When Stars Adopt

Feb. 3, 2007 — -- At first, it seemed like the best possible PR for a worthy cause. Two of the most famous female performers in the world -- first Angelina Jolie, then Madonna -- chose to adopt children from third-world countries. When Jolie adopted her second child, Zahara, from Ethiopia, the number of adoptions from that country rose dramatically, from 441 in 2005 to 732 in 2006.

But then came the negative attention: Accusations that Madonna had used her star power to circumvent an African nation's adoption rules. The printing of supposedly critical comments about Madonna made by Jolie. And the sentencing of a Washington state woman for fraudulently arranging Cambodian adoptions -- which would not have gained much attention, had Jolie not been one of her former clients.

The latest contretemps stems from seemingly critical comments made by Jolie about Madonna's choice to adopt from Malawi.

"It's a country where there is no real legal framework for adoption. Personally, I prefer to stay on the right side of the law," said Jolie in a recent edition of the French magazine Gala.

Jolie claims the publication took her words out of context, and that she said many positive things that were not included.

"I feel we must encourage everyone to be supportive so that every child can adjust nicely to their new home," the actress said in a statement.

Still, the damage had been done, and international tabloids eager to cover a celebrity catfight trumped up the supposed slight by one adoptive parent to another.

Adoption advocates worry that high-profile controversies like this might make some Americans wary about adopting.

"People who notice celebrities making international adoptions might think, 'This is a good thing, something I should look at, too.' But the other side is that if there is controversy about adoption, they might think, 'I don't want to be involved in something controversial; maybe I won't adopt,'" said Dave Ptasnik, director of Americans Adopting Orphans, an agency that specializes in adoptions from China and Ukraine.

Melissa Miller, who is waiting to adopt a son, told ABC News, "Initially I felt like celebrity adoptions were great, because they brought attention to areas of the world and children who are often forgotten. Now, I think the media attention has in a way trivialized international adoption, especially from African countries."

Who was in the right in the Angelina-Madonna flare-up? Adoptive parents come down on both sides.

"Jolie's point about using established adoption programs is right on," said Angela Gennino from Oakland, Calif., who recently adopted an 8-year-old Ethiopian boy. On the other hand, she said, "If Madonna's actions catalyze the establishment of legal international adoption procedures in that country, they may also do so for other African countries."

Kerri Jones, a Cincinnati woman in the process of adopting a little girl from Ethiopia, agrees.

"At least it brought attention to the children in need of homes in Africa," Jones said. "She may have used her money and influence to avoid some of the laws Malawi, but she is also giving back to that country and raising awareness."

Madonna's plan to adopt a baby boy from Malawi last year caused an international feeding frenzy when the boy's father seemed to have second thoughts about the plan. The pop star came under heavy fire for allegedly cutting corners in a nation where adoption laws are notoriously complicated. Madonna insisted she had followed the law, and that the baby's biological father was confused by the raft of foreign media that had descended on his simple village.

"He looked into my eyes and said he was grateful I was giving his son a life, and that if he had kept his son in the village he would have buried him," Madonna told Oprah Winfrey.

She was allowed to take David back to her home in the United Kingdom, but had to consent to a series of hearings and visits both in Malawi and the United Kingdom in order to finalize the adoption.

Adoption experts who have been critical of Madonna commended Jolie for advocating adoptions in countries where it is safe and legal.

"Jolie talks about adoption in a healthy way and is willing to follow the rules. Criticizing her is a disservice not just to her but to all the children around the world who need homes," said Trish Maskew, president of Ethica, a nonprofit organization promoting ethics in adoption.

Maskew argues that Madonna, on the other hand, took shortcuts in her Malawi adoption "in such a way that it will lead others to try to circumvent the law."

Jolie's own experience with adoption has been touched by scandal. Lauryn Galindo, who helped arrange Jolie's adoption of son Maddox in 2002, pleaded guilty to money laundering and visa fraud in 2004 after being caught brokering adoptions of Cambodian children whom she claimed were orphans but in fact had been taken from their mothers, in some cases in exchange for as little as $100.

Adoption advocates say there is no way Jolie could have known about Galindo's activities when she sought her help two years earlier.

Maskew and others stress that the travails of high-profile performers looking to adopt should not dissuade others from looking into adoption.

"Children who need homes need homes," said Adam Pertman, executive director of the Evan B. Donaldson Adoption Institute. "They are better off with loving homes, whether with movie stars or with accountants. Is a kid better off in an orphanage or in a loving home?"

And most prospective parents say adoption is such a serious undertaking that, at the end of the day, the travails of celebrities have little to do with their decisions to adopt.

"If you're adopting, you do it because you want a kid; it doesn't matter what celebrities are doing," said Nicole Branson from Beaverton, Ore., who is in the process of adopting her second child from Africa. "Adoption is expensive, time-consuming, and gut-wrenching; you do it because you want a child."