Oprah Winfrey reveals Barbara Walters was 'one of the reasons' she did not have children
Media personality, Oprah Winfrey has revealed that the late Barbara Walters played a role in her decision not to have children.
Speaking in the upcoming Hulu documentary Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything, Winfrey opened up about the complicated relationship Walters had with her adopted daughter, Jacqueline — and how it shaped her own views on motherhood.
Walters, who passed away in 2022 at the age of 93, adopted Jacqueline in 1968 with her then-husband, Lee Guber. However, their relationship was often strained, with Jacqueline once running away from home for a month as a teenager.
Winfrey recalled a conversation in which Walters encouraged her to consider having children. “She told me there’s nothing more fulfilling than being a mother, and said, ‘You should really think about it,’” Winfrey said. “And I was like, ‘Okay, but I’m looking at you, so… no.’”
She described Walters’ relationship with her daughter as “complex” and “charged,” noting it was “one of the reasons why I never had children.”
Reflecting on the balance between career and family, Oprah explained: “When you’re a pioneer in your field and breaking molds for yourself and others, something has to give. I knew I couldn’t do both well. Both paths require sacrifice.”
She continued, “That’s why I didn’t have children. I didn’t want to half-do either. Barbara never let anyone else take the big stories. She was relentless.”
Walters had a groundbreaking journalism career spanning decades. She became the first female co-host of a U.S. news show in 1974, and interviewed world leaders, celebrities, and controversial figures — including Fidel Castro, Monica Lewinsky, Barbra Streisand, and U.S. presidents.
Despite professional success, Walters faced challenges at home. In the documentary, she reflects on becoming a mother after three miscarriages, saying, “My daughter’s a blessing. My world came together.” But as Jacqueline grew older, their bond became strained.
Barbara admitted feeling guilty, stating, “I didn’t realize how tough it was for her, having a celebrity mother.” Her daughter struggled with drug addiction and feelings of abandonment. At one point, Walters revealed that Jacqueline had taken “almost any pills she could swallow.”
A close friend, Cynthia McFadden, said that Barbara later acknowledged her parenting missteps, admitting the relationship remained shaky at times. “She articulated that she had made mistakes,” McFadden said.
In a past interview, Jacqueline described sneaking out to clubs like Studio 54 and experimenting with drugs. “I’m lucky I didn’t die,” she confessed, citing the trauma of adoption and feeling disconnected from her mother’s world as triggers for her addiction.
Oprah and Walters had a close friendship throughout their careers. Following Walters’ passing, Winfrey paid tribute to her legacy: “Without Barbara Walters, there wouldn’t have been me — or any other woman you see on morning, evening, or daily news. She was a trailblazer.”
Winfrey added, “I’m grateful to have known her, to have followed in her light, and to have had her as a powerful role model.”
Oprah has spoken openly about choosing not to marry or have children. She’s been in a long-term relationship with Stedman Graham since 1986. “I’ve never had one regret about that,” she once told People magazine.
The Hulu documentary Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything premieres June 23. It explores Walters’ pioneering role in journalism and her lasting impact on women in the industry.
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