13 Celebrities You Might Not Know Gave Their Babies up for Adoption

Our Hollywood celebrities are known for their glamorous lives, but some have gone through rough patches not many may know about. Like most of us, these celebrities face many problems, some forcing them to make difficult decisions, such as giving their babies up for adoption. Here are 13 stars who made this life-changing decision at one point in their lives.

Most people tend to think celebrities have perfect lives. They believe these superstars don't have to face serious life problems like the regular folk, but that's not true. Having more than a million followers on Instagram does not mean these celebs don't feel distressed or find themselves in difficult situations.

Fate's unexpected plans put some of these big names in a tight spot where they had to make a tough decision―to give their babies up for adoption. Scroll down to read about the 13 celebrities who took made this challenging step and why they did it.

1. Kate Mulgrew

The "Orange Is the New Black" actress found out she was pregnant when she was 22. She was working on the soap opera "Ryan's Hope" as Mary Ryan when she learned she was pregnant with David Bernstein's child. Bernstein was a directorial intern and didn't want Mulgrew to keep the pregnancy, but she was against aborting her baby.

Meanwhile, the show producers wanted Mulgrew to keep working, so they made her pregnancy a part of her character's story.

After welcoming her baby girl, Mulgrew didn't receive enough support from her family, so she decided to give her baby up for adoption. However, giving her baby to someone else was not easy for the new mom. She began searching for her baby girl soon after the new family adopted her but couldn't find any leads.

In 1988, fate surprised Mulgrew when she met the nun involved in the adoption process. She expressed her desire to meet her daughter, who went by the name Danielle Gaudette, and soon got in touch with her. Mulgrew was shooting for "Star Trek: Voyager" when she spoke to Gaudette for the first time and they have been sharing a strong bond since then.

2. Joni Mitchell

Before marrying her husband, Charles "Chuck" Mitchell, whose surname she later adopted, Joni Mitchell was Roberta Joan Anderson.

In late 1964, the singer learned she was pregnant. The father was an ex-boyfriend. Back then, people didn't accept the idea of women getting pregnant before marriage, so Mitchell kept it a secret and gave her baby up for adoption following the birth in early 1965.

That same year, Mitchell moved to the United States from Canada and married Chuck there. From then on, she began her journey to making a mark in the world of music by writing some of the best songs and giving her fans unforgettable albums.

It wasn't until 1997 that Mitchell met her child, Kilauren Gibb, after receiving a letter from the girl.

3. Roseanne Barr

Before becoming a star, Roseanne Barr worked as a stand-up comedian. She did several gigs until her big break in 1962 when she was featured on "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." That marked the beginning of her career in Hollywood, allowing her to work in multiple movies and shows, including "Roseanne."

While most people know about Barr's professional life, only a few know she was pregnant at 17. Since she was young and thought she couldn't look after her baby alone, she gave her daughter Brandi up for adoption, unaware that they would meet again seventeen years later. Barr had developed a close bond with Brandi since then, and they even worked together on the set of "Roseanne."

4. Rod Stewart

The "I Don't Want to Talk About It" singer-songwriter, Rod Stewart, is the first man on our list. He welcomed his first child with his girlfriend, Susannah Boffey, when he was only 17. At the time, Stewart did not want to keep his daughter, so his then-girlfriend gave her up for adoption. When asked about his decision, he said:

"There's no way we could have given her a halfway decent start in life. Yeah, I certainly do (regret it)."

After welcoming his first child in 1963, Stewart decided to look for her years later, in the 1980s, and when he finally found her, she refused to meet him. His daughter, Sarah Streeter, resented him for what he did and refused to talk to him until five decades after the adoption when Streeter finally spoke to her father. They are now part of each other's lives.

5. Duane Lee Chapman

Better known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, Duane Lee Chapman has lived an eventful life, including giving up his child for adoption. His story began when he came out of prison and became a bounty hunter. Since his profession was unique, he was featured on TV, leading him towards his TV show, "Dog the Bounty Hunter."

While most people are familiar with his on-screen performance, many may not be aware that his teenage girlfriend was once pregnant with his child, but he had no idea then.

Unfortunately, Chapman's girlfriend ended her life after giving birth to his son, Christopher Hecht. It was only after Hecht's grandmother informed Chapman about her grandson —his son— that the bounty hunter learned about his existence.

6. Clark Gable

Clark Gable is known as "The King of Hollywood" after he gave some super-hit movies, including "Gone with the Wind," "It Happened One Night," and "The Misfits." He had an excellent career in Hollywood and married the woman who helped him get into Hollywood.

In 1935, the actor had an affair with his co-worker, Loretta Young, resulting in her pregnancy. To avoid a scandal, Young gave up their baby girl, Judy Lewis, for adoption. However, she regretted that decision and adopted Lewis back. her back. Despite her return, Gable only met Lewis once and they never shared any form of bond until his death in 1960.

7. Ted Nugent

The lead guitarist of The Amboy Dukes, Ted Nugent, rose to fame after becoming part of the rock band. His fans know him for his music, but he also gained popularity as a political activist. After performing with his band, Nugent left and started performing solo.

When Nugent was young, his girlfriend gave birth to two babies, Ted and Louisa. The couple gave the siblings up for adoption to two different families, and they only reunited when Louisa reached out to Nugent and Ted years later.

8. Mercedes Ruehl

Mercedes Ruehl is best known for her role in "The Fisher King," which won her an Academy Award for her spectacular performance. Besides that, she has won many accolades for her amazing acting skills.

Many people know that Ruehl adopted her son, Jake, but most may not know that she gave another son up when she was 28. At the time, she thought she couldn't raise a child. Decades later, with the help of an investigator, she reconnected with her biological son, Christopher, then 33.

9. David Crosby

Known for his singing and songwriting skills, David Crosby made a mark in the field of music. Besides being a part of The Byrds―the band that helped him become famous, he was also a part of Crosby, Stills & Nash.

Besides delivering multiple hit music albums, Crosby welcomed his son, James Raymond, in 1962. At the time, he did not want to raise a kid, so he gave Raymond up for adoption. However, they reunited when Raymond grew up and realized he was Crosby's son. They connected over their passion for music and even performed together on stage.

10. Andy Kaufman

People know Kaufman as a comedian and an actor who loved trying new things. But despite his enthusiasm for various art forms, he didn't live past 35. He lost his life to lung cancer, but some conspiracists believed he staged his death because he once talked about it.

Besides making a mark in his career, Kaufman did something many people don't know about. He had a daughter, Maria Bellu-Colonna, with his girlfriend in high school, but they gave her up for adoption. After growing up, the girl learned about her birth mother and soon met her. However, she never got to meet her father despite returning to her birth family.

11. Dirk Benedict

Rumor has it that the "Battlestar Galactica" actor changed his surname because of his love for Eggs Benedict. His birth name is Dirk Niewoehner, but most people know him by his stage name.

Benedict is another celebrity who had no idea about his son. When he was in college, his girlfriend got pregnant, but he didn't know about it until the child graduated high school.

Benedict's son, John Talbert, contacted his mother after his adoptive parents told him about his birth parents. Then Talbert approached Benedict, who was shocked to learn he had a son. However, they soon got close and now share a strong bond.

12. Jay Thomas

People know Jay Thomas for his role in "Mork and Mindy." The actor and comedian had starred in several movies and shows too. In 2005, Thomas began hosting a radio show called "The Jay Thomas Show," which aired on Sirius Satellite Radio.

Before he came into the limelight, Thomas' then-girlfriend became pregnant with his child, but they decided to give him up for adoption. The young couple was not ready for the responsibilities accompanying the baby's birth.

However, after staying apart for years, Thomas met his son, John Harding, for the first time in 2007. Since their first meeting, the father-son duo has kept in touch and developed a close bond.

13. Jack Wagner

Jack Wagner gained popularity after performing in "General Hospital," "Melrose Place," and "The Bold and the Beautiful," but most people may not know about his daughter who was given up for adoption.

In 1988, he received a call from a woman telling him she was pregnant with his child. Wagner had only slept with the woman once, so she told him she was giving their baby girl up for adoption.

Twenty-three years after that call, a young girl approached Wagner in his dressing room, telling him she was his daughter. While he was shocked, Wagner welcomed her into his life and now shares a good bond with her.

Which one of these celebrity stories surprised you the most? We would love to hear your thoughts on Facebook.

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