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Ice-T -

At the age of eight, Ice-T's parents passed away. The rapper was raised by his aunts afterwards.

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Jamie Foxx -

The actor was adopted by his maternal grandmother following his parents' separation, when he was still a baby.

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Nelson Mandela -

The political leader was adopted by Jongintaba Dalindyebo, who ruled the Tembu people in Mqhekezweni, when he was nine years old.

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John Lennon -

The artist was raised by his mother's sister, who began taking care of him after his father left the family. She was wealthier than the Lennons and had a significant impact on his musical taste.

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Steve Jobs -

When the future Apple co-founder was born, his mother had no support from family or a partner. She decided that adoption would be the best choice for her son. 

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Nicole Richie -

Nicole Richie's biological parents were friends with Lionel Richie's family. When she was three years old, they let the Richie's adopt her as they did not have the financial means to raise her.

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Eric Clapton -

The artist was born in Ripley, England. He was raised by his grandparents.

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Kristin Davis -

The actress was legally adopted by her stepfather when she was three years old.

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Kelly Preston -

The late actress was adopted by her stepfather following the death of her biological father, when she was three years old.

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Frances McDormand -

The Chicago-born actress was later adopted in Pittsburgh by a Canadian minister and nurse.

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Sarah McLachlan -

The Canadian vocalist was adopted by an American family shortly after she was born.

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Faith Hill -

A few days after her birth, the singer was adopted by a Mississippi family.

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Ray Liotta -

Alfred and Mary Liotta adopted the actor when he was six months old.

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Keegan-Michael Key -

The actor and comedian was placed for adoption shortly after he was born. 

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Skrillex -

The musician brought up by a family friend when he was in his infancy, and later accidentally found out that he was adopted.

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Keyshia Cole -

The vocalist was adopted when she was two years old, after her biological father passed away.

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DMC -

Darryl McDaniels from Run-DMC discovered that his adopted parents were not his biological parents when he was a teenager.

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Melissa Gilbert -

Paul Gilbert, an actor and comedian, adopted Melissa when she was just one-day-old.

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Ric Flair -

In his autobiography 'To Be the Man' the professional wrestler revealed that he was adopted by an American couple of German descent, shortly after he was born.

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Babe Ruth -

At the age of seven, the upcoming baseball sensation was placed in an orphanage, where he spent part of his childhood.

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Marilyn Monroe -

Following her mother's mental health diagnosis and being deemed unfit to care for her children, the actress found a new family when she was adopted by Albert and Ida Bolender from Hawthorne, California. 

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Michael Oher -

The ex-American football player was adopted at the age of 17, having previously lived in foster homes and occasionally being homeless.

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Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi -

The TV personality was born in Santiago, Chile, and was adopted when she was young.

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Alonzo Mourning -

Following his parents' divorce at the age of 10, the  former basketball player was brought up by an adoptive mother.

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Bill Clinton -

Clinton was born to a mother who was widowed, then sent to live with his grandparents. He is one of just two presidents in the history of the United States who were adopted (Gerald Ford being the other).

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Truman Capote -

The author's parents split when he was a child. Afterwards, his mother's family cared for him for several years.

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Lance Armstrong -

The former pro cyclist was adopted by his stepfather at the age of three.

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Trace Cyrus -

Miley Cyrus' maternal sibling was adopted by his stepfather at the age of four.

See also: Famous people who picked careers their parents disapproved of 

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