Katherine Heigl adopts Naleigh from Korea

Photo from Wikimedia

Adopting a child from Korea was something Katherine Heigl always knew she wanted to do.  Even before she met her husband Josh Kelley, Heigl was eager to adopt. Her sister was adopted and made a great impact in her life.

In Heigl’s case, adopting from Korea had a special meaning because her sister Meg was adopted from Korea as well.

Heigl recently completed her adoption of 10-month old daughter Naleigh.  Named Nancy Leigh and nicknamed Naleigh, her name was derived from a combination of Heigl’s mother’s and sister’s names.

On The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Heigl revealed her intense adoption experience. The process including a 40-page questionnaire. All the work was worth it, ultimately resulting in the adoption of Naleigh.

The process was only initiated about a year ago, but was expedited because of Naleigh’s special needs.  This is the first child for both Heigl and Kelley, who have been married since 2007.

Heigl may be the most recent celebrity to adopt, but this is not a new trend.

Angelina Jolie is perhaps the most famous of these celebrities.  In addition to her three biological children Shiloh, Knox, and Vivienne, she has adopted Maddox from Cambodia, Zahara from Ethiopia, and Pax from Vietnam.  She was first inspired to adopt when she was filming Tomb Raider in Cambodia back in 2001.

Madonna has also adopted children from abroad. She has encountered some problems with the adoption process recently, however she does have an adopted son and daughter from Malawi.

Meg Ryan has also adopted; her daughter Daisy is from China.

The list of celebrities adopting from overseas is continuing to grow.  Who will be next?