Famous people are often seen as larger than life and there are just as many celebrities born out of wedlock as there are those who were born within a traditional family structure. The concept of being born out of wedlock is becoming less and less taboo. Famous individuals, who have overcome the societal stigma and become wildly successful, have made it so that many who come after them have a better path and more public acceptance. Here is a look at a few famous people who were born out of wedlock.
Rihanna
Rihanna, born Robyn Rihanna Fenty, was born in 1988 to a single mother and was raised by her family in the Caribbean. The singer and entrepreneur, who gained fame and fortune through her music, modeling, and business ventures, has been very open about the fact that her parents were not married when she was born. She has however said that even though it was not a conventional family structure, her mother and father provided her with much needed stability.
Jim Carry
Jim Carry was born to a single mother in 1962. His father was never in the picture, leaving his mother to fend and raise him alone. Carry’s mother managed to send him to some of the best private schools in Canada despite her meager income. His comedian career lifted him to the heights of fame and fortune and today, the actor is known around the world.
Shakira
Shakira, born Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll, was born in 1977 to a Colombian mother and a Lebanese father who were not married. Her parents had a tumultuous and often violent relationship but Shakira still managed to excel in music and has achieved worldwide fame as one of the greatest Latin-American artists of all time.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest basketball player of all time, was born in 1963 to a teenage mother who was not married at the time. His father abandoned the family before he was born and his mother had to raise her son alone until his adoptive father stepped in when Jordan was still a little boy. Even through difficultly circumstances, Jordan was able to excel in basketball and became one of the greatest athletes in history.
Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver was born in 1949 to an British father and American mother, her parents were not married at the time and her father stayed in England while her mother completed her studies in the US. Despite growing up without the support of a father, Weaver was able to become one of the most renowned actress in Hollywood, acclaimed for her roles in Aliens, Avatar, and Ghostbusters.
Charles Darwin
Charles Darwin was born in 1809 to a wealthy family but his parents were not married when he was born. His mother had been married to another man only to find out that that his father was her father’s stand-in doctor. Despite being born out of wedlock, Darwin was able to transform the world of science with his now famous Theory of Evolution.
Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball was born in 1911 to a single mother and her father left her family shortly after her birth. Her mother had to work hard for her to have a good education and Ball managed to join the film world at an early age. She faced a lot of absuive relationships and financial issues but eventually the comedian became the biggest star of 1950s TV, remaining still one of the most beloved and iconic figures of showbiz.
These are only a few of the many famous people who were born out of wedlock. Although the concept of a single mother or father raising a child alone is still somewhat stigmatized in our society, these individuals have shown that a nontraditional family structure does not prevent someone from achieving great success. They are role models for many others and remind us that it is possible to make something out of difficult beginnings.
