18 Celebrities You Didn't Know Were Adopted

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You may think you know everything about your favorite celebrities. After all, you follow them on every platform and take a keen interest in their lives. However, some of the most well-known celebrities have kept intimate details of their lives private—like their adoption stories.

Beyond Hollywood, one in 25 American families has adopted a child. With November recognized as National Adoption Month, there's no better way to celebrate than by sharing the adoption stories of beloved public figures.

Below, we've rounded up a few celebrities you might not know were adopted, including a U.S. president, an award-winning director, and many more.

Nicole Richie

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Reality TV star Nicole Richie was adopted by singer Lionel Richie and his first wife, Brenda Harvey, after her biological parents could no longer afford to support her. In 1983, when she was around four years old, her parents allowed her to move in with the Richies. Five years later, Lionel and Brenda officially adopted her, and she took on the Richie family name.

Nelson Mandela

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The first president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, was adopted by Chief Jongintaba Dalindyebo after his father died of lung disease in 1930. Mandela was raised alongside the royal family in the palace and attended a Methodist school.

Simone Biles

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Seven-time gold medal gymnast Simone Biles and her younger sister, Adria, were adopted by their maternal grandparents in 2001. Biles often credits her grandparents, Ronald and Nellie, for her success and refers to them as “Mom and Dad” in interviews.

Nancy Reagan

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Nancy Reagan, born Anne Frances Robbins, experienced her parents' divorce in 1928. After spending time with her aunt and uncle in Maryland, she moved to Chicago with her mother, who had remarried. In 1938, her mother’s new husband, a prominent neurosurgeon, officially adopted her. At that time, she legally changed her name to Nancy Davis and referred to her stepfather as her father from then on.

John Lennon

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Although John Lennon's parents, Julia and Alf Lennon, never officially divorced, his mother’s sister, Mimi, took custody of him. Lennon eventually lost contact with his biological father but remained in touch with his mother until her death in 1958.

Snooki

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Reality TV star Nicole “Snookie” Polizzi describes her adoption as “fate.” Born in Chile, she was adopted at six months old by an Italian-American couple from New York. In interviews, Polizzi has frequently said she has never searched for her birth parents because she is content with the family she has.

Bill Clinton

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Former President Bill Clinton’s biological father, William Jefferson Blythe III, died three months before Clinton was born. In 1950, when Clinton was four years old, his mother would marry Roger Clinton Sr., giving him the last name he is now known for. Clinton’s personal experience with adoption may have influenced the Adoption and Safe Families Act, which he signed into law in 1997. The law provides financial incentives to increase adoptions from the public foster care system.

Lana Condor

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To All the Boys I Loved Before star Lana Condor and her brother were adopted from Vietnam in 1997 when she was five months old. Her adoptive parents, Mary Carol and Robert Condor, renamed her Lana Therese Condor. In July 2024, Condor shared on Instagram that her adoptive mother had died.

Sarah McLachlan

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One of three adopted children, singer Sarah McLachlan was adopted by the McLachlan family in 1968. At 19, she met her biological mother and learned that her mother had been a student when she gave birth to her.

Jamie Foxx

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At seven months old, actor Jamie Foxx was adopted by his grandparents, Estelle and Mark Talley. However, Foxx did not discover he was adopted until he was five years old. To this day, he does not have a relationship with his biological parents.

Faith Hill

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In 1967, country singer Faith Hill was adopted shortly after her birth by Ted and Edna Perry, a couple from Mississippi. Hill has said in interviews that her adoptive parents were always open with her about her adoption, which made her feel comfortable with it. Eventually, Hill reconnected with her biological mother, who she later learned is a professional painter. Furthermore, she discovered that she has a biological brother. To encourage people to consider adoption when starting a family, Hill hosts an annual holiday special that features stories from adopted children and their parents.

Steve Jobs

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Steve Jobs, the late co-founder of Apple, grew up knowing he was adopted. His biological parents were not allowed to marry due to his maternal grandfather's disapproval of his father, who is Syrian. Initially, Jobs’ biological mother refused to sign the adoption papers because the prospective adoptive parents, Paul and Clara Jobs, did not have a college education. When Jobs was older, he met his biological mother and sister.

Steve Jobs frequently cited his adoption as a source of motivation for his achievements.

Keegan-Michael Key

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Keegan-Michael Key was adopted at birth by social workers Michael Key and Patricia Walsh. Although his parents later divorced, he maintained a close relationship with his stepmother and adoptive mother. Aware of his adoption, he searched for his biological mother in his mid-twenties.

Trace Cyrus

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Trace Cyrus is the biological son of Tish Cyrus, the ex-wife of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus. He was adopted by Billy Ray Cyrus when he was four years old. After the adoption, he legally changed his name from Neil Timothy Helson to Trace Dempsey Cyrus.

Skrillex

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Grammy Award-winning artist Skrillex, born Sonny John Moore, did not find out he was adopted until he was 16 years old. His biological mother was a family friend who frequently checked in on him. In reaction to the news, Skrillex ran away from his home in Los Angeles, California, and headed to Georgia.

Bella Poarch

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TikTok influencer Bella Poarch was adopted from the Philippines when she was three years old by an American man in the military and a Filipina woman. In an interview, she revealed that she and her brother endured physical and verbal abuse from their adoptive father throughout their childhood.

Jordan Fisher

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After winning Dancing with the Stars in 2017, triple-threat performer Jordan Fisher opened up about his adoption story. He shared that he was adopted by his maternal grandparents, Rodney and Pat Fisher, in 2005 when he was 11 years old. His biological mother was 16 when he was born and struggled with substance abuse. Fisher’s two siblings were also adopted by his grandparents.

Michael Bay

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Award-winning director Michael Bay, best known for the movie Bad Boys and the Transformers franchise, was adopted when he was two weeks old. His adoptive parents were Harriet and Jim Bay. Michael was able to find his biological mother later in life but still does not know who his biological father is.

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Sources
Parents uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. US Adoption Statistics. Adoption Network. 2024.

  2. Understanding the Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA). National Council For Adoption. 2023.

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