Celebrity parents have a lot of luxuries that regular parents don't, including the fact that they can easily afford to pay for any kind of childcare necessary. They don't have to worry about wrapping up their scene on set so they can rush to reach the daycare before it closes — they just hire nannies who do all that for them and work with their schedule. However, despite those luxuries, being a parent is still an incredibly demanding role to take on, no matter who you are — and being a single parent is particularly tough because you don't even have a partner in crime to shoulder the burden with.
There are some celebrities who became single parents because their relationship didn't work out, for various reasons. Then, there are some celebrities who decide they're not going to wait to find the perfect partner before deciding to start a family — they just start one on their own, which is an amazing thing.
Now, there are certain celebrities whose kids we see all the time, and we definitely know they're raising little ones. And then, there are the undercover parents — the bachelor and bachelorette parents who are raising a kid that you may not have even known about unless you were a big fan.
Here are 15 talented, gorgeous bachelors and bachelorettes we didn't know were raising kids.
15 Taraji P. Henson, Who Has Been A Single Mama Forever
Taraji P. Henson's motherhood journey has certainly been a tough one. She didn't become a superstar until she was a little bit older, so many fans only know her as the fabulous 40-something who always looks stunning on the red carpet. However, she actually had her son, Marcel, when she was younger and a career as a famous actress was just a dream. Her son's father tragically passed away, making Henson a single mother, and though she could have easily given up on her dream to become an actress, she prevailed, she worked hard — and she ended up making it, and achieving huge success to support her entire family. She spilled to Glamour, saying that her father said "that's your baby, that's your blessing, he's going to be your strength...and you know what? He was." Adorable!
14 January Jones, Who Is Way More Independent Than Her Mad Men Character
January Jones may have spent several years playing a retro housewife with a fairly traditional family on the show Mad Men, but in real life, she's a whole lot more independent than Betty ever was. Jones has always kept her personal life out of the tabloids and been a fairly low drama celebrity, which is why it's so surprising to hear that she's raising a child. Unlike some celebrities, who are quick to name their baby daddy, Jones has always kept it a secret, simply saying that "I knew I would be raising my son alone. It was something I went into knowingly, I was prepared mentally, and I was excited about it." She seems like she's an amazing mom, and her son Xander is definitely a lucky guy.
13 Connie Britton, The Inspiring Activist Actress Who Wasn't Waiting For A Man
Most people either know Connie Britton from her iconic roles on Nashville and Friday Night Lights, or for her work as an activist. She's one of the many celebrities who uses her platform and fame for good, lending her star power to countless worthy causes and speaking out for what she believes in. It's the reason we love her so much. And, it seems her passion isn't limited to just the causes she supports — it also extends to her personal life. When she experienced the devastating tragedy of her parents both passing away within a three-year span, she shook herself and realized she was waiting around for the right man in order to start a family — and she didn't need to. So, she decided to adopt and is now raising her insanely cute son, Yoby.
12 Usher, The Steamy Star Who Was Granted Full Custody Of His Kids
Most people know Usher as the steamy R&B star with the silky smooth voice behind so many fantastic hit songs. However, did you know he's actually a dad — and a single dad, nonetheless? Usher was a married man for a while but things didn't work out, and he ended up divorcing his wife, Tameka Foster. While in many situations where a couple splits the children end up with their mother, in this case, Usher ended up getting full custody of his two adorable sons. He's definitely had to face some drama over the years, with his wife trying to get custody back at various points throughout the years, but he's managed to stay a strong and stable influence in his sons' lives. Now, the question is, did they inherit their dad's pipes?
11 Jamie Foxx, The Musician Turned Actor, Is A Proud Single Papa
Jamie Foxx is an intriguing guy. He's involved in the music industry, he's involved in acting, and he's just always so articulate and interesting. And, there's something about him that not many people know — he's actually a single dad! Like many celebrities, Foxx doesn't want his daughters to be hounded by the paparazzi, so he keeps them mostly out of the public eye. However, the few shots he shares prove that he's a devoted dad who would do anything for his daughters. And, another shocker — one of his daughters, Corinne Foxx, is actually in her 20s now and the beauty was Miss Golden Globe in 2015. He definitely does not look old enough to have a 20-something-year-old, but hey — the man is taking really, really good care of himself, and it shows.
10 Cristiano Ronaldo, The Soccer Sensation, Became A Single Parent in 2011
Everyone knows that Cristiano Ronaldo is a major babe, and a major superstar in the soccer world, but did you know he's actually a single dad? Most people still remember his playboy persona, and the years he dated model after model. Nowadays, though, his life is a whole lot different — he has sole custody of his adorable son Cristiano Jr., so that's definitely changed his schedule a lot. He has mentioned adorably that his mother often helps him out with babysitting when he's juggling his crazy schedule, but overall he seems to be doing a fantastic job. Considering how many professional athletes lead a very different lifestyle, constantly partying, as Ronaldo used to do back in the day, it makes the fact that he's devoted to his son now even sweeter.
9 Mindy Kaling, Who Majorly Inspired Us By Deciding To Have Her First Child As A Bachelorette
Mindy Kaling is another one of those celebrities who has largely managed to keep her personal life private over the years. Sure, she might reference someone she dated at some point, but she's not spilling all the juicy details to the tabloids. That's why everyone was so stunned when she announced last year that she was expecting her first child — and she'd be raising her as a strong single mama. Like January Jones, Kaling has refused to say who the father is, and you know what? It totally doesn't matter. She's an insanely smart, talented woman with a hugely successful career, and we have full confidence she'll tackle motherhood and totally nail it. Plus, come on — given her penchant for colorful clothing, that child will be super well dressed.
8 Padma Lakshmi, Who Didn't Let A Breakup Get In The Way Of Becoming A Mom
A few years ago, Padma Lakshmi had a bit of a situation on her hands. She had just split with her boyfriend at the time, Adam Dell, and found out she was pregnant. While many women would be a bit scared of raising a child totally solo, Lakshmi, who thought she wasn't able to have children at all, was thrilled. Of course, she had a fantastic example to look to — she was raised by a single mother herself, so she saw firsthand what a great influence a strong mother could have in a child's life. So, Lakshmi decided to raise her adorable baby girl on her own. And, given how talented Lakshmi is in the kitchen, we bet her daughter has dined in some amazing places and eaten a lot of luxe stuff for dinner.
7 Kristin Davis, Who Opted To Adopt Just Like Her On-Screen Character, Charlotte
Kristin Davis must have gotten a sense of deja vu in 2011 when she made the decision to adopt — after all, she had played that exact storyline through her character Charlotte. The only difference was, while Charlotte was happily married, Kristin hadn't yet found the right guy. She didn't let that stop her from her dream of becoming a mother, though. She adopted her adorable daughter Gemma and has been largely out of the public eye for the past several years, just enjoying being a mom and raising her daughter. She may find her dream guy some day, but for now, she's happy being a family of two — and we're so happy that she made the decision that was right for her and became a mother on her own terms.
6 Malin Akerman, Who Is Embracing Single Motherhood After Her Divorce
Malin Akerman is another one of those celebrities who we don't really see or hear from unless she's out promoting a project. She keeps her private life very private. That's why many people didn't even know when she split from her husband, Roberto Zincone. However, it wasn't just a family of two that was splitting up — she was the mother of an adorable seven-month-old, Sebastian. While it can't have been easy to transition from being in a happy family to being a single mother, Akerman has embraced the change, saying that "I roll with the punches... I get to have so much special time with my son now." We have a feeling she's a super cool mom who always knows how to have fun and make life interesting, which is exactly what a little boy needs.
5 Hilary Duff, Who Is Raising Her Son Solo After Splitting With Hockey Hubby, Mike Comrie
Hilary Duff became a mother earlier than many celebs, while she was still just in her early 20s, but she's achieved a ton of milestones far younger than her peers. After all, this is a woman who was a television superstar while she was still a teenager, and had a career as a singer and actress for several years before she entered motherhood. Duff married professional hockey player Mike Comrie, and the two soon had their son, Luca. Unfortunately, things didn't work out between Duff and Comrie, but Duff has embraced single motherhood and is constantly posting shots of herself with Luca that are way too adorable. For now, she's happy just the two of them, but who knows — perhaps one day she'll expand her family, either on her own or after finding her soul mate.
4 Sheryl Crow, Who Is Happy To Create Her Own Little Family
You may know that Sheryl Crow used to date cyclist Lance Armstrong, and was even engaged to him, but you may not know exactly why things didn't end up working out. It turns out, Crow really wanted to have a family, and Armstrong didn't share that same passion. So, they parted ways, and Crow set her sights on creating a family — with or without a partner in her life. In 2007 she adopted her son, Wyatt, and then created a family of three just a few years later by adopting her second child, Levi. Single motherhood definitely isn't easy, but she seems to be super happy and even told Parade that "I am the quintessential single working mom. All of my decisions are based on what's best for my kids." Aww!
3 Kelis, Who Became A Single Mom After Her Split From Nas
Kelis was married to rapper Nas for five years, and it seemed like the two were music royalty. They were both achieving a ton of success in their careers, and they decided to turn their attention to their personal lives and start a family. Unfortunately, things went south, and they ended up splitting while Kelis was still pregnant. However, she didn't let that stop her from becoming a mother. She embraced single motherhood and looks totally adorable when she's out and about running errands with her son. In fact, she's thriving — in addition to continuing in the music industry, she also released a cookbook and showed off her skills on her own shot on the Cooking Channel. Now, the question is, what kind of tasty treats does she whip up for her boy?
2 Colin Farrell, The Hollywood Bad Boy Turned Single Dad
Colin Farrell is another one of those celebrities who is known more for his persona a few years ago — namely, when he was everyone's favorite Irish party boy, always out on the town with a gorgeous woman on his arm. His life looks a lot different nowadays, though. Farrell has two sons from two different relationships, and he got custody of them. And, any pictures of him with either of his sons proves that, even though he may still love to party, he'll always prioritize his children and make sure they're having a good time rather than pursuing his own good time. If you had a crush on Colin Farrell back in the day, chances are pictures of him with his sons will reignite that spark — sorry! His caring single dad status is majorly adorable.
1 Charlize Theron, Who Made Her Motherhood Dreams Happen For Herself
Charlize Theron is another successful actress who had achieved everything she wanted in her career before realizing there was something else she wanted — to become a mother. Though there's probably not a man in the world who doesn't think she's stunning, she just hasn't managed to find the right guy yet, so she decided to turn to solo parenting. She adopted a son, Jackson, and a daughter, August, and they make the most adorable family of three (plus her adorable dogs, who she's referred to as her co-parents before). As the photo here shows, being a single parent isn't easy — especially when you have more than one child to worry about. However, she seems really happy with the way things have turned out, and we can only imagine what a fantastic mother she must be.
Sources: romper.com, ranker.com, slice.ca, celebritydirt.ca
About The Author
