Kristin Chenoweth marked the 58th anniversary of her adoption on Thursday with a series of photographs shared on social media alongside her parents, Junie and Jerry Chenoweth.
The actress, 58, captioned the post by declaring the previous day her "GOTCHA DAY," noting the term is "not just for pets," and adding that it commemorated "the day my parents brought me home 58 years ago and I became a Chenoweth."
"I'm so blessed and grateful for this beautiful life they gave me," she wrote. "I love you mom and dad!!"
Chenoweth was adopted when she was just five days old and was raised in Oklahoma. She now splits her time between Nashville, New York City, and Los Angeles.
The photos she posted included backstage snapshots of her parents at Broadway shows, a picture of them attending her annual Broadway Bootcamp summer intensive program for high school students in Oklahoma, and a moment from her September 2023 wedding to musician Josh Bryant, in which her parents are seen reacting to her in her wedding dress.
Chenoweth has long been open about her adoption. In a 2015 essay she wrote for WhoSay to mark National Adoption Day, she said she has "always known" she was adopted and that it was "never a secret or held from me."
She wrote that her parents framed her adoption with the words "We chose you," and described the experience as "a full-circle blessing." She also wrote that her parents found her less than one week after she was born.
On the question of her biological family, Chenoweth said she had discovered some information but told people simply: "I have my parents." She added that she would thank her birth mother for "loving me enough to make such a huge sacrifice," saying she takes comfort in knowing "I came from love, and I know that I have love."
She also said that if she were to have children, she would "100 percent" choose to adopt, and noted that she already mentors many young people through her work.
At the close of her essay, Chenoweth called on readers to support children in their communities, writing: "Whether we decide to become parents or simply volunteer our love and time, it's our job as a community to take care of our kids."
