Why Amber Heard Used A Surrogate To Have Her Daughter Oonagh Paige

Amber Heard is one of many celebrities who have used surrogates to expand their family. In 2021, the "Aquaman" star shared a lengthy post on her Instagram feed that announced the arrival of her first child, daughter Oonah Page. The star shared a photo of Oonah snuggled on her chest in bed. Heard accompanied the sweet photo with a lengthy caption that introduced her daughter to the world. "I'm so excited to share this news with you. Four years ago, I decided I wanted to have a child," Heard began the post. "I wanted to do it on my own terms. I now appreciate how radical it is for us as women to think about one of the most fundamental parts of our destinies in this way." Heard continued, making sure to mention that she doesn't need a ring or partner to turn her dreams of a family into a reality. 

While the star added that she wanted to keep this part of her life private, "the nature of my job compels me to take control of this," She added, "My daughter was born on April 8, 2021. Her name is Oonagh Paige Heard. She's the beginning of the rest of my life."

It's easy to see that Oonagh has a soft spot in her mom's heart, and she's a very important part of Heard's life. But how exactly did Heard arrive at the decision to use a surrogate mother?

Amber Heard shocked Hollywood and fans when she announced the birth of her first child. Ahead of the birth, the star showed no visible signs of pregnancy, and it later came to light that the actor welcomed her daughter via surrogate. Friends told Page Six that doctors told Heard that she would be unable to carry a child on her own, so she opted to use a surrogate to bring her daughter into the world. Not many other details surrounding the surrogacy are known, as Heard has kept it close to her chest. But, when Heard took the stand at the trial with former husband, Johnny Depp, she insisted that she was both the "mother and father" to Oonagh.

Following the birth of Oonagh, Heard shared a few glimpses of their life together on social media. In a 2022 post, Heard hoisted her daughter over her head as part of a workout, insisting that "dumbbells are for sissies." Later that year, she shared another photo with her "mini-me." Of course, Heard also uploaded a photo to celebrate Oonagh's first birthday, accompanying the image with a sweet caption. "My little O is a year old today. I still can't believe you're here," she wrote. "The greatest year."

Since Heard settled her lawsuit with her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, she has not posted any more photos of Oonagh on her feed or any other photos for that matter.

In addition to social media posts, Amber Heard has spoken about her daughter a few different times, including after her highly publicized trial with her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. One of those occasions came in 2022 when Heard sat down with NBC's Savannah Guthrie to discuss how she was doing following the legal battle and how it affected her personal life with her daughter. "I get to be a mom. Like full-time, where I don't have to juggle calls with lawyers," she told the television host. When Guthrie asked Heard whether or not she would tell her daughter about the trial, Heard didn't hold anything back, as she reiterated that she didn't go down in court without a fight. "I think no matter what, it will mean something. I did the right thing," she told Guthrie. "I did everything I could to stand up for myself and the truth."

A lot has changed since the trial heard around the world. According to the Daily Mail, Heard and Oonagh Paige relocated from California to Madrid. In the article, journalist Alison Boshoff revealed that Heard decided to "quit" Hollywood and move to Madrid to start a new life. "She's bilingual in Spanish and is happy there, raising her daughter away from all the noise," a friend of the actor claimed. "I don't think she is in any hurry to return to work or to Hollywood, but she will probably come back when the time is right for the right project."