Top 10 Celebrity Adoption Stories

There’s so much print devoted to celebrities’ bad behavior that it’s like a breath of fresh air to read an uplifting story. Celebrity adoptions are the kind of stories that tug at your heartstrings—the perfect antidote to trashy tabloid tales.

Celeb Legal Issues takes a look at the 10 best celebrity adoption stories. Cue the hankies!

Angelina Jolie: The actress adopted her first child from Cambodia, where she originally visited while filming “Tomb Raider,” and has since added two more adopted children to her big family. She shares their love with her partner, Brad Pitt, with whom she also has three biological children—including twins!

Sandra Bullock: “The Blind Side” actress managed to keep the adoption of baby Louis a secret in the midst of Oscar season and media scrutiny surrounding her divorce from Jesse James. The announcement came as a happy surprise to fans and the media.

Sharon Stone: The actress returned from filming “Basic Instinct 2” to meet baby number two. Little Laird joined 5-year-old Roan in 2005 as the second of her adopted children with cute Celtic names.

Edie Falco: After surviving breast cancer, the “Sopranos” and “Nurse Jackie” star adopted two children, Anderson and Macy. As a single mom and older parent, she’s an inspiration to women who balance work with parenting.

Mia Farrow: Negative publicity surrounding some of her family’s tragedies sometimes overshadows the fact that Farrow has adopted 10 formerly-needy children from all corners of the globe, including one suffering from polio and a child born addicted to crack.

Rosie O’Donnell: Talk show host Rosie is the adoptive mother of three children. A strong supporter and advocate for adoption, she frequently challenges public misconceptions about gay parenting.

Madonna: The songstress fought amidst controversy and legal problems to adopt daughter Mercy James in Malawi, but eventually won the right to add to her family, which includes adopted son David and biological daughter Lourdes.

Calista Flockhart: Although she adopted her son Liam as a single mom in 2001, Harrison Ford has acted as his father since the boy was one. The couple finally tied the knot in 2010, spawning speculation that they might adopt another child.

Sheryl Crow: After she beat breast cancer, the singer says she had a stronger sense of what she wanted her life to be like. She’s now the proud mom of two adopted boys, Wyatt Steven and little brother Levi James.

Meg Ryan: The actress flew to China to adopt her daughter, whom she named Charlotte, but quickly changed her name to Daisy when it seemed a better fit to her personality. She also has a biological son, Jack Henry, with ex-husband Dennis Quaid.