Anjelica Huston, Anna Kendrick, and other celebrities share their reasons for remaining child-free. Huston reflects on how motherhood might have mirrored her own complicated relationship with her mother. Kendrick humorously discusses the challenges of parenting in a dystopian world. Christopher Walken values his career freedom, while Dolly Parton feels her success wouldn’t have flourished alongside kids. Celebrities like Helen Mirren and Jennifer Aniston emphasize personal choice over societal expectations regarding motherhood.
Anjelica Huston
In a conversation with The Guardian, Anjelica Huston expressed that not having children was likely a positive decision.
“I would probably have been unhappy,” she remarked. “Reflecting on my relationship with my mother, I sense it might have echoed that dynamic. I envision myself as a stay-at-home mom while he would be out pursuing his career, which has never aligned with my personality. I’m too vibrant; I take up too much space.”
The actress known for her role in The Addams Family was wed to Robert Graham from 1992 until his passing in 2008.
Anna Kendrick
Now at the age of 39, Anna Kendrick has been candid about her choice to remain child-free, reasoning that ‘children are not for me.’
“If I were to have kids, it would mean just creating another competitor for survival when the inevitable water wars arise,” she jokingly shared with E! News, adding, “With the impending zombie apocalypse, I doubt my offspring would stand a chance given my genes.”
However, the Pitch Perfect star revealed on the ‘Armchair Expert’ podcast that she had embryos created with a former partner she described as ‘toxic’ before their breakup.
Christopher Walken
Christopher Walken and his spouse, Georgianne Walken, have been partners for over 50 years without having children, a choice he attributes to the potential impact on his career success.
“Many of the kids I grew up with entered show business, but they had children to nurture and stable lives to maintain. I didn’t have those responsibilities, which allowed me to navigate periods of unemployment more easily,” explained the Catch Me If You Can star.
Dolly Parton
Similar to various other celebrities, Dolly Parton has not had any children with her husband, Carl Dean, a decision she does not regret.
In her conversation with Saga Magazine, the iconic singer of ‘Islands in the Stream’ mentioned that motherhood was never a pressing desire for her.
“My focus was on my career and music, and I was always on the move,” Parton reflected. “Had I been a parent, I’m certain I would have stayed home, worrying incessantly about them.”
She also shared in The Oprah Conversation on Apple TV+ that certain opportunities would have been unattainable if she had children.
Helen Mirren
In 2013, Helen Mirren openly discussed her child-free lifestyle in her British Vogue interview.
“It was never meant to be. I often anticipated it would occur, waiting for that moment that never came, and I stopped worrying about others’ opinions… Typically, it was older men who would ask. If they’d say, ‘What? No children? You better hurry up then!’ I would respond, ‘No! Get lost!’” shared the 79-year-old Prime Suspect actress.
Jennifer Aniston
Having experienced multiple heartaches, Jennifer Aniston discovered how to navigate societal pressure regarding motherhood.
“I don’t maintain a checklist of achievements to validate my feminism, my worth, or my womanhood… I’ve created many meaningful things,” the Friends actress noted during an interview with Today.
In a 2016 op-ed for Huffington Post, she addressed the incessant pregnancy rumors and criticized tabloids for claiming she was expecting.
Her article emphasized, “Here’s my stance: We are whole with or without a partner, with or without children. We define what is significant about our bodies… Marriage or motherhood are not prerequisites for completeness. We each determine our own ‘happily ever after’.”
John Cena
John Cena has made it clear that he does not envision having children.
While on The Drew Barrymore Show, the wrestler-turned-actor shared his reasoning