One and Done: Celebrities Who Only Had One Child
It's common for celebrities to have large families with multiple children. However, some famous stars have chosen to just have one child. There are various reasons celebrities decide that one is enough when it comes to kids. Whether for career, lifestyle preferences, or fertility challenges, these one and done celebrity parents found fulfillment with a single child.
Kim Kardashian
Reality TV star Kim Kardashian is one of the most famous celebrity moms today. She shares two kids with rapper Kanye West - daughter North and son Saint. After difficult pregnancies and deliveries, Kim decided not to have any more biological children due to health concerns. She has one more child, Chicago, via surrogate.
Charlize Theron
Oscar-winning actress Charlize Theron adopted two children, Jackson and August, and considers her family complete. She has spoken about the fulfillment she has experienced becoming a single mom to her two kids. Though busy with her acting career, Charlize maintains her focus is on motherhood.
Jane Krakowski
Best known for her role on 30 Rock, Jane Krakowski is mom to son Bennett. She gave birth to her one child in 2011 at age 42 after earlier struggles with fertility. Krakowski has shared that motherhood has brought her great joy despite no longer being with Bennett's father.
Lauren Conrad
Reality star turned fashion designer Lauren Conrad recently welcomed her second son, but she also has a one and done story. Lauren gave birth to her first child, Liam, in 2017. She has stated she had a wonderful pregnancy but suffered postpartum anxiety after, leading her to feel done having kids.
Annette Bening
Four time Oscar nominee Annette Bening has four children with husband Warren Beatty - two biological kids and two adopted. However, she was a one and done mom initially. Her firstborn Kathlyn is 25 years older than her youngest, Ella. Annette expanded her family many years later.
Liza Minnelli
Legendary EGOT winner Liza Minnelli had one child in her 40s, son David Gest, with ex-husband David Gest. Liza struggled with substance abuse and multiple divorces, but found stability later in life. She remains very close to her now adult son.
Allyson Felix
Allyson Felix is the most decorated American woman in Olympic track and field history. But her proudest achievement is daughter Camryn, who was born via emergency C-section in 2018. Allyson has shared her difficult childbirth recovery story and likely won't risk pregnancy again.
Marcia Cross
Desperate Housewives star Marcia Cross adopted daughters Eden and Savannah with husband Tom Mahoney after struggling with infertility. Cross battled anal cancer and its treatment caused her to enter early menopause, making more children unlikely. She's said the girls fulfilled her dream of being a mom.
Elizabeth Banks
Actress and director Elizabeth Banks had her two children via surrogate after suffering from fertility issues. Her sons Felix and Magnus were born in 2011 and 2012. She has not publicly shared plans for more kids, seemingly content with her family of three.
Holly Hunter
Oscar winner Holly Hunter gave birth to twin boys Claude and Press after turning 40. In a late in life pregnancy, Hunter has said she was surprised to discover she was having twins. Now grown, they remain her only children.
Talia Shire
Best known for her role as Adrian in Rocky, Talia Shire had three sons over the years. However, her first born, Rafael, remains an only child. She had him as a single teenage mom before later marrying and expanding her family. Shire is extremely close with Rafael, now in his 50s.
Susan Sarandon
Susan Sarandon shares daughter Eva Amurri with ex Frances Amurri. She then had sons Jack and Miles with Tim Robbins years later. Sarandon became a single mom again after splitting with Robbins. She maintains a strong bond with Eva, now 37.
Frances McDormand
Oscar winner Frances McDormand and husband Joel Coen adopted son Pedro from Paraguay in 1995. Though they have fostered other children, Pedro remains their only child. McDormand balanced parenthood with a thriving acting career.
Goldie Hawn
Iconic actress Goldie Hawn had two children with ex Bill Hudson - Oliver and Kate Hudson. She started her family young and didn't have more kids until much later with Kurt Russell. Son Wyatt made Goldie a one and done mom for many years.
Isabella Rossellini
Model and actress Isabella Rossellini was 42 when she had her daughter Elettra with ex Jonathan Wiedemann. Rossellini has said becoming a mom later in life was transformative. She embraced motherhood fully despite only having one child.
Virginia Madsen
Sideways star Virginia Madsen had her son Jack when she was a young up-and-coming actress in the 1980s. She later married and divorced Danny Huston without having more children. Madsen continued acting while raising Jack as a single mom.
Toni Collette
Australian actress Toni Collette has spoken openly about the fertility struggles she faced for years before finally becoming pregnant at age 41. She considers her son Arlo a miracle after believing motherhood may not happen. He remains her only child so far.
Cynthia Nixon
Sex and the City star Cynthia Nixon had sons Charlie and Sam with former partner Danny Mozes. After coming out as gay, Nixon started a family with wife Christine Marinoni, having one more son Max. With three kids total, Nixon seems content not to add more.
Shania Twain
Country icon Shania Twain had her only child, son Eja, with producer ex Robert John "Mutt" Lange. Their split after Lange's affair deeply affected Shania. She has never remarried or had more kids, focusing on being a single mom to now-adult Eja.
Jenna Fischer
Best known as Pam on The Office, Jenna Fischer suffered a miscarriage before having her daughter Harper with now ex-husband Lee Kirk. After divorce, Fischer has not shared any plans to expand her family further as a single parent.
Greta Garbo
Legendary screen star Greta Garbo never married or had children herself. But late in life she adopted her one child, orphaned grandson Gray Gustafsson, after his father died. She raised the boy alone while shielding him fiercely from fame until her death.
Geena Davis
Oscar winner Geena Davis married four times but all her kids came with third husband Dr. Reza Jarrahy. After focus on work, she became a mom at 46 to daughter Alizeh and later twin sons Kian and Kaiis. Davis has said three children feels perfect for her.
Lauren Graham
Gilmore Girls star Lauren Graham was focused on acting into her 40s before adopting her daughter Sage. Graham has said becoming a single mom reshaped her priorities. She continues playing iconic TV moms while keeping her family limited to one.
Why One Child is Fulfilling For Many Celebrities
Though society often emphasizes big families, many celebrities are choosing to stop after one child. Some common reasons include:
- Pursuing demanding careers and creative passions
- Undergoing fertility struggles or difficult pregnancies
- Prioritizing hands-on involvement with one child
- Entering parenthood later in life and feeling fulfilled with one
- Preferring to expend resources on one child's opportunities
The many celebrity one and done parents prove that a single child provides immense
FAQs
Why do some celebrities only have one child?
Reasons celebrities may choose to just have one child include wanting to focus on their careers, facing fertility issues, preferring to invest more into one child, or deciding one fulfills their desire for parenthood.
Do celebrity only children get spoiled?
While some celebrity only children are provided lavish opportunities, many one and done celebrity parents emphasize instilling strong values in their kids over spoiling them with material things.
Do famous only children struggle socially?
Famous only children are not necessarily disadvantaged socially. With proper parenting, they develop social skills through activities, family, and friends. Many excel socially and avoid stereotypes.
Do celebrity moms with one child work less?
Having one child allows some celebrity moms to balance parenthood with maintaining their acting or music careers. However, many still choose to cut back on work commitments after becoming parents.
Are celebrity only children often close with their parents?
In the absence of siblings, many celebrity only children form extremely close lifelong bonds with their famous parents who dote on them. However, some also seek independence.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.
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