Over the Thanksgiving holiday, “Impastor” star Sara Rue announced that she and her family had welcomed home Adelaide Rue Price, whom they adopted through open adoption. “It’s just something that felt right to both of us,” she told People. She’s in good company in Hollywood, a town filled with adoptive moms, including Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Charlize Theron, and, most famously, Angelina Jolie.
The process of adopting a child can get complicated, drawn out, and at times heartbreaking — even for major Hollywood stars. But all of these celebrities (some single, some married) say they couldn’t be happier with their decisions, whether all of their children are adopted (like Katherine Heigl), or they conceived naturally before going the adoption route (like Madonna).
Take a look at the stars who have adopted children.
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Celebrity Moms Who Adopted Children
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Sandra Bullock
Parents Are Famous For: Sandra Bullock has starred in numerous films, including Miss Congeniality, Gravity, and The Blind Side, for which she won an Academy Award.
Adopted Kids: Louis Bardo Bullock, 2010. And Laila Bullock, 3 1/2, adopted from foster care in 2015.
Adoption Announcement: Bullock announced both adoptions in People. With Louis, she told People: "He's just perfect, I can't even describe him any other way…It's like he's always been a part of our lives." And about Laila, Bullock told People: "“When I look at Laila, there’s no doubt in my mind that she was supposed to be here."
Photo: People
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Sara Rue
Parents Are Famous For: Mom Sara Rue, 37, is star of TV Land's "Impastor." Dad Kevin Price is a teacher.
Adopted Kids: Adelaide Rue Price, who was born in mid-October. The baby joins big sister, Talulah, 3, who is the couple's biological child.
Adoption Announcement: Rue's rep announced that the couple had adopted the baby exclusively to People, on November 23, 2016. The couple struggled to conceive a second child and opted to adopt, choosing an open adoption with Adelaide's birth mother. “It’s just something that felt right to both of us,” she told the mag.“We got to a point where we really had to make a choice, and it was a pretty easy decision," she added. "We just wanted another child to complete our family, and it really didn’t matter where she came from as long we were her mom and dad.”
Photo: Sara Rue/Twitter
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Katherine Heigl & Josh Kelley
Parents Are Famous For: Heigl starred in "Grey’s Anatomy" for five years and can be seen in many movies, such as King of the Hill, Knocked Up, and 27 Dresses. Kelley is a singer-songwriter.
Adopted Kids: The couple adopted daughter, Nancy Leigh "Naleigh" from South Korea in September 2009 when she was 10-months-old. Three years later, they adopted their second daughter, Adalaide Marie Hope, from the U.S.
Adoption Announcement: The couple knew they wanted to adopt before they even got engaged. Heigl revealed that they adopted Naleigh on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." Heigl and Kelley announced their adoption of Adalaide on April 25, 2012.
Related: 20 Questions: Katherine Heigl Fills Us In
Photo: Katherine Heigl/Instagram
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Denise Richards
Parents Are Famous For: Richards is a model and actress, best known for her roles in Wild Things and Starship Troopers.
Adopted Kids: Richards adopted newborn daughter, Eloise Joni, in June 2011.
Other Kids: Richards has two daughters -- 11-year-old Sam and 10-year- old Lola -- with ex-husband Charlie Sheen.
Adoption Announcement: In an interview with US Weekly shortly after she welcomed her youngest child home, Richards admitted that the adoption process was difficult at times. "Some people think if a celebrity wants a baby, they get one the next day. The adoption took two years, and there were times I felt discouraged, times when I got close to adopting a baby and it fell through. But I knew the right baby would find us."
Photo: Getty
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Sheryl Crow
Parents Are Famous For: Crow is Lance Armstrong’s ex and has won nine Grammy Awards for her singing/songwriting skills.
Adopted Kids: Crow adopted son Wyatt Steven in 2007 and son Levi James in 2010 when they were both infants.
Adoption Announcement: The musician announced the adoption of Wyatt after finishing a Stop Global Warming college tour. She publicized her second adoption for the first time in an interview with Redbook. She told them, “It's been in the works for a while," she shared. "I was hoping to adopt a child when Wyatt was 2; a lot of the adoptions fell through. But things always work out perfectly. They just do. Generally, when you let go of your vision of how something is supposed to be, the universe hands you exactly what you need.”
Photo: Sheryl Crow/Instagram
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Jillian Michaels & Heidi Rhoades
Parents Are Famous For: Michaels is best recognized for her appearances on the television series, "The Biggest Loser" and "Losing It with Jillian." Her partner, Heidi, is a professional yoga instructor.
Adopted Kids: The fitness guru adopted Lukensia in 2002 when the little girl was 2-years-old.
Other Children: Rhoades gave birth to the couple’s son, Phoenix, on May 3, 2012, two weeks before Lukensia joined the family.
Adoption Announcement: At the end of 2010, Michaels announced that she would be taking time off from work to focus on her family and more charity work. She took Lukensia home in May 2012, the same week she and Heidi brought home their biological son.
Photo: Instagram/Jillian Michaels
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Madonna
Parents Are Famous For: The infamous pop singer and songwriter has been hot since the '80s. She is known for her killer dance moves and bold fashion statements.
Adopted Kids: While Madonna was married to film director Guy Ritchie, they visited an orphanage in Malawi, and adopted David Banda Mwale Ciccone Ritchie. Following the couple’s divorce, Madonna went back to Malawi and adopted Mercy James.
Other Children: The performing legend has a biological 18-year-old daughter, Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon, with her former lover Carlos Leon. She also has a biological son, Rocco, 15, with Ritchie.
Adoption Announcement: After a year-long legal battle that was followed by the press, Malawi’s highest court ruled that Madonna could officially adopt Mercy James, her second child from the African country on July 10, 2009. Madonna threw a pre-adoption party for Mercy James in Malawi the day before she was approved by the judge.
Photo: Instagram/Madonna
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Cate Blanchett & Andrew Upton
Parents Are Famous For: Cate is known for her dramatic performances in films, such as Blue Jasmine and I'm Not There, that have earned her critical acclaim. Her husband, Andrew Upton is an Australian director, screenwriter, and playwright.
Adopted Kids: Cate and Andrew adopted newborn Edith Vivian Patricia in March 2015.
Other Children: Cate and Andrew are also parents to sons Dashiell John, 13, Roman Robert, 11, and Ignatius Martin, 7.
Adoption Announcement: The actress revealed the adoption news at the premiere of Cinderella in Sydney, Australia, on March 15, 2015.
Photo: Getty
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Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt
Parents Are Famous For: The two Academy Award-winning actors met and fell in love while filming Mr. and Mrs. Smith in 2004.
Adopted Kids: Maddox Chivan was born on August 5, 2001 in Cambodia, and adopted on March 10, 2002. Ethiopian Zahara Marley was born on January 8, 2005, and adopted on July 6, 2005. Pax Thien was born on November 29, 2003 in Vietnam, and adopted on March 15, 2007.
Other Children: Jolie gave birth to Shiloh Nouvel on May 27, 2006 and to twins, Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline on July 12, 2008.
Adoption Announcement: Jolie adopted Maddox while she was married to Billy Bob Thornton and the couple announced the adoption together, even though Jolie adopted him on her own. After ‘Brangelina’ began, she adopted Zahara. Brad also adopted the two children later on. The couple decided to adopt Pax in 2007 after a visiting the orphanage in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
Photo: Getty
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Mary Louise Parker
Parents Are Famous For: Parker is known for her role on Showtime's "Weeds," as well as countless film and theater roles.
Adopted Kids: In August 2007, Parker went to Africa with an organization called Worldwide Orphans, and adopted daughter Caroline Aberash.
Other Kids: Parker has a 12-year-old son, Atticus, with former partner Billy Crudup.
Adoption Announcement: Adoption was a lifelong dream, Parker told People. "It was something I did for the world and for my son and then for me," she said. "And when I say the world, I also mean my daughter. Once I knew her, she became part of that."
Photo: Getty
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Kristin Davis
Parents Are Famous For: Davis is best known for her role as Charlotte York on the HBO TV series "Sex and the City," and its more recent films.
Adopted Kids: Davis adopted her daughter, Gemma Rose, through a domestic adoption in 2011.
Adoption Announcement: The star revealed the exciting news to People and said, “This is something I have wanted to do for a very long time.”
Photo: Getty
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Meg Ryan
Parents Are Famous For: She stole our hearts in 1989’s When Harry Met Sally, and has been charming us ever since in films like You’ve Got Mail and The Women.
Adopted Kids: In January 2006, the actress adopted daughter, Daisy True, from China when she was 14-months-old.
Other Kids: Ryan and ex-husband, Dennis Quiad, had son Jack Quaid on April 29, 1992.
Adoption Announcement: Ryan disclosed her adoption process, which included a lottery system, to People. Although Daisy was technically a random pick, Meg said, “I am convinced, completely convinced that there was nothing random about it. She is the daughter I should have.”
Photo: Getty
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Charlize Theron
Parents Are Famous For: The award-winning actress has starred in many successful films, such as Monster, The Italian Job, and most recently Mad Max: Fury Road.
Adopted Kids: Jackson, 5, is from Theron’s home country, South Africa. She adopted daughter, August, just months after her split from actor Sean Penn this year.
Adoption Announcement: When Theron adopted, she publicly confessed that when she was a younger girl, she wrote a letter that said, "Would you please take me to an orphanage, so that I can go and adopt a baby?" Evidently, Theron’s childhood dream came true.
Photo: Getty
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Michelle Pfeiffer & David E. Kelley
Parents Are Famous For: Pfeiffer has starred in many notable films including Scarface, One Fine Day, and Hairspray. Kelley is a television writer and producer best known as the creator of "Chicago Hope," "Ally McBeal," and "Boston Legal."
Adopted Kids: Pfeiffer planned to adopt daughter Claudia Rose at birth before she met Kelley. Claudia’s adoption was finalized in 1993, and Pfeiffer married Kelley later that year. Kelley later adopted Claudia as his child.
Other Kids: The couple welcomed son John Henry on August 5, 1994.
Adoption Announcement: Pfeiffer kept her family life under the radar for a while, but she opened up about her adopted child to Good Housekeeping in 2007. Pfeiffer told the magazine: “I wanted her to be a really independent, outspoken young woman, and I sure got that... She’s everything I’d hoped she would be.”
Photo: Getty
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Diane Keaton
Parents Are Famous For: The actress has starred in many major films such as The Godfather, Annie Hall, and Something’s Gotta Give.
Adopted Kids: Keaton adopted daughter, Dexter, in 1996, and son, Duke, in 2001 when they were infants. Keaton adopted her children as a single parent, and has never gotten married.
Adoption Announcement: Keaton permitted photos of her children to be published for the first time in a 2007 issue of More magazine and told the publication: "I do feel now that the love of my children is all-encompassing."
Photo: Getty
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Sharon Stone
Parents Are Famous For: Sharon Stone is a film actress best known for her roles in Basic Instinct and Casino.
Adopted Kids: Stone and then-husband, Phil Bronstein, adopted son Roan in May 2000. In 2005 she adopted son, Laird, and then adopted son, Quinn, in 2006.
Adoption Announcement: In an interview with AARP, Stone opened up about several heartbreaking miscarriages, losing her oldest son in a custody battle with her ex-husband, and the importance of her children in her life. "I'm loving raising my kids," she said, adding that she's too old to raise another infant but wouldn't rule out adopting an older child.
Photo: Getty
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Viola Davis
Parents Are Famous For: Davis is the star of ABCs "How To Get Away With Murder," and is also best known for her film, The Help. her husband, Julian Tennon, is an actor and producer.
Adopted Kids: The couple adopted daughter, Genesis, in October 2011.
Adoption Announcement: Davis's costar in The Help was the one to spill the beans about baby Genesis. During her speech at an ELLE Women in Hollywood event shortly after the couple took Genesis home, Octavia Spencer couldn't help blabbing that Davis "became a mom like two days ago." Davis confirmed, but didn't go into much more detail.
Photo: Getty
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Calista Flockhart & Harrison Ford
Parents Are Famous For: The actress is well-recognized for her roles on the TV series "Ally McBeal" and "Brothers & Sisters." Ford is best known for his character Hans Solo in the Star Wars trilogy and the title role in the Indiana Jones film series.
Adopted Kids: Flockhart adopted son Liam in 2001 while she was still single. She wanted to be there from the beginning, so she was present during his birth on January 1, 2001.
Other Kids: Ford has four other children from his past two marriages: Ben Ford, Georgia Ford, Malcolm Ford, and Willard Ford.
Adoption Announcement: When Flockhart announced her adoption that month, she said she was “completely enchanted and awestruck” by her newborn child.
Photo: Getty
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Mariska Hargitay & Peter Hermann
Parents Are Famous For: Hargitay is best known for her role as Detective Olivia Benson on Law & Order: SVU. Herman is also a stage and screen actor, and met Hargitay on the set of Law & Order in 2001.
Adopted Kids: Within 6 months of each other, the couple adopted two children -- daughter, Amaya Josephine, and son, Andrew Nicolas -- in 2011.
Other Kids: Hargitay gave birth to the couple's son, August Miklos Friedrich Hermann, on June 28, 2006.
Adoption Announcement: It was a tough road to finding happiness, Hargitay admitted in an interview with Good Housekeeping. The couple had adopted a little girl and taken her home, when the birth mother changed her mind. “It was nothing short of devastating," Hargitay said. "Adoption was a bumpy ride—very bumpy. But, God, was it worth the fight.” Not long after, the adoptions of Amaya and Andrew came through.
Photo: Getty
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Connie Britton
Parents Are Famous For: Connie Britton is best known for her roles on Nashville and Friday Night Lights.
Adopted Kids: Britton adopted son, Yoby, in November 2011 from Ethiopia.
Adoption Announcement: In an interview with Ladies Home Journal, Britton admits that she didn't plan on becoming a single parent. "I didn't think I'd have a baby on my own. But there's a lot that comes out of having a plan and then seeing that there's another way you can go," she told the magazine. "Even after a long, difficult day, coming home and being with Yoby just washes any stress away."
Photo: Getty
