An incomplete, unordered list that includes myths and legends, books, characters, musicals, films, TV, and video games that feature orphans, foster youth, or adoptees as a central or significant plot point, theme, or character.
*HIGHLIGHTED = confirmed adoptee had significant creative control over the storytelling.
**HIGHLIGHTED = confirmed based on a true adoptee story, but adoptee themselves did not have significant control over the storytelling (such as a writing or directing role).
- Moses (The Bible),
- Sophicles
- Oedipus
- Hercules
- Loki
- Jane Eyre
- David Copperfield
- School of Life (2017)
- The Dark Matter of Love (2012)
- Like Dandelion Dust (2009)
- Cinderella
- Snow White
- Rapunzel
- Tarzan
- Peter Pan
- Pippi Longstocking
- Winston Smith (Nineteen Eighty-Four)
- Anne of Green Gables
- Mowgli
- The Secret Garden (1993)
- Three Identical Strangers (2018)
- King Arthur
- Inigo Montoya (The Princess Bride)
- Nancy Olesen (Little House on the Prairie)
- The Glass House (2001)
- Glass House: The Good Mother (2006)
- The Rescuers (1977), and The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
- The Official Story (1985)
- Twitches (2005)
- Anya (Anastasia), Beast (Beauty & The Beast)
- I Lived on Parker Avenue (2018)
- The Dark Crystal
- Huckleberry Finn
- Great Expectations
- The Giver
- The Shunning (2011)
- Little Orphan Annie
- Then She Found Me (2007)
- Philomena (2013)
- Adopting Terror (2012)
- The Christmas Card (2006)
- Newsies
- Les Miserables (Cosette)
- Leon The Professional
- Losing Isaiah (1995)
- Oliver Twist
- Stuart Little
- Harry Potter and Lord Voldemort
- Sarutobi Sasuke
- Naruto
- Matilda
- Meet the Robinsons (2007)
- The Boarder (2012)
- Sarah Connor
- Adopting Audrey (2022)
- Motoko Kusanagi (Ghost in the Shell)
- Return to Seoul
- Foster (2011)
- Jagged Little Pill
- Little Shop of Horrors (Stage Version)
- Chance at Romance (2013)
- Arrested Development
- The Christmas Secret (2014)
- Taken Away (2014)
- The Fosters
- Killing Eve
- Dark
- Omen
- Adopted (2021)
- The Adopted (2011)
- Lifemark (2022)
- Hanna
- Masters of the Universe: Revelations
- Orphan Black
- Bojack Horseman
- Mike and Molly
- Finding Father Christmas (2016)
- Hey Arnold
- You People (2018)
- Umbrella Academy
- Martian Child (2007)
- Ratched
- Laurie Strode (Halloween)
- Samara (The Ring)
- A Daughter’s Deception (2019)
- Jason Voorhees (Friday the 13th)
- Damien Thorn (The Oman)
- Sudden Fury: A Family Torn Apart (1993)
- Before I Wake
- Malignant
- Orphan
- Luce (2019)
- Mikey (1992)
- Reborn (2018)
- Mommy’s Little Angel (2018)
- Case 39 (2009)
- The Abandoned (2006)
- The Witches (2020)
- Prey for the Devil
- Kwai Chang Caine (Kung Fu)
- John Wick
- Patrik, Age 1.5 (2008)
- A Thread of Deceit: The Hart Family Tragedy (2020)
- Batman
- Robin
- Superman
- Green Hornet
- Spiderman
- Blade
- The Flash
- Logan/The Wolverine
- Black Widow
- Thor
- Iron Man
- Black Panther
- Star-Lord, Gamora, and Mantis (Guardians of the Galaxy)
- Scarlett Witch
- Mystique
- Captain America
- Killmonger
- Professor X
- Magneto
- Daredevil
- Joker
- Admission (2013)
- Mother and Child (2009)
- Catfish in Black Bean Sauce (2000)
- Lion (film)
- A Series of Unfortunate Events
- Modern Family
- Adult Adoption (2022)
- Adopt a Highway (2019)
- Little Fires Everywhere
- Yours, Mine, and Ours
- A Christmas Wish (2019)
- Dumb and Dumber To
- Losing Isaiah
- Bling Empire
- Orange is the New Black
- Angels in the Outfield
- I Am Somebody’s Child: The Regina Louise Story (2019)
- Grey’s Anatomy
- Come Away (2020)
- This is Us
- Blue Bayou
- The Creator (2023)
- The Little Mermaid (live action)
- Pirates of the Carribean
- GI Joe: Snake Eyes
- Catdog The Movie
- Alvin and the Chipmunks
- Rapunzel
- The Boxtrolls
- Michael Oher (The Blind Side)
- Instant Family
- Slumdog Millionaire
- Switched at Birth
- The Waltons
- Parenthood (series)
- Paddington Bear
- The Queen’s Gambit
- Juno
- June (2015)
- Child of Mine (2005)
- In Safe Hands (2018)
- Reclaim (2014)
- Luke, Leia, Han Solo, Boba Fett, and others (Star Wars)
- The Lord of the Rings (Frodo)
- Peeta Mellark (Hunger Games)
- Eragon
- The Hollow Child (2017)
- Possessing Piper Rose (2011)
- Stevie (2008)
- The Red House (1947)
- Through the Mirror (2018)
- Hostage (2021)
- The Odd Life of Timothy Green (2012)
- Found (2021)
- Ready Player One
- Big Hero 6
- Bambi
- Chosen (2021)
- A Wrinkle in Time
- The BFG
- Simba (The Lion King)
- Blue Miracle (2021)
- Despicable Me
- The Angry Birds Movie
- Moonrise Kingdom
- Cruella
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
- Elf
- A Christmas Prince
- Coraline
- The Croods: A New Age
- Pauly Shore: Adopted (2009)
- Somewhere Between (2011)
- The Leftovers (series)
- Po (Kung Fu Panda)
- Moana (2016)
- Lilo & Stitch (2002)
- Tangled (2010)
- Frozen (2013)
- After Yang
- Ex Machina (2015)
- Ladybird (Miguel)
- Ju Ju (The Chair)
- James Bond
- Yuna & Tidus (Final Fantasy)
- Ang (Avatar the Last Aibender)
- Twinsters (documentary)
- Eliza (The Shape of Water)
- Clemintine (The Walking Dead)
- Marcel the Shell With Shoes On
- M3GAN
- Audrey Sullivan (Joy Ride)
- Poor Things (2023)
- Before I Wake (2016)
- Sound Of Hope: The Story Of Possum Trot (2024)