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Adopted Celebrities

Nov 07, 2007

Celebrities adopting babies is nothing new, but how many of them are adoptees themselves? We're celebrating National Adoption Awareness Month by giving you the lowdown on which famous people are adopted. Check it out!

Adopted Actors

  • Nicole Richie - Simple Life star, Nicole Richie was born to an assistant of Lionel Richie who was unable to care for her. Lionel and his wife became her guardians when she was two and adopted her when she was nine.
  • Marilyn Monroe - Actress Marilyn Monroe was born Norma Jeane Mortenson, and grew up in foster care. She was later adopted by her mother's friend after her biological parents died.
  • Priscilla Presley - Actress and wife of Elvis, Priscilla Presley's father died in a plane crash when she was just a baby, and her mother later remarried. Her step-father later adopted her.
  • Melissa Gilbert - Melissa Gilbert was adopted at birth by actor Paul Gilbert and his wife Barbara Crane. She went on to become an actress herself when she joined the cast of Little House on the Prairie.
  • Ray Liotta -This Smokin' Aces star was adopted at six months old to a working class New Jersey couple.

Adopted Musicians

  • Faith Hill - Country singer Faith Hill was born Audrey Faith Perry in Ridgeland, Mississippi and was adopted as an infant. She has since met her birth mother and keeps in touch with her to this day.
  • John Lennon - Beatle John was born in Liverpool and lived with his mother until she handed him over to her sister, Mimi Smith, who raised him until adulthood.
  • apl.de.ap - Black Eyed Pea apl.de.ap was born Allan Pineda Lindo in the Philippines to a Filipina mother and African American father who was a US soldier. His mother raised him until he was 14, at which point his mother allowed him to be adopted by an American couple who took him to live in the US.

Adopted Business People

  • Steve Jobs - Apple Computer co-founder Steve Jobs was born in San Francisco to a grad student who later went on to become a professor. His then-unmarried mom gave him up for adoption when he was a week old.
  • Dave Thomas - Wendy's founder Dave Thomas was adopted by Lebanese-American parents in New Jersey. Dave went on to become a huge advocate for adoption, founding the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption in 1992.

Are we missing anyone? Comment below and let us know if you can think of any other famous adoptees!

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