mom.”
She has been candid about the emotional process, writing, “I feel like I’m on a high wire, but I have the safety net of my husband and my daughter. I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that I’m the luckiest mom on the planet.” Vardalos frequently advocates for adoption and shares the joys of parenting Ilaria.
23. Jillian Michaels
Fitness guru Jillian Michaels adopted her daughter Lukensia from Haiti in 2012. The adoption process took over two years and Michaels brought Lukensia home just days after her partner Heidi Rhoades gave birth to their son Phoenix.
Michaels has said of the adoption, “I was matched with Lu within six months of the process, but it took almost two years to get her home with me. There were moments where I was starting to get discouraged and I was like, ‘Is this ever going to happen?'” She frequently shares family photos and parenting moments with her kids on social media.
24. Connie Britton
Actress Connie Britton adopted her son Yoby from Ethiopia in 2011. Britton had always wanted to be a mother and decided to adopt as a single parent in her 40s. She has shared the profound impact adoption has had on her life.
“My son is adopted from Ethiopia so I always say I can take very little credit, but he, from the beginning, just inherently has had such an open and curious heart and love of life,” Britton said. She frequently advocates for adoption and has been open about the joys and challenges of single parenthood.
25. Kristin Davis
“Sex and the City” actress Kristin Davis adopted her two children, Gemma in 2011 and Wilson in 2018, as a single mother. Davis had always known she wanted to adopt due to her own positive experience of briefly living with a foster family as a child.
She has expressed her gratitude for her adoption journey, sharing, “Now I have a family and it’s changed my life. I never thought I would be able to have a family, so it’s been an amazing journey.” Davis uses her platform to advocate for adoption and frequently shares snippets of her family life on social media.
These celebrities all took different paths to parenthood through adoption, but they share the common bond of opening their hearts and homes to children in need. Their stories showcase the profound love and fulfillment that can come from adopting. Whether adopting domestically or internationally, as a couple or single parent, they have all embraced the joys and challenges of building their families through adoption.
