Surrogacy is something that divides people, but those who have had to face such a situation personally say that it is a special time in their life. And at the end of it all, they have the ultimate reward – a child!
The recent hype around Kim Kardashian and Kanye West using a surrogate to welcome baby no. 3 into their family has been getting top billing on the internet. But do you know what other celebrities have used surrogates to have children? Here are 12 celebrities who chose surrogacy to become parents:
1. Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman had been facing issues with fertility for a long time. She gave birth to her daughter with husband Keith Urban in 2008 following a series of IVF and fertility treatments. When it came to their second child, the couple chose to go with a surrogacy and their daughter, Faith Margaret, was born in 2010.
2. Elizabeth Banks
The Hunger Games actress and husband Max Handelman used a surrogate for both of their children. Felix was born in 2011, and Magnus in 2012. Banks opened up about having trouble conceiving, saying “It’s a womb issue for me. Embreyos wouldn’t implant.”
Although she had a hard time dealing with it, it all turned out to be fine. “Once my focus became the baby and not the pregnancy, it was a very easy decision,” she told Women’s Health magazine.
3. Tyra Banks
Tyra Banks is another superstar who struggled to become a parent with husband Erisk Asla, which is why she calls little York Banks Asla who was born in 2016 a “miracle baby”. She introduced the little one to the world on instagram, writing “The best present we worked and prayed so hard for is finally here. He’s got my fingers and big eyes and his daddy Erik’s mouth and chin.” He sounds precious!
4. Lucy Liu
Famous actress Lucy Lui welcomed her baby boy in August of 2015. She posted an adorable picture of the two of them on instagram with the caption “Introducing the new little man in my life, my son Rockwell Lloyd Liu. In (heart)!”
5. Christiano Ronaldo
Christiano Ronaldo is one of the most famous footballers in the world – but a lesser known fact about him is that he is also a father of four adorable mini-Ronaldos. In 2010, he used to surrogate to become little Christiano Ronaldo Jr.’s father, whom he raised by himself at that point. Later in 2017, he again had twins Mateo and Eva through surrogacy. In November 2017, his girlfriend Georgina gave birth to their daughter.
6. Sarah Jessica Parker
Sex and the City actress Sarah Jessica Parker had trouble conceiving a second child after giving birth to James Wilkie in 2002, her first child with husband Matthew Broderick. 6 years later, the couple announced the arrival of their twin girls, Marion and Tabitha, via surrogacy.
7. Ellen Pompeo
Ellen Pompeo was another actress who had trouble getting pregnant for the second time. In 2002, she gave birth to her daughter Stella, but it wasn’t until almost 12 years later she would have a second. She kept the process of surrogacy and the birth of her children pretty private. On an instagram post in October 2014, two months after the arrival of the little one, she wrote “Sienna May Ivery, welcome to the world. We love you more than words can say.” under a picture of her husband Chris Ivery is holding their infant daughter.
8. Jimmy Fallon
The Tonight Show’s Jimmy Fallon and wife Nancy Juvonen had an incredibly hard time dealing with issues in fertility. At the end of a harrowing process, they chose to become parents through surrogacy and welcomed girls Winnie and Frances in 2012 and 2013.
Fallon spoke about the entire experience to Today after Winnie was born. “We tried before, we told people and then it didn’t happen. And it’s just really depressing. It’s really hard on everybody,” he explained. “We said, ‘We’re not going to tell anybody.’ It’d be just more fun if it’s just private between me and my wife. And then we get to introduce her to everybody.”
9. Elton John
Iconic singer and composer Sir Elton John welcomed son Zachary in December 2010 with husband David Furnish. 3 years later, they used the same surrogate to have their second child Elijah, who arrived in 2013. “Elton and David love this lady like a sister and they feel indebted to her for life,” a source said.
10. Michael Jackson
The “King of Pop” became a father for the third time in February 2002 to little Prince Michael Jackson III (nicknamed “Blanket”), via a surrogate. Similar to most things concerning his life (and death), this too was surrounded by high speculation and rumors.
11. Neil Patrick Harris
Everyone’s favorite playboy who’s not really a playboy in real life, Neil Patrick Harris is the proud farther of twins Gideon and Harper, along with husband David Burtka. Following their arrival in October 2010, he took to instagram and posted “Gideon Scott and Harper Grace entered the Burtka-Harris fold. All of us are happy, healthy, tired, and a little pukey.” It is said that each of the twins has the biological DNA of Neil and David, but they do not know which one is which.
12. Giuliana Rancic
The beautiful E! News host has not had an easy life. After finding out that she had breast cancer which led to a double mastectomy and reconstruction surgery, she and husband Bill Rancic struggled to get pregnant. After some time, they chose to go the surrogacy route and greeted their baby boy in 2012. “Bill and I are blessed beyond words to welcome Edward into our lives,” she said.
