Katey Sagal Reflects on Welcoming Her Third Child Through Surrogacy at 52
Katey Sagal is sharing her journey to motherhood.
“I had a child at 52 through a surrogate. I became a mother again at 52,” Sagal, now 73, mentioned on the Wednesday, August 5 episode of the “Where Everybody Knows Your Name” podcast. “My husband is six years my junior, and this is my third marriage. When we met, he said, ‘I don’t want any kids.’ I replied, ‘That’s fine since I have about five minutes left if you want kids.’”
Sagal married Kurt Sutter in 2004, three years before they welcomed their daughter Esmé, who is now 19. She also has a daughter, Sarah, 31, and a son, Jackson, 30, from her previous marriage to Jack White.
Though Sutter was initially hesitant, he eventually warmed up to the idea after having “a lot of discussions” with Sagal.
“We went through the surrogate process, and that’s how it all unfolded,” she explained to podcast host Ted Danson. “We continue to embrace life; we don’t just fold up and wither away.”
Sagal has seen her older children following in her creative footsteps.
“Both of my older kids are musicians and actors. My eldest daughter crafted a beautiful album that she wrote and produced herself; she’s truly talented,” she praised Sarah. “It’s fascinating to witness how different the industry is now for young artists. They must navigate marketing themselves, unlike before when they could rely on labels to manage their careers.”
She added, “It’s a very different landscape for young talents today. It’s tough out there, even in acting.”
Sagal’s son, Jackson, is recognized for his leading role on Hulu’s Tell Me Lies.
“He’s thriving as an actor,” Sagal shared on Wednesday. “He’s in Australia filming a movie, and he’s also starring in a TV series called Tell Me Lies on Hulu. They just completed their third season, and he’s really making a name for himself. My sweet son.”
When not busy with work or school, Jackson, Sarah, and Esmé reside close to Sagal in Los Angeles.
“My daughter lives just 10 minutes away, and my youngest, now 19, is back from college,” she noted. “I get to stay involved in their careers in a supportive way. Lately, I’ve learned to say things like, ‘I have some thoughts on that. Would you like to hear them?’ If they respond, ‘No, mom, I don’t want to,’ I respect their wishes. I’m not a pushy mom; I just relate to their artistic journeys.”
