scorecard22 celebrity parents who welcomed babies via surrogates
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22 celebrity parents who welcomed babies via surrogates

Gabbi Shaw   

22 celebrity parents who welcomed babies via surrogates
Anderson Cooper just welcomed his first child.Dan Steinberg/Invision/AP, File
  • There are many different ways to have a family in 2020, from adopting to doing IVF treatments, to using a surrogate.
  • A surrogate, or gestational carrier, is a woman who has a fertilized embryo implanted in her uterus, and then carries the baby to term.
  • Surrogacy is popular for gay couples, older parents, or anyone experiencing fertility issues.
  • Anderson Cooper, Lucy Liu, and Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick all used surrogates to help bring their babies into the world.
  • Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.

Anderson Cooper recently announced that he became a father for the first time, with the help of a surrogate and egg donor.

He's not the only celebrity to turn to surrogates to help grow their families. Kim Kardashian and Kanye West have used a surrogate twice, for their children Chicago and Psalm, due to a life-threatening condition Kardashian developed with her first two pregnancies.

Lucy Liu also used a surrogate to become a mother, as she wasn't sure when she was going to stop working — this allowed her to balance both work and parenthood.

Keep scrolling to learn more about these celebrities that used surrogates.

Read the original article on Insider

Robert De Niro has used surrogates for three of his children, with both Toukie Smith and Grace Hightower.

Robert De Niro has used surrogates for three of his children, with both Toukie Smith and Grace Hightower.
Robert De Niro and Grace Hightower.      Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images for Tribeca Film Festival

In total, De Niro has six children. With Toukie Smith, De Niro has a set of twins, Julian and Aaron, born in 1995 with the help of a gestational carrier.

The "Irishman" star also has two children with ex-wife Grace Hightower. Hightower gave birth to their son, Elliot, in 1998. In 2011, they welcomed a daughter Helen, via surrogate.

George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson have a daughter, Everest, who was carried by a surrogate.

George Lucas and his wife Mellody Hobson have a daughter, Everest, who was carried by a surrogate.
Mellody Hobson and George Lucas.      Chris Jackson/Getty Images

Lucas has three other adopted children, in addition to his biological daughter Everest, who was born in 2013.

Dennis Quaid and then-wife Kimberly Buffington's twins were carried by a surrogate.

Dennis Quaid and then-wife Kimberly Buffington
Kimberly Buffington and Dennis Quaid.      Chris Polk/FilmMagic for LIVEstyle Entertainment/Getty Images

Buffington and Quaid, who divorced for good in 2016, welcomed fraternal twins named Thomas and Zoe in 2007.

Zach Gilford and Kiele Sanchez welcomed their daughter, Zeppelin, via surrogate after Sanchez sadly suffered a late-term miscarriage.

Zach Gilford and Kiele Sanchez welcomed their daughter, Zeppelin, via surrogate after Sanchez sadly suffered a late-term miscarriage.
Kiele Sanchez and Zach Gilford.      Joe Scarnici/Getty Images for AT&T Audience Network

The "Friday Night Lights" alum and his wife, "Kingdom" actress Sanchez, were overjoyed to the announce the birth of their daughter Zeppelin via surrogate in December 2017.

"We have always wanted to be parents, and Zeppelin has made our dreams come true," they said in a statement to People.

Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade welcomed a "miracle baby" via surrogate in 2018.

Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade welcomed a "miracle baby" via surrogate in 2018.
Gabrielle Union and Dywane Wade.      Omar Vega/Invision/AP

Union was already a stepmother to Wade's three children from his previous marriage, but the two welcomed a daughter of their own, Kaavia, in 2018.

"We are sleepless and delirious but so excited to share that, our miracle baby, arrived last night via surrogate and 11/7 will forever be etched in our hearts as the most loveliest of all the lovely days. Welcome to the party sweet girl," Wade shared on Twitter.

Jordana Brewster and her husband Andrew Form's two sons were both born via surrogate.

Jordana Brewster and her husband Andrew Form
Andrew Form and Jordana Brewster.      Jeff Vespa/Getty Images for Baby2Baby

The "Fast and Furious" star and her husband welcomed both sons, Rowan and Julian, via surrogate in 2013 and 2016.

"I didn't really have a choice about being open, since it was obvious I wasn't pregnant. And for me it wasn't a choice, I needed to use a surrogate. But I didn't feel judged, it's more like I felt awkward. Even recently, we were at this baby group and the teacher made the assumption 'Well, you all birthed your children' and I couldn't be like, 'Well, actually…' So sometimes I feel a little left out when other moms talk about what their birth experience was like, and I feel the loss of not having carried or having been able to carry. But luckily I keep my circle tight and close, so I never feel judged," she told Yahoo!

Elton John and David Furnish used the same surrogate for both sons.

Elton John and David Furnish used the same surrogate for both sons.
Elton John and David Furnish.      Rodin Eckenroth/Getty Images

According to The Telegraph, both of their sons, Zachary and Elijah, were carried by the same surrogate three years apart.

Jimmy Fallon and Nancy Juvonen's two daughters were both carried by surrogates.

Jimmy Fallon and Nancy Juvonen
Nancy Juvonen and Jimmy Fallon.      Todd Williamson/Getty Images

"My wife and I had been trying a while to have a baby. We tried a bunch of things — so we had a surrogate," and decided to keep it a secret until their first daughter, Winnie, was born. "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."

They repeated the secrecy with the birth of their second daughter, Frances.

Giuliana and Bill Rancic welcomed their son, Duke, via surrogate after Giuliana was diagnosed with breast cancer.

Giuliana and Bill Rancic welcomed their son, Duke, via surrogate after Giuliana was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Bill and Giuliana Rancic.      Roy Rochlin/Getty Images

The E! host and her husband had been going through IVF when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2011. Before she underwent a double mastectomy and radiation, they retrieved eggs and eventually used a surrogate for the birth of their son, Duke.

Since the birth of Duke, the couple have been extremely open about their journey to have another baby. In 2015, Giuliana revealed that their surrogate had miscarried with their last embryo.

Ricky Martin and husband Jwan Yosef have four kids together.

Ricky Martin and husband Jwan Yosef have four kids together.
Ricky Martin and Jwan Yosef.      Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Martin first welcomed twins Valentino and Matteo in 2008 as a single parent. "Adoption was one option, but it's complicated and can take a long time. Surrogacy was an intriguing and faster option. I thought, 'I'm going to jump into this with no fear,'" he told People at the time.

Ten years later, Martin and his husband, Yosef, welcomed their first daughter together, Lucia. A year later, in 2019, they added a fourth child to their growing brood, a son Renn.

Katey Sagal and Kurt Sutter's daughter, Esmé, was born in 2007 via surrogate.

Katey Sagal and Kurt Sutter
Katey Sagal and Kurt Sutter.      Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images

The "Sons of Anarchy" couple welcomed Esmé in 2007. The two weren't originally planning on having kids together, Sagal told People. "When Kurt and I first got together, he wasn't interested in having any more children. He was happy being the stepparent to Sarah and Jackson [her children with her ex Jack White]. But he'd never had his own biological children, so about five years into the relationship we started toying with the idea of maybe we should raise a child together."

"We headed down the adoption road at the same time we were investigating the surrogacy road and left it up to whatever happened first, because we weren't attached to either way," Sagal told OK! magazine in 2007. "Our surrogacy situation just fell into place really easily."

Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance's twins were born via surrogate in 2006.

Angela Bassett and Courtney B. Vance
Courtney B. Vance and Angela Bassett.      Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

The couple shared that they had been through seven years of multiple failed rounds of IVF before learning about surrogacy from a friend. "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," Bassett told Oprah in 2007.

Their twins, Bronwyn Golden and Slater Josiah, were born in January 2006.

One of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban's daughters was carried by a surrogate.

One of Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban.      Getty/David Becker

Their second daughter, Faith, was born via gestational surrogate in 2011. "Our family is truly blessed, and just so thankful, to have been given the gift of baby Faith Margaret," they said, according to a statement. "No words can adequately convey the incredible gratitude that we feel for everyone who was so supportive throughout this process, in particular our gestational carrier."

The couple also shares a daughter, Sunday Rose, that Kidman gave birth to in 2008.

Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery's second and third child were carried by surrogates.

Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery
Ellen Pompeo and Chris Ivery.      Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for March of Dimes

The "Grey's Anatomy" star and her producer husband have three kids: Stella, who Pompeo carried herself, Sienna, and Eli. They were born in 2009, 2014, and 2016, respectively.

"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 — she who will remain anonymous. I was there with her when they inseminated her, and we held hands. I looked into the microscope and I saw the embryo," she told Jimmy Kimmel in 2014.

Andy Cohen welcomed his son, Benjamin, in February 2019.

Andy Cohen welcomed his son, Benjamin, in February 2019.
Andy Cohen.      Bravo

"I'm in love. And speechless. And eternally grateful to an incredible surrogate. And I'm a dad. Wow," he wrote on Instagram.

He had previously thanked his surrogate when he revealed he was expecting a son in December 2018. "Thanks to a wonderful surrogate who is carrying my future. Family means everything to me and having one of my own is something that I have wanted in my heart for my entire life," he said on an episode of "Watch What Happens Live."

Both of Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman's sons were born via surrogate.

Both of Elizabeth Banks and Max Handelman
Max Handelman and Elizabeth Banks.      Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images

Their first son, Felix, was born in 2011. Banks called him her "miracle baby," and openly shared what made her and her husband turn to surrogacy on her website.

"The one true hurdle I've faced in life is that I have a broken belly. After years of trying to get pregnant, exploring the range of fertility treatments, all unsuccessful, our journey led us to gestational surrogacy. From that came two miracles. The first was meeting our carrier and her husband who were truly humbling in their decency and generosity. And the second miracle was the birth of our baby boy, Felix Handelman. Felix means 'happy' and 'lucky' in Latin. And true to his name, Felix is a very happy baby and a blessing on our life," she wrote.

Their second son, Magnus, was born in 2012, also with the help of a surrogate. "Like Felix, Magnus was born via gestational surrogate. This experience has exceeded all expectations, taught us a great deal about generosity and gratitude, and established a relationship that will last a lifetime," Banks wrote.

Lucy Liu called surrogacy the "best solution for me." Her son Rockwell was born in 2015.

Lucy Liu called surrogacy the "best solution for me." Her son Rockwell was born in 2015.
Lucy Liu.      Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

"[Surrogacy] just seemed like the right option for me because I was working and I didn't know when I was going to be able to stop," Liu told People. "I decided that was probably the best solution for me, and it turned out to be great."

Tyra Banks and Erik Asla's son, York, was born in 2016 with the help of a surrogate.

Tyra Banks and Erik Asla
Tyra Banks and Erik Asla.      Michael Buckner/Getty Images

"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. As we thank the angel of a woman that carried our miracle baby boy for us, we pray for everyone who struggles to reach this joyous milestone. York Banks Asla, welcome to the world," the supermodel wrote on Instagram.

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka also welcomed twins Gideon and Harper via surrogate in 2010.

Neil Patrick Harris and David Burtka also welcomed twins Gideon and Harper via surrogate in 2010.
David Burtka and Neil Patrick Harris.      Andrew Toth/Getty Images for Veuve Clicquot

"It's a lot harder for gay guys [to have kids], although we tried," Burtka said during an appearance on "Wendy." He shared that two different women were involved. "There was an egg donor, a wonderful woman who was anonymous," he said. "We took two of our best guys and implanted them into her eggs, two different eggs." That way, they don't know which twin is biologically theirs.

Then, they used a different woman to be surrogate.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick welcomed their twins, Tabitha and and Marion, via surrogate in 2009.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick welcomed their twins, Tabitha and and Marion, via surrogate in 2009.
Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick.      Jemal Countess/Getty

"Well, you know, we've been trying to expand our family for a number of years and we actually have explored a variety of ways of doing so. This was one of the things we discussed with seriousness that had real possibilities for us," Parker told Access Hollywood's Billy Bush.

The couple also have a son, James Wilkie, whom Parker carried herself.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West welcomed two of their four children via surrogates, as it was unsafe for Kardashian to get pregnant.

Kim Kardashian and Kanye West welcomed two of their four children via surrogates, as it was unsafe for Kardashian to get pregnant.
Kanye West and Kim Kardashian.      Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Harper's Bazaar

After developing placenta accreta, a potentially life-threatening condition, after her first two pregnancies, Kardashian turned to surrogacy for her two youngest kids, Chicago and Psalm.

She didn't find surrogacy easy, though. "You know, it is really different," Kardashian told ET. "Anyone that says or thinks it is just the easy way out is just completely wrong. I think it is so much harder to go through it this way, because you are not really in control. And, you know, obviously you pick someone that you completely trust and that you have a good bond and relationship with, but it is still ... knowing that I was able to carry my first two babies and not, you know, my baby now, it's hard for me. So, it's definitely a harder experience than I anticipated just in the control area."

Anderson Cooper announced he had welcomed his first son, Wyatt, via surrogate during his news broadcast.

Anderson Cooper announced he had welcomed his first son, Wyatt, via surrogate during his news broadcast.
Anderson Cooper.      ANGELA WEISS / Contributor / Getty Images

Cooper's son was born on April 27, and he announced it to the world three days later, on April 30. "As a gay kid, I never thought it would be possible to have a child. I'm grateful for all those who have paved the way, and for the doctors and nurses and everyone involved in my son's birth," he said.

"Most of all, I am eternally grateful to a remarkable surrogate who carried Wyatt, watched over him lovingly, tenderly, and gave birth to him," he continued. "It's an extraordinary blessing, which she and all surrogates give to families who can't have children."

He plans to raise his son with his ex-boyfriend, Benjamin Maisani. The two split in 2018 after at least four years together.

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