For many loyal celeb fans and history buffs, it may be tempting to assume that they know it all when it comes to popular stars. However, people sometimes miss the juicy details about celebrity parents, especially which famous people were young parents. When we see them on the screens of our favorite shows and movies, it’s easy to forget that some of them are long past baby diapers in the parenting department. We’ve compiled a list of 15 celebrities that were young parents that you may have missed.
1. Oprah Winfrey
Before she was a legendary talkshow host, Oprah Winfrey was a 14-year-old that discovered she was pregnant after being sexually assaulted. She’s spoken openly about this devastating chapter in her life in which her baby, named Canaan, died prematurely. Since then, she has been a voice in the effort to fight abuse and protect others.
2. Brandy Norwood
It’s not everyday that a singer gets their own MTV reality show dedicated to their pregnancy journey, but Norwood did. The popular singer was 22-years-old when she gave birth to her daughter, Sy’rai Iman Smith, with ex-boyfriend, Robert Smith. Brandy: Special Delivery followed Norwood’s pregnancy on film and allowed audiences an insider glimpse into her life. Perhaps the most impressive thing is that Norwood and Smith look like they could be sisters.
3. Aretha Franklin
As a young girl, Franklin was raped by at her father’s home by a visitor. The iconic singer was only 12-years-old when she had her first baby and was 14 when she had her second child. Parts of her traumatic history with motherhood and sexual abuse were explored in the 2021 biographical film, Respect .
4. Whoopi Goldberg
When she was 18-years-old, Goldberg gave birth to her daughter, Alexandrea Martin in 1973. Martin joined her mom on the set of Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit in 1993.
5. Ashlee Simpson
In 2008, Simpson and her husband at the time, Pete Wentz, welcomed their son, Bronx to the world. In 2014, she and her current husband, Evan Ross, had their daughter, Jagger, and in 2020, Simpson gave birth to their son Ziggy.
6. Adele
While she’s hardly the youngest celeb to become a parent, Adele gave birth to her son, Angelo, at the young age of 24 in 2012. One of Adele’s songs carries a special message for Angelo, which explains her divorce to, ex-husband, Simon Konecki.
7. Solange Knowles
When Solange Knowles was 18, she and her husband at the time, Daniel Julez J., had their son, Daniel Julez J.
8. Hilary Duff
Duff gave birth to her son, Luca, with her husband at the time, Mike Comrie. Duff was 24-years-old when she had Luca and then she went on to have her other children, Banks and Mae, with current husband, Matthew Koma.
9. Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr., AKA Lil Wayne was only 16 when his first-born daughter, Reginae Carter, was born. His wife and high school sweetheart Antonia “Toya” Carter, brought three more children into Wayne’s life. Sadly the two parted ways in 2006, but the love he has for his children seems like it’ll last forever.
10. Britney Spears
At age 23, Spears had her first son, Sean Preston Federline, with her husband at the time, Kevin Federline. Only a year later, in 2006, she gave birth to their second son, Jayden. Now, after being released from her landmark conservatorship , she’s about to become what many would consider to be an older mom, at 40. She announced on Instagram that she and fiancé, Sam Asghari, are expecting their first baby together.
11. Kylie Jenner
At 22-years-old, Jenner wasn’t shy about sharing her pregnancy story with everyone, as she welcomed her daughter, Stormi, into the world with partner, Travis Scott. Since then, the couple added a new bundle of joy to the family with a boy, Wolf Webster. In 2022, Stormi celebrated her 4th birthday.
12. Jamie Lynn Spears
It was 2008 and Spears was 17 when she and ex-boyfriend, Casey Aldridge, saw their daughter Maddie come into the world. At age 30, she also has a 3-year-old named Ivey with current husband, Jamie Watson.
13. Sofia Vergara
It was 1991 and Vergara was only 19 when she and her high school sweetheart, Joe Gonzalez, welcomed their son, Manolo into the world.
14. Reese Witherspoon
Even though her marriage to Ryan Phillippe didn’t last, Witherspoon’s adoration for her daughter, Ava, is going strong. In 1999, Reese was 23-years-old when she gave birth to their daughter, then in 2003, she gave birth to their son, Deacon. In 2012, during her current marriage to Jim Toth, she gave birth to her son, Tennessee.
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15. LeBron James
At only 19-years-old, NBA superstar, LeBron James, and his future wife, Savannah Brinson, welcomed his their first child, LeBron James Jr., AKA Bronny, into the world. That was in 2014, and since then, James and Brinson also welcomed their other kids, Bryce Maximus James and Zhuri James to the family.
Let us know what you think in the comments of this list of younger celebrity parents and if any of them surprised you.
