International Adoptees:
DANakaDAN
He is a Korean American producer & musician. [image from Kollabortion article]
Anaïs Bordier and Sam Futerman
Anaïs Bordier, a French fashion student, & Samantha Futerman, an actress in Los Angeles. [image from People article]
Lana Condor
Actress and adoptee from Vietnam. [image from Wiki]
Joel Kim Booster
He is a Korean American comedian. [image from Huffpo]
Thaddea Graham
She is a Chinese-born Northern Irish actress. She was one of the first international adoptees in Northern Ireland. - Wiki [image from IMDB]
Allan Pineda Lino (apl.de.ap)
Filipino-born rapper and member of The Black Eyed Peas was adopted when he was 14 years old. [image from Look to the Stars]
Nichole Chung
She is a Korean American author. [image from the Guardian]
Domestic Adoptees
Bobby Berk
Berk was born in Houston, Texas, and grew up in Mount Vernon, Missouri, in the middle of Amish farm country. He was adopted. Berk cites that being gay in the Bible Belt and attending an Assemblies of God church throughout his childhood was difficult and that he faced both internal and external homophobia growing up.
Now he is an American interior designer and reality television host. He stars in the Netflix series Queer Eye as the interior design expert.
Gary Coleman - Actor
Gary Coleman was born in Zion, Illinois, a northern suburb outside of Chicago, in February of 1968. He was adopted by Edmonia Sue and W.G. Coleman. He, unfortunately, suffered from an autoimmune kidney, that later took his life due to complications. He was a famous child actor on TV and in films.
[image from Wiki]
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs was adopted at birth in California. Paul and Clara Jobs adopted him after 9 years of marriage when Clara was unable to bear children. Sources state that Jobs' birth mother, Joanne Carole Schieble wanted his adoptive parents to be college graduates, but neither Paul or Clara were. However, she signed the adoption papers anyway because Paul and Clara promised to encourage Jobs to go to college.
Steve Job's biography
[image from Amazon]
Rev. Jessie Jackson
Rev. Jessie Jackson was adopted by his stepfather and took his surname but kept a close relationship with his birth father. He says that he considers them both as his fathers. Today, he is an activist, political leader, and minister.
[image from Time article]
Tony Shellman -Designer
Tony Shellman was put up for adoption after his birth parents didn't feel that they could provide a good life for him. He was adopted in December of 1968 at the age of two. He leaves his mark in the fashion industry as a co-founder of Enyce and Mecca.
Former President Bill Clinton
“We must work tirelessly to make sure that every boy and girl in America who is up for adoption has a family waiting to reach him or her. This is a season of miracles, and perhaps there is no greater miracle than finding a loving home for a child who needs one.” (americanadoptions.com)
[image from Amazon]
Faith Hill - Country Singer
“Having been adopted, I really have a strong sense- a necessity almost- for stability, a foundation where my family is concerned. [Success] would be meaningless without anyone to share it with.”(americanadoptions.com)
“I have a lot of respect for my birth mother… I know she must have had a lot of love for me to want to give what she felt was a better chance.” (americanadoptions.com)
[image from Amazon]
Colin Karpernick
He is an American civil rights activist and former football quarterback. - Wiki [Image from NPR]
Tommy Davidson
Tommy Davidson was adopted into a white family in 1966 at the age of two. Growing up in the time of the Jim Crow Laws with a white family wasn't easy for him. He faced racial prejudice but was too young to understand the reasoning behind it.
Tommy had a different view on race. For example, he thought of skin tones as they are described on crayons; he was a brown color while his sister a peach color. Tommy said, “The love that I got didn't have any color,” (Gebreyes, 2014).
Huffington Post Interview video
[image from Wiki]
Jamie Foxx- Actor & Singer
Jamie Foxx was adopted as an infant by his mother's adoptive parents. He had very little contact with his birth parents and said that his grandmother had the biggest influence on his life and his success. He is now an actor, singer, songwriter, and stand up comedian.
[image from Amazon]
Keegan-Michael Key
He is an American actor, comedian, writer, and producer. - Wiki [image from Wiki]
Rachel Crow - Singer
“It is crazy because everybody is like, ‘she is not your real mom.’ And I am like, ‘yeah, she is!’”(americanadoptions.com)
[image from iTunes]
Ice-T - Rapper
Tracy Marrow (Ice-T) lost his parents at the age of 12. He was informally adopted by his other family members until he was 17. He is now a rapper and an actor. [image from Twitter profile]
Nicole Richie
An American television personality, fashion designer, and actress. She is Lionel Richie’s adopted daughter. - Wiki [image from Glamour]
JC Chasez
He is an American singer, songwriter, dancer, record producer, and occasional actor. - Wiki [image from Billboard]
Melissa Gilbert
She is an American actress, television director, producer, politician and former president of the Screen Actors Guild. - Wiki [image from Wiki]
Sarah McLachlan
She is a Canadian singer-songwriter known for her emotional ballads and mezzo-soprano vocal range. - Wiki [image from Wiki]
Skillex
He is an American DJ, record producer, musician, singer, and songwriter. - Wiki [image from Wiki]
Daunte Culepper- Professional Football Player
"I am a living testament you can be adopted and successful.”(americanadoptions.com) [image from American Adoptions]
Frances McDormand
She is an American actress and producer. - Wiki [image from Wiki]
Liz Phair
She is an American singer-songwriter. - Wiki [image from Wiki]
Check out more famous adoptees, birth parents, and adoptive parents:
Foster Care Youth
Simone Biles
Simone Arianne Biles (born March 14, 1997) is an American artistic gymnast. With a combined total of 30 Olympic and World Championship medals, Biles is the most decorated American gymnast and the world's third most decorated gymnast, behind Belarus' Vitaly Scherbo (33 medals) and Russia's Larisa Latynina (32 medals).
Her and her 3 siblings were put into foster care as children. Her maternal grandfather adopted her and her younger sibling. Her great aunt adopted her older siblings. - Wiki
[Image from Wiki]
Victoria Rowell
Victoria Rowell faced a variety of challenges during her childhood. She and her siblings were given to Child Services when she was 16 days old. She stayed in the system until she was 18 and was raised by many different women. She is an actress, writer, producer, and dancer.
Video interviews about foster care and adoption
Victoria's book The Women Who Raised Me
[image from IMDb]
Alonzo Mourning
Alonzo Mourning was in foster care from 13-18 years old. His first foster mother influenced him to do well, to become the man he is now. He is a adoption advocate and an NBA star.
[image from NBA]
Eddie Murphy
Eddie Murphy and his older brother Charlie Murphy went into foster care for a year after his mother became ill. Interestingly, Eddie's sense of humor was influenced from when he was in foster care. He is an actor, writer, comedian, singer, producer.
[image from Wiki]
