Australian actor Hugh Jackman has come to the defense of Madonna — praising the pop superstar for her efforts to adopt a second child from Malawi.
Jackman has two adopted kids — Oscar, 8, and Ava, 3 – with his wife Deborra-Lee Furness.
The X-Men Origins: Wolverine star admits the couple originally wanted to take in a child from Africa or Asia but found the laws in their native Australia too restrictive — so they adopted both of their children from the U.S.
And he admits he can sympathize with Madonna, who is currently fighting for the right to welcome 3-year-old Mercy James into her family, because there is so much heartache involved in overseas adoptions.
He says, “I challenge anyone who thinks you adopt a kid for a publicity stunt. Any parent knows that would have to be the most intensive publicity stunt in the world. I am sure she is coming from a good place.
“There are 130 million orphans in the world — who is looking after them? If you are a citizen of the world, on some level they are all our responsibility.
“And if you have got parents who want to adopt and there are children who need a home, it seems like a no-brainer.”
Madonna’s request for an interim adoption of Mercy James was turned down by a court in Malawi’s capital Lilongwe last month. Her appeal hearing is scheduled for Monday.
She is already mother to Rocco, 8, Lourdes, 12, and 3-year-old David Banda, whose adoption in Malawi was finalized in 2008.
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