Kristin Chenoweth has shared the heartfelt phrase her adoptive parents used throughout her upbringing to explain how she became part of their family.
The Wicked star, who first brought Glinda to life on Broadway in 2003, was adopted by Junie and Jerry Chenoweth when she was five days old.
Growing up in Oklahoma, Chenoweth has long spoken openly about being adopted and about the deep connection she has with the parents who raised her.
She recently reflected on that bond again in an Instagram post marking the 58th anniversary of the day she joined the Chenoweth family.
The post included a collection of family pictures from different stages of her life, from backstage moments at her Broadway productions to images from her performance programme and her 2023 wedding to musician Josh Bryant.
While the photographs captured decades of memories, it was the message her parents gave her as a little girl that stood out most.
As reported by the Daily Mail, Chenoweth revealed they would tell her:
“We chose you.”
In an earlier essay for WhoSay written for Adoption Day in 2015, she explained how much those words meant to her.
“Growing up, my parents explained my adoption by telling me, ‘We chose you.’ It was a wonderful way to put it to an adopted child. And I think it’s true. An adoption is a full-circle blessing.”
Chenoweth has said she always knew she was adopted, adding that it was never treated like a secret or a difficult subject in her home.
She has also spoken about the compassion behind her biological mother’s choice.
“I knew that my birth mother loved me so much that she wanted to give me a better life.”
“And my parents, Jerry and Junie Chenoweth, were looking to adopt a baby and found me — literally less than one week after I was born.”
She revisited those feelings in her post celebrating what she called her “GOTCHA DAY”.
Chenoweth said the phrase was ‘not just for pets’ and used it to describe the day her parents took her home and welcomed her into their family 58 years ago.
“I’m so blessed and grateful for this beautiful life they gave me,” she continued. “I love you mom and dad!!”
Although she has uncovered some details about her biological relatives, Chenoweth has said her sense of family remains firmly rooted in the parents who raised her.
“I have discovered a little bit about my biological parents and each piece of information helps me, but ultimately I tell people: ‘I have my parents.'”
She also shared how she views the decision made by her birth mother.
“If anything, I would thank my birth mother for loving me enough to make such a huge sacrifice. It’s a great gift for me to be able to say: ‘I know that I came from love, and I know that I have love.'”
Chenoweth connected with her biological mother, Wanda Lynn Cooper (known as “Mama Lynn”), in 2012 after more than 40 years apart. The two developed a close relationship that lasted more than a decade until Lynn’s death in August 2023. In a heartfelt tribute, Chenoweth reflected on their reunion: “The ten-plus years I knew her were magic. So many things became clear to me about myself when I met her and came to really know her.”
Chenoweth has previously said she would ‘100 percent’ choose adoption herself if she ever became a parent.
At the same time, she has explained that supporting and guiding young people has already given her a meaningful role in many children’s lives.
“But I have a lot of kids in my life who I love and mentor…So, in a way, I feel like I’ve done it, even though I don’t have a child who lives with me.”
An Emmy and Tony Award-winning performer, Chenoweth won the Tony Award in 1999 for her role in “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown” and earned a Tony nomination in 2004 for originating the role of Glinda in the 2003 Broadway production of “Wicked.” She received a Primetime Emmy Award in 2009 for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for her role on “Pushing Daisies” and has received additional Emmy nominations for her guest appearances on “Glee.” In 2015, she received a star on The Hollywood Walk of Fame.