30+ Female Celebs Who Never Had Children
In today’s world, being a mother is a personal decision, and it’s not the right path for every woman. Especially in the 21st century, many women are choosing different lifestyles that focus on career success, personal freedom, and mental health.
Some of the world’s most famous female celebrities—like Jennifer Aniston, Miley Cyrus, and Dolly Parton—have openly talked about their choice to live child-free. Their decisions are based on different reasons, from focusing on their careers to simply not feeling the desire for motherhood.
These powerful women show that female empowerment means having the freedom to choose your own path. Whether it’s family life or a celebrity lifestyle without kids, it’s all about what feels right for the individual.
Here are some of our favorite stars who have embraced the child-free by choice lifestyle, inspiring millions with their honesty and confidence.
Alison Brie
Alison Brie has openly shared that she doesn’t feel the need to have children. For her, this decision helps her stay focused on acting and avoid the stress of pregnancy between filming seasons of her hit show Glow.
While she mentioned that having kids “would be nice,” she also admitted that she doesn’t think about it often. The pressures and challenges of parenting simply don’t fit into her current lifestyle.
Renee Zellweger
Renée Zellweger, known for her role as Bridget Jones, has made it clear that she has no plans for motherhood. In interviews, she’s said that she likes to live life one day at a time, without planning too far ahead.
While she respects motherhood, she’s also shared that “motherhood has never been an ambition” for her. Renée’s story reflects the growing trend of independent women choosing their own paths.
Sarah Paulson
Sarah Paulson is loved by fans for her talent and honesty. While she does love children, the Emmy-winning actress says she’s glad she doesn’t have any of her own.
She admitted that she sometimes makes impulsive decisions and worries she might regret becoming a mom. Still, she’s taken steps to freeze her eggs, keeping the door open if she ever changes her mind.
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey, one of the most powerful women in media, has lived a full and inspiring life with her partner Stedman Graham. They’ve been together since 1986 and chose not to have children.
Oprah once had a son who sadly passed away shortly after birth. Since then, she decided not to have more children, saying, “If I had kids, my kids would hate me.” Oprah believes her true calling was to help people through her work—not motherhood.
Ashley Judd
Ashley Judd, daughter of country music star Naomi Judd, is an award-winning actress and humanitarian. Ashley has spoken openly about her decision to not have biological children.
Her reason? She believes there are already many abandoned and orphaned children in the world who need love, support, and care. Instead of becoming a mother, she chooses to advocate for global children’s rights.
Christina Hendricks
Christina Hendricks, known for her role as Joan Harris in Mad Men, has taken a different approach to family life. Married to actor Geoffrey Arend for over a decade, Christina once said that her version of starting a family was getting a dog—and that’s exactly what she did.
Her story is a reminder that family can look different for everyone, and choosing pets over parenting is a valid and fulfilling choice.
Winona Ryder
From Beetlejuice to Stranger Things, Winona Ryder has had an unforgettable Hollywood career. With such a busy schedule and powerful roles, Winona has never gotten married or had children.
She’s openly shared that motherhood just wasn’t a goal for her. Instead, her acting career and creative work have always come first.
Marisa Tomei
Marisa Tomei has never been afraid to speak her mind. She questions why society puts pressure on women to marry and have children just to be seen as “complete.”
Marisa has said that marriage isn’t for her, and she doesn’t feel the need to have kids to feel fulfilled. Instead, she has put her energy into building a strong, successful acting career.
Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Handler, comedian and talk show host, is known for her bold honesty—and that includes her thoughts on having children. She has said that she doesn’t believe she would make a good mom, and she doesn’t want to raise a child only to let a nanny do all the work.
Chelsea’s story is an example of self-awareness and personal responsibility, showing that parenting isn’t for everyone.
Betty White
Betty White, loved as America’s grandma, actually never had children of her own. She once shared that being a very focused and driven person, she knew she couldn’t give her full attention to both a child and her career.
Betty said she has no regrets about choosing her professional life and personal peace over parenting.
Jennifer Westfeldt
Jennifer Westfeldt, best known for her acting and long-term relationship with Mad Men star Jon Hamm, was in a committed relationship for 18 years, but the couple never had children.
Jennifer has said that she once imagined she might have kids, but life took her in a different direction. She admitted the thought of possibly regretting it one day crossed her mind, but that alone wasn’t a strong enough reason to become a parent.
Her story highlights the strength of making mindful, independent choices that align with personal happiness—not just social expectations.
Tracee Ellis Ross
Tracee Ellis Ross, daughter of music legend Diana Ross and star of Black-ish, has been open about her thoughts on motherhood. She wonders whether her desire for children is genuine—or just the result of social pressure.
Tracee has said that people often claim the purpose of being human is to have children, but she disagrees. In her view, the world is already overpopulated, and true purpose comes from living authentically.
Tracee’s perspective is a powerful message about female empowerment and the freedom to make decisions based on personal values—not societal norms.
Kim Cattrall
Kim Cattrall, famously known for playing Samantha Jones on Sex and the City, shares more than a few traits with her bold character. Just like Samantha, Kim values freedom and independence—and decided that motherhood simply wasn’t for her.
She’s said she enjoys being around kids for a short time, finding them “cute and funny,” but also admitted they give her a headache if they stay too long. Her lifestyle is focused on self-care, freedom, and stress-free living.
Ellen DeGeneres
Since marrying Portia de Rossi in 2008, Ellen DeGeneres has chosen not to have children—despite being great with kids on her talk show. Ellen says she just doesn’t want the responsibility of raising a child in today’s world.
Image by Jean_Nelson / Depositphotos
Instead, Ellen and Portia are proud pet parents to 3 cats and 3 dogs, enjoying a peaceful and pet-friendly home life.
Sarah Silverman
Sarah Silverman, the famous comedian, hasn’t ruled out having children—but says she’ll only do it when she can give them 100%. For now, she’s focused on her career and personal growth.
Sarah jokes that she wants to skip straight to “grandmother-hood,” saying she’d rather be like Diane Keaton, relaxed and cool. Her approach reminds us that timing and mindset matter in parenting decisions.
Miley Cyrus
Miley Cyrus has made her stance clear: she doesn’t want to bring a child into a world where nature is suffering. She says she’ll consider motherhood only when we “live on an Earth with fish in the water.”
Miley’s eco-conscious views highlight a growing trend of environmentally-aware parenting decisions among young stars.
Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton has never had children of her own, but she’s helped raise many of her younger siblings and their kids. She often says she feels like a mother and grandmother already.
Her massive heart and dedication to her family—and her fans—have made her a beloved figure, even without biological children.
Rachael Ray
Rachael Ray, celebrity chef and TV personality, has been married for over a decade. While she adores her dog, she calls herself “a borderline good mom” to it—and can’t imagine doing the same for a human child.
Rachael says it wouldn’t be fair to a child or her business team, which shows her dedication to both her career and personal responsibility.
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn, a legendary actress with a career that lasted over 60 years, was once named the greatest female star of classic Hollywood cinema by the American Film Institute.
When it came to motherhood, Katharine was very honest. She said she was “a very selfish human being” and believed that would make her a “terrible mother.” Instead, she chose to fully focus on her iconic career.
Dita von Teese
Dita Von Teese, a world-famous burlesque dancer, was once married to rocker Marilyn Manson. During that time, she considered having children but later changed her mind.
Dita said Manson could barely care for himself, let alone a child. She adapted to her life circumstances and now embraces her decision. She doesn’t see herself as “less than” for not becoming a mother and believes that “everything works out the way it’s meant to.”
Jennifer Aniston
Despite constant pregnancy rumors, Jennifer Aniston has been clear about her stance on motherhood. She says there’s no life checklist that determines her value as a woman or as a feminist.
Jennifer explained that she’s already “mothered many things” in her life—highlighting that nurturing doesn’t have to come from parenting.
Joan Jett
Joan Jett, iconic rocker and lead of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, has lived life by her own rules. A film was even made about her groundbreaking music career.
When asked about motherhood, Joan said she was “too focused on my own situation” and never found time for it. Her story is a celebration of personal freedom and passion over pressure.
Kylie Minogue
Australian pop star Kylie Minogue, often called the “Princess of Pop,” has enjoyed a successful international music career. Although she’s had several high-profile romances, she’s never married or had children.
Kylie continues to live a fulfilling life focused on her music, travels, and personal joy. She’s a great example of a woman who has chosen independence over societal expectations.
Margaret Cho
In a 2012 blog post, comedian Margaret Cho wrote that she didn’t see children in her future. She was unsure if she ever truly wanted kids and questioned whether she could make that kind of commitment.
Now in her late 40s and divorced from Al Ridenour, Margaret continues to focus on her comedy, creativity, and personal growth.
Stevie Nicks
Stevie Nicks, the voice behind Fleetwood Mac and a successful solo artist, has had love in her life—but she made a clear decision not to have children.
She’s often called the “Queen of Rock ‘n Roll,” and chose to let her career take center stage. Stevie believed that raising children would take away from the music and energy she wanted to share with the world.
Liza Minnelli
In a 2012 interview, Liza Minnelli said that not becoming a mother was the right decision for her. After working with children who had AIDS and brain damage, Liza felt a strong calling toward helping others instead.
She believed that her life purpose wasn’t motherhood—but something broader and more impactful.
Aisha Tyler
Actress and TV host Aisha Tyler opened up about her emotional journey with infertility and why she chose to stop IVF treatments.
She wanted others to know that it’s okay not to go through the long, painful fertility process. Aisha said that deciding not to have children is a valid, strong, and empowering choice.
Helen Mirren
Dame Helen Mirren, an award-winning actress known for roles in The Queen and Catherine the Great, once believed she’d have children—but later realized “it was not my destiny.”
Married since 1997 to director Taylor Hackford, Helen is perfectly content with her life, proving that you can be fulfilled without motherhood.
Anjelica Huston
Anjelica Huston, most famous as Morticia Addams in The Addams Family, said the emotional demands of her acting career made her hesitant to have children.
Sometimes she feels glad she didn’t, and other times she wonders what might have been. But her career came first, and she didn’t want to risk the emotional toll of being away from a child while working.
Megan Mullally
Megan Mullally, star of Will & Grace, didn’t have a strong desire to become a mom. But when she married actor Nick Offerman, she considered it.
After a year of trying and not getting pregnant, the couple took it as a sign. Megan now believes parenthood just wasn’t meant for them, and they’re completely content.
Fiona Apple
Fiona Apple, a Grammy-winning singer and songwriter, says she never had a desire to have kids—but she’s fascinated by parenting books.
She explained that she enjoys reading them because she’s big on “self-parenting,” working on her own emotional growth. Fiona prefers a private life focused on creativity and healing.
Mavis Leno
Mavis Leno, wife of comedian Jay Leno, said she knew early on that marriage and children weren’t for her. She told The Washington Post that she once told her mom she’d never do either.
Though she did marry, she stuck to her plan of not having kids, explaining that some women feel trapped by motherhood—and she didn’t want that for herself.
Lily Tomlin
Legendary actress Lily Tomlin has said she’s glad she never had children. She explained that raising kids would have meant giving up major parts of her career.
Lily also mentioned that the world already has too many people, reinforcing her decision to stay child-free.
Amy Tan
Amy Tan, author of The Joy Luck Club, has been married for many years but chose not to have children.
She believes her true legacy is her writing, and everything she wants to pass down to future generations is already captured in her books.
Gloria Steinem
Feminist icon Gloria Steinem, a leader in the women’s rights movement since the 1960s, has always been open about not wanting children.
She’s said she feels completely happy without kids and doesn’t believe her worth is defined by her womb. Gloria’s life is a shining example of female empowerment and freedom of choice.
