Famous Celebrity Paternity Cases
Celebrities. We always want to know what is happening with their lives, whether it is about the success of their careers or the lowest point of their personal lives. In 2004, about 300,000 DNA paternity tests were performed, but celebrity paternity tests and cases have always been subjected to the publics eye. What are the most talked about paternity cases and what can we learn from these celebrities?
Charlie Chaplin
It was 1945, when Charlie Chaplin was declared as father of Carol Ann, the daughter of Joan Barry. The child received monthly financial support until she turned 21 years old. During this time, blood-grouping tests were used to prove paternity. In blood-grouping, the child should have inherited the blood type of either the mother or the father. Because of this and the laws of hereditary, Chaplin was singled by the court as the possible father.
Eddie Murphy
Ginger Spice or Melanie Browns effort to have her daughter legally acknowledged by father Eddie Murphy filled magazines and tabloids. Brown got pregnant or become public with the pregnancy after her divorce with Murphy in 2006. In 2007, DNA tests showed that Murphy was indeed the father of Browns daughter.
Larry Birkhead/ Howard K. Stern
Anna Nicole Smiths daughter was subjected to the media when determining the father of the child. Five men came forward to claim paternity. But only two came head to head in the court: photographer Larry Birkhead and lawyer Howard Kevin Stern. In 2007, Dannielyn Hopes biological father turned out to be Birkhead and was provided the custody of the child.
Boris Becker
The famous and former top tennis player, proved to be the father of the child of model Angela Ermakova. It is said in media reports that Becker gave Ermakova $2.8 million. Becker initially denied being the father of the child, but after the DNA test, he admitted to have fathered the child after a closet encounter in a restaurant. In 07, Becker applied for and was granted joint custody of Anna after she raised questions about how Ermakova was raising the child.
Chris Rock
Rock was happily married for 11 years, when Kali Bowyer claimed that her 13- year old son was Rocks child. Bowyer demanded for a paternity test. Aside from that she also provided her story to tabloids in exchange of money. However, the DNA test resulted negative. Rock later on announced that it would be better to donate all the money paid to Bowyer to charitable institutions.
Steve Jobs
The wealthy Apple co-founder and CEO took two years before he acknowledged daughter Lisa Brennan-Jobs from painter Chrisann Brennan. Jobs initially claimed that he was sterile and infertile, but later recognized the daughter when the DNA test returned positive.
Keanu Reeves
The most recent celebrity paternity test is with Keanu Reeves and Canadian, Karen Sala claimed that her four children where fathered by Reeves. They took a DNA test and the result was that Reeves was not related to any of the four kids. Sala, later on claimed that Reeves use hypnosis to change the results. The case was dismissed and the woman was ordered to pay Reeves $15,000 for the legal expenses.