Why Katherine Heigl Left Hollywood to Raise Her Family on a Ranch and Adopted 2 Kids

Katherine Heigl, the actress known for her roles in film and TV, has been happily married to musician Josh Kelley for over a decade. They have 3 children, 2 of whom they adopted, and the Heigl bunch recently left the hustle and bustle of Hollywood for good, with no plans of returning. Let’s find out all about the Grey’s Anatomy star’s decision to adopt, her challenges as a working mother, and why she chose to move her family away from Los Angeles.

Katherine Heigl always wanted to adopt.

6 months after Heigl met her soon-to-have-been husband, musician Josh Kelley, she told him that starting a family with adoption in mind was a non-negotiable aspiration for her, and luckily, he was all in. Adoption was a major part of Heigl’s life. “I was born into it, and I wanted my family to look like the one I came from,” the actress shared.

The actress’ parents adopted her older sister, Meg, from South Korea. Inspired by this, in 2009, Heigl and her husband adopted their first daughter, Naleigh, who was born in South Korea, when she was 9 months old. A few years after, they adopted Adalaide right after her birth in Louisiana. 5 years down the line, Heigl became pregnant for the first time and the couple welcomed Joshua into their lives.

Heigl had no idea what she got herself into when she first became a mother.

Actress Katherine Heigl says, “I often found myself coming home angry and frustrated that I’d missed everything with my kid that day. I felt like my priorities were all messed up.” She cherished the peaceful moments of staying at home with them the most.

The mother of 3 has spoken about the challenges of balancing her career with motherhood. She wasn’t afraid to say, “I ended up having one full-on anxiety attack and I threw my back out twice from stress. People will tell you how hard it is, but you have no idea until you experience it.”

To prioritize her family, Heigl and Kelley decided to leave the busyness of L.A. in exchange for a simpler life.

Heigl said, “I didn’t know how to raise my children in L.A.,” which is why they moved to a ranch outside of Utah. This allows her to be more hands-on with her children’s activities, friends, and phone usage. She and Kelley also enjoy a quieter life outside of Los Angeles, surrounded by 8 dogs, 3 cats, chickens, goats, and horses.

Adalaide, Joshua, and Naleigh (pictured above), enjoy spending time by the river, throwing rocks, and feeding the chickens. Heigl adores living in Utah, away from the noise of city life, she enjoys the kindness of its people and the convenience of an easy commute from Los Angeles without the hassle of traffic.