Having a child through conventional means may not always be possible due to various reasons. However, surrogacy has emerged as an effective option to overcome this challenge. Many famous personalities have also opted for surrogacy to expand their families. Previously, surrogacy was a hush-hush affair, but now it has become more open, and celebrities are also talking about their experiences with it. Here are some notable names who have used surrogacy to have kids.
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban
To start, we will talk about Nicole Kidman, a famous Australian actress. She has become a mother through multiple ways. Initially, she adopted her daughter Isabella and son Connor along with her former husband Tom Cruise. Later, she gave birth to a daughter with her current husband Keith Urban.
Nicole and famous country singer Keith opted for a surrogate to have their second daughter, Faith. Upon her birth, the couple expressed their immense gratefulness, stating that no words could truly express their appreciation for their gestational carrier.
Grimes and Elon Musk
There are only a few pictures available of this hard-to-find family, and their relationship status often seems to be in flux. In 2018, Grimes, a Canadian musician, began a relationship with billionaire Elon Musk. Their son, X Æ A-12, who has an unusual name, was born in 2020. Grimes carried the baby during her pregnancy but faced some health concerns.
Then, in 2021, the couple welcomed a daughter named Exa Dark Sideræl Musk through surrogacy. Since then, the couple has split. However, Grimes still refers to Elon as her “best friend” and the love of her life.
Lucy Liu
On our list, there are numerous famous personalities who opted to become single parents through surrogacy, instead of waiting to start a family within a relationship. One of these stars is actress Lucy Liu, who chose this path due to her hectic schedule which left no room for pregnancy.
According to her statement, she was occupied with work and uncertain about the time she could take a break. Lucy Liu, who became a mother of a son named Rockwell in 2015, has actively participated in recognizing and appreciating families beyond the conventional norm.
Priyanka Chopra and Nick Jonas
Priyanka Chopra, an actress and model, tied the knot with Nick Jonas, an American singer and actor, in 2018. The couple’s Indian wedding was particularly popular with the media. In 2022, they expanded their family by opting for surrogacy.
Malti Marie, the daughter of Priyanka and Nick, came into the world in 2022 through a surrogate. The couple expressed their happiness by saying, “We are delighted to announce the arrival of our baby and kindly request for privacy, as we devote our attention to our family.”
Alex and Hilaria Baldwin
As demonstrated by Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, some couples have different approaches to expanding their family. Alec Baldwin and his wife Hilaria Baldwin also recently had a new baby boy, Edu Pao Lucas, but they also utilized a surrogate for the birth of their daughter Maria Lucia while Hilaria was carrying Edu.
Alec and Hilaria’s offspring consists of six children namely Edu, Maria, Carmen, Leonardo, Rafael, and Romeo. Additionally, Alex has a daughter named Ireland from his union with actress Kim Basinger.
Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman
Using a surrogate has been perceived negatively by some celebrities, who have expressed feeling judged for making that choice. The fact is that there’s still a social disapproval attached to this reproductive method.
Elizabeth Banks believes that people still hold opinions and misconceptions about her actions, but she does not feel the need to justify or explain them. She feels blessed that sharing her story may help others feel less isolated in their own experiences. Along with her husband, Max, Elizabeth chose to have their two sons, Felix and Magnus, through a surrogate.
Kandi Burruss and Todd Tucker
Kandi Burruss, a member of the cast of Real Housewives of Atlanta, found romance with one of the show’s producers, following what could be described as a reality TV fairy tale. Prior to their relationship, Kandi had a daughter named Riley from a previous relationship, while Todd Tucker was already a father to his daughter Kaela.
Kandi and Todd got married in 2014 and as a result, they created a spin-off from their marriage. Two years later, they had a son named Ace and in 2019 they added daughter Blaze to their family using a surrogate. This holiday picture shows the entire family posing together.
Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka
Surrogacy presents itself as an attractive choice for LGBTQ+ partners. The utilization of an egg donor allowed actors Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka to initiate their parenthood journey and receive twin offsprings in 2010. It was later shared by David Burtka that the parents are uncertain of which child belongs to which genetic contributor.
Gideon Scott and Harper Grace, the children of David Burtka, have the stars as their fathers. Additionally, David is also fond of the children of movie producer Jane Langer, with whom he had a previous relationship. These children were also delivered via a surrogate.
Michael Jackson
Capturing pictures of Michael Jackson with his three children is quite challenging, as the renowned pop star usually obstructed their faces from the cameras by having them wear masks or using blankets or other face concealers in public. In this particular photo, MJ can be seen together with his three kids, all of whom are wearing masks.
The celebrity took measures to maintain their privacy. Michael’s second wife, Debbie Rowe, gave birth to his first two children, Michael Joseph ‘Prince’ and Paris. Later, he had his third child, Prince Michael ‘Blanket’, with the help of a surrogate mother in 2002.
Andy Cohen
Andy Cohen, the famed television personality and renowned King of the Housewives, brought immense joy to his devoted fans with the arrival of his children. The adored star was blessed with a son named Benjamin Allen in 2019 and a daughter named Lucy Eve in 2022, both of whom were born through the help of surrogates.
Andy Cohen expressed his gratitude towards his surrogates publicly. He took to Instagram after the birth of Lucy and acknowledged the surrogate, referring to them as a “rock star.” He also recognized that all surrogates are remarkable and appreciated everyone who played a role in making the birth of his child possible. He concluded on a happy note.
Elton John and David Furnish
Elton John, a famous musician, and his spouse attempted to adopt at first but later opted for surrogacy to have their own children. According to John, they quickly made the decision to choose this route and everything fell into place smoothly.
The vocalist and his spouse, a filmmaker from Canada named David Furnish, have two children. Their firstborn, Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, was born in 2010, and their second child, Elijah Joseph Daniel Furnish-John, arrived three years later through the same surrogate mother.
Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef
Following this, we have a different couple from the LGBTQ+ community who initially thought about the possibility of adoption but ultimately decided to go for surrogacy. Ricky Martin, a singer from Puerto Rico, revealed, “Although we considered adopting, it involves various challenges and can be quite a lengthy process. Surrogacy, however, appeared to be a faster and fascinating alternative… Initially, we registered for one infant, but surprise! We were assigned two!”
Ricky and his spouse, the Syrian-Swedish artist Jwan Yosef, have four children. They first became fathers to twin boys named Matteo and Valentino. Later on, they were blessed with a daughter named Lucia, and finally, a son named Renn.
Tyra Banks and Erik Asla
Although the couple is no longer together, they had a son named York who was born through a surrogate during their relationship. Tyra Banks, a model and TV host, began dating Norwegian photographer Erik Asla in the 2010s and they welcomed their child in 2016. Unfortunately, the couple ended their relationship a year after giving birth.
Tyra Banks was anxious about the idea of employing a surrogate to carry her child. She expressed her concern by stating that there were numerous stages involved, and she felt constantly nervous and uncertain until she finally embraced her child for the first time. However, she now believes that it was always meant to happen.
Kim Kardashian and Kanye West
During her pregnancies with her children North and Saint, reality star Kim Kardashian had a very difficult time. She expressed that pregnancy was not a good experience for her, despite hearing positive stories about it from her mom and sister Kourtney. Kim was honest and didn’t want to pretend that it was a wonderful and enjoyable experience for her.
During her pregnancies, Kim also faced significant health concerns. To have their children, Chicago and Psalm, the celebrity and her former spouse, Kanye West, employed a surrogate.
Fredrik Eklund and Derek Kaplan
As observed until now, it is quite frequent to have twins through surrogate pregnancy due to the practice of implanting multiple embryos. In 2017, Fredrik, a TV star and real estate agent, and his partner Derek Kaplan became parents of twins, namely Fredrik Jr. and Milla.
In the year 2022, the celebrity uploaded a charming picture on his Instagram account. Along with the photo, he penned, “As the children are growing, the responsibility of being a father is evolving swiftly. Freddy has now surpassed both Derek and me in terms of food consumption.”
Jimmy Fallon and Nancy Juvonen
Jimmy Fallon, a famous talk show personality, and his wife Nancy Juvonen had difficulty in conceiving children for a significant period of time. In an interview, he revealed that they made attempts for five years. Although he acknowledges that some couples have experienced more extended struggles, he encourages those who may feel hopeless about their situation to keep persevering.
The pair have two female offspring they share which are called Winnie and Franny. According to Jimmy, having a family is extremely rewarding and justifies all the effort put into it.
Giuliana and Bill Rancic
Giuliana Rancic, a television presenter, had been attempting to conceive for several years, which she openly discussed with her spouse on numerous television interviews. During the IVF process, however, she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Notwithstanding the difficulties, Giuliana and her spouse made a choice to persist and employ a surrogate. The couple, Giuliana being an Italian-American entertainment journalist and her husband, an entrepreneur named Bill, have a son named Edward Duke Rancic who was delivered in 2012.
Tan and Rob France
Tan France, known for being a reality star and fashion guru, has also had a family of his own through the use of a surrogate. He is a Pakistani-British-American fashion designer who is married to Rob France, a pediatric nurse and illustrator. On Instagram, the couple shared the news in 2021 that they were anticipating the arrival of their child through surrogacy.
Ismail has two fathers, Tan and Rob. Tan shared on his social media that they brought Ismail home and expressed their overwhelming love for him. However, the couple chooses to keep Ismail’s face hidden both in public and on the internet.
Camille Donatacci and Kelsey Grammer
Kelsey Grammer, a famous television personality, has a total of seven children. His first wife, Doreen Alderman, gave birth to his eldest daughter Spencer in 1983. 9 years later, his second daughter Greer was born to hairstylist Barrie Buckner.
In 1997, Kelsey tied the knot with Camille Donatacci who later became a star of the reality show Real Housewives. During their marriage, they had two children, Jude and Mason, who were both born through a surrogate. As viewers witnessed, Kelsey separated from Camille and began a relationship with his current wife, Kayte Walsh. Kelsey and Kayte share three children – Faith, Gabriel, and James.
Katey Sagal and Kurt Sutter
Actress Katey Sagal has entered into matrimony on multiple occasions and has three kids. She used a surrogate with her third spouse, who happens to be a screenwriter and director named Kurt Sutter.
According to her statement, they underwent the entire process of in vitro fertilization and despite their embryos not being particularly robust, they decided to take a chance and see what happens, believing that if it’s meant to be, it will be. Consequently, their daughter Esmé Louise was born in 2007.
Anderson Cooper and Benjamin Maisani
Anderson Cooper and Benjamin Maisani are no longer in a romantic relationship, however, they are still actively sharing the responsibility of raising their children together. Interestingly, they even made a joint decision to have both children after their romantic separation.
In 2020, Anderson Cooper and Benjamin Maisani became parents to their son Wyatt through a surrogate. Their second son, Sebastian, was born in 2022. Currently, Benjamin is in the process of adopting Wyatt, and he was present in the delivery room when this baby, named after Anderson’s father, was born.
Robert De Niro and Grace Hightower
Similar to other individuals on our list, famed actor Robert De Niro has a significant number of offspring. All combined, he has six children. The renowned actor tied the knot for the first time in 1975. During his marriage to his wife Diahnne, they welcomed their son, Raphael. In addition, De Niro became the adoptive father to Diahnne’s daughter, Drena.
In 1995, Robert De Niro became a father to twin sons through surrogate with model Toukie Smith. Later on, he tied the knot with Grace Hightower and had two more children through surrogate. His son Elliot was born in 1998 and his daughter Helen in 2011.
Michael Turchin and Lance Bass
Lance Bass, an ex-NSYNC member, recently announced the birth of his children on Instagram. He joyfully wrote, “‘The baby dragons have arrived!!’ I am feeling an immense amount of love at the moment. Thank you for the sweet messages, they were greatly appreciated. However, does anyone know how to change a diaper?!”
Lance and Michael Turchin, who is a painter and actor, are the proud parents of twins named Violet and Alexander. They became parents through the assistance of a surrogate in the year 2021. They openly shared their journey of surrogacy, with the hope of motivating other same-sex couples within the LGBTQ+ community.
Becca Tobin and Zach Martin
Actress Becca Tobin shared with her followers on Instagram that she and her husband Zach Martin had been struggling to conceive for five years. However, they recently revealed that they opted for a surrogate to help them expand their family.
On her Instagram account, Becca posted a message introducing her new baby, Ford, whose full name is Rutherford Ford Thomas Martin. She expressed gratitude to their surrogate for safely bringing him into the world, adding that their lives have already been enriched by his arrival.
Jordana Brewster and Andrew Form
Jordana Brewster, like numerous surrogate users, experienced feelings of shame initially. Specifically, she felt guilty about her inability to conceive herself. When questioned about the matter, the actress would often find herself justifying her choice, a behavior she eventually recognized.
Jordana shared, “I’d make this big deal out of announcing that I couldn’t carry, so that’s why Julian was born to a gestational surrogate. No one ever asked for the information. I would just offer it.” The now separated couple has two sons, Julian and Rowan.
Ryan Murphy and David Miller
Ryan Murphy is one of the most powerful men in the television industry. The writer and director has been married to photographer David Miller since 2012. Together, they are dads to three adorable sons. All three of the boys were carried by surrogates.
Their eldest son, Logan Phineas, was born in 2012. Two years later, middle child Ford Theodoure joined the family. Lastly (for now), little Griffin Sullivan was born in 2020. Murphy has said, “It’s amazing to be two dads and we have a wonderful surrogate.”
Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade
As with some others on our list, Gabrielle Union has dealt with guilt over not carrying her daughter, Kaavia James. The actress wrote about the experience in her book.
She said, “I will never know what it would have been like to carry this rockstar inside me […] It’s a pain that has dimmed but remains present in my fears.” Actress Gabrielle is a step-mom to her NBA player husband Dwyane Wade’s three children. The couple welcomed daughter Kaavia in 2018.
Adrienne Maloof and Paul Nassif
We’ve already mentioned several Real Housewives, and here’s another. There was a huge scandal when Adrienne Maloof’s co-star Brandi Glanville announced on camera that she had been through surrogacy. While this secret was known among the cast, Adrienne’s own children didn’t know they were born via surrogate.
As a result, Adrienne Maloof served Bravo and her castmate with legal papers, and refused to attend the reunion show. The businesswoman and her ex-husband, plastic surgeon Paul Nassif, used a surrogate for their twin sons.
Bryan Greenberg and Jamie Chung
As Lucy Liu has shown, acting isn’t always compatible with pregnancy. While some shows are happy to write in a pregnancy, others aren’t as accommodating. Actress and reality TV star Jamie Chung had to factor in her career while planning her family. She said, “I was terrified of putting my life on hold.”
The star explained, “In my industry, it feels like you’re easily forgotten if you don’t work within the next month of your last job.” Jamie and her fellow actor husband welcomed twins in 2021.
Kristen Wiig and Avi Rothman
While actress Kristen Wiig also felt guilty for using a surrogate, she now says she “wouldn’t have had it any other way.” The star experienced fertility issues when trying to start a family, so she eventually decided to use a surrogate.
Kristen married her second husband, actor Avi Rothman, in 2021. Before they got hitched, the couple became parents to twins. Son Shiloh and daughter Luna were born in 2020. The stars try their best to keep their kids out of the public eye.
Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery
TV star Ellen Pompeo has three children in total. While she carried her first and last kids, the actress used a surrogate for her second child. At the time, the star said, “This is an incredible thing to do with your life, to give the gift of carrying someone’s child. I am forever grateful and feel very blessed and grateful to her.”
Ellen and husband Chris Avery are parents to Eli Christopher, Stella Luna, and Sienna May. The married couple has been together since 2003.
Khloé Kardashian and Tristan Thompson
Followers of the KarJenner family know that Khloé Kardashian hasn’t exactly had an easy time with NBA player Tristan Thompson. The athlete cheated on the reality star while she was pregnant with their daughter, True. After she took him back, he cheated again… and again.
Most recently, Tristan Thompson got another woman pregnant. However, by the time Khloé found out, they were already expecting a son via surrogate. The couple has now split (hopefully) and they haven’t yet released any pictures or information about their son.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez
Here’s another large celebrity family. Portuguese soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentine-Spanish model Georgina Rodríguez are parents to five kids. Eldest son Cristiano Jr. was born in 2010 to an unknown mother, though the footballer has full custody.
Cristiano and Georgina then welcomed twins Eva and Mateo in 2017 by surrogate. After that, Georgina carried daughter Alana, who was born in 2017. The couple was expecting more twins but sadly lost one. Their daughter, Bella Esmerelda, was born in 2022.
Perez Hilton
Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton has three children that he raises himself. The online personality used a surrogate and donor eggs for all of his kids. Eldest son Mario Armando Lavandeira III was born in 2013. Two years later, daughter Mia Alma arrived.
Finally, Perez welcomed his youngest child, daughter Mayte Amor, in 2017. The star often posts pictures of his kids with his mom. On Mother’s Day, he wrote, “Every child is a blessing and this Mother’s Day was extra blessed for me and my mother!”
Benji Madden and Cameron Diaz
It’s tough to find any photographs of Benji Madden and Cameron Diaz’s daughter, Raddix. Like some others on our list, these celebs want to keep their child under wraps. This makes sense, especially when it comes to swirling paparazzi and social media snaps.
The actress and musician announced the birth of their daughter in 2020. The couple decided to use a surrogate after years of trying to get pregnant. They tried IVF and acupuncture before eventually opting for surrogacy.
George Lucas and Mellody Hobson
Filmmaker George Lucas has become a father by using various options. Firstly, the director adopted daughter Amanda with his former wife, film editor Maria Lou Griffin. After the couple split in 1983, George adopted two more children — Katie and Jett — as a single parent.
George Lucas then remarried in 2013, to businesswoman Mellody Hobson. The couple welcomed their daughter in 2013, who was born to a surrogate. In this picture, George and Mellody can be seen with little Everest.
Dennis Quaid and Kimberly Buffington
Likewise, actor Dennis Quaid has a number of children that were born in differing ways. The star’s eldest son, Jack, was born during his marriage to actress Meg Ryan. Then, Dennis had twins born via surrogate with his third wife, real estate agent Kimberly Buffington.
When the twins were born, hospital staff mistakenly gave them the wrong dosage of medication. As a result, Dennis Quaid filed a lawsuit against the pharmaceutical company. The actor is now married to his fourth wife, Laura Savoie.
Laura Benanti and Patrick Brown
Actress Laura Benanti and her third husband, Patrick Brown, used a surrogate for both of their children. The couple got hitched in 2015 and welcomed their first daughter, Ella Rose, two years later. In 2022, Laura and Patrick celebrated the arrival of their second daughter, Louisa Georgia.
Speaking about her surrogate, Laura has said, “Our remarkable surrogate (an angel-on-earth) delivered her into our arms; an other-worldly generosity of spirit, body, and kindness that can never be repaid.”
Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick
In this rare red carpet appearance, we can see all the members of Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick’s family posing together. The actress gave birth to the couple’s first child, James, back in 2002. For their twin daughters, the high-profile couple used a surrogate. Tabitha and Marion were born in 2009.
Sarah has revealed that she and Matthew “tried and tried and tried” to conceive naturally. She concluded, “But it just was not to be, the conventional way.”
Amber Heard
Did you know that Amber Heard has a daughter? We certainly didn’t. The actress has been making headlines thanks to her high-profile court case with ex-husband Johnny Depp. But in 2021, the star announced on Instagram that she’d become a mother, and used a surrogate.
Amber said, “I hope we arrive at a point in which it’s normalized to not want a ring in order to have a crib.” She continued, “Her name is Oonagh Paige Heard. She’s the beginning of the rest of my life.”
Matt Bomer and Simon Halls
Actor Matt Bomer got married to publicist Simon Halls in 2011. This was one year before the star publicly came out while accepting an award. At this stage, he and Simon had already become fathers to three kids by surrogate.
The couple started their family back in 2005 with the arrival of their son, Kit. They then welcomed twin boys, Walker and Henry, in 2008. The star said, “I just want to be hopefully somebody who helps shape these souls without changing how they came into the world.”
Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance
Actress Angela Bassett first considered using a surrogate when one of her friends went through the process. She explained, “She began to tell me about the idea of surrogacy. The more we learned about it, the more we began to think that perhaps this was an answer for us.”
Angela and actor husband Courtney B. Vance welcomed twins via surrogate in 2006. The couple shares a son named Slater Josiah, and a daughter named Bronwyn Golden. In this adorable photo, the family poses together.
Amy Smart and Carter Oosterhouse
Like some of the other surrogate-using stars on our list, Amy Smart publicly thanked her surrogate. One month after the arrival of the actress’s daughter, she posted a heartfelt thank you on Instagram.
She wrote, “Feeling so grateful to have her in my arms… after years of fertility struggles I give thanks today to our kind, loving surrogate for carrying her.” Amy Smart is married to TV personality and former model Carter Oosterhouse. Their daughter, Flora, was born in 2017.
Lisa and Lenny Hochstein
Time for one more Real Housewife? Viewers watched Miami-based plastic surgeon Lenny Hochstein ask his wife repeatedly when they would have children. Eventually, the couple turned to surrogacy to expand their family. The couple’s son Logan was born in 2015, and daughter Elle arrived in 2019.
Sadly, since then, it was revealed that Lenny was cheating on his wife, Lisa. The couple has since been embroiled in lots of social media shade and a lengthy divorce process. We say, good riddance!
Tom Ford and Richard Buckley
We close our list of celebrities who used a surrogate with fashion designer and movie director Tom Ford. The fashion-forward filmmaker first met his husband, fashion journalist and editor Richard Buckley in 1986. The couple got married in 2014, after welcoming their son, Alexander John Buckley Ford.
Alexander was born via surrogate in 2012. Sadly, Richard Buckley passed away in 2021, aged 72, after a long illness. Tom Ford continues to raise their son as a single parent.
When Robert Harris’s Munich came out in 2017, it quickly became a bestselling novel around the globe. When news that Netflix will be adapting it for the big screen broke out, people couldn’t help but wonder who would portray the unbearable German dictator Adolf Hitler. It soon became known that Martin Wuttke, who played Adolf in Inglorious Basterds, will reprise his role, and shortly after, Watchmen’s actor Jeremy Irons joined the cast to headline the movie.
Jeremy Irons as Neville Chamberlain in Munich
The film will be set in the fall of 1938, and it will follow the deciding moment in history when Europe is right on the brink of war. Adolf Hitler is advancing his preparation to invade Czechoslovakia, and British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain is desperately trying to find a peaceful resolution. He sends Hugh Legat, a British civil servant, and Paul von Hartmann, a German diplomat, to Munich for an emergency conference to negotiate peace.
As they begin to negotiate with the Nazis, the two men find themselves in the middle of a scheme, a well thought out political subterfuge with an imminent threat over their lives.
Netflix to Release the Film in 2021
Munich is currently being filmed in Germany with plans to shoot some scenes in the U.K. later on. This means that we’ll have to wait till next year until the film becomes available on Netflix. In terms of casting Jeremy Irons as Chamberlain, the author of the book himself, Robert Harris, expressed his gratitude. He said that it’s great to see an actor of Jeremy’s stature playing Neville because the idea is to show the former British Prime Minister in a “more sympathetic light.” Viewers will hopefully get to see a more relatable character and maybe try to understand what possibly went through Chamberlain’s head during that period of time.
Jeremy Irons won his best actor Oscar in 1990 for Reversal of Fortune. Will he get another one for Munich? Only one way to find out!
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