Rosario Dawson has opened up about her role as a parent to a daughter she adopted in 2014. "The Mandalorian" actress also revealed that Isabella is her daughter's real name, years after the press have been calling her Lola by mistake.
In an interview with Parent, Dawson said that she never corrected that mistake in the press because she didn't want her daughter's name out in public. However, as Isabella got older, she told her mother that she didn't like how random people called her Lola.
"I had to finally tell everyone," Dawson said. "So, her name is Isabella. It's not that far off."
Now 18, Isabella goes by either Bella or Isa, who officially became Dawson's child when she was 12. Dawson also revealed that she knew she would adopt a child one day when she was just five years old.
Adopting an Older Child
Dawson said that she was five when her parents told her that Gregory, the dad she has known all her life, was not her biological father. He married her mother when the actress was just a baby. At such a young age, Dawson wondered if other people were willing to adopt children who are a lot older, and that firmed her resolve to do it herself when she's of age to have kids.
Isabella's birth mother is the wife of one of Dawson's uncles, who had her when she was in another relationship. This technically means that the child is the actress' cousin by marriage. She saw Isabella as a baby, but when her uncle and his wife divorced, they lost touch with her and her mother.
Years later, Isabella's birth mother contacted Dawson's family to seek help because she's been living it rough. They found out that Isabella had been living in foster care because of her mother's status, and that's when Dawson decided to take in her cousin and informed the foster care system that she wanted to adopt her.
"We are not blood family, but we are family," the actress said. It took at least a year for the adoption process to be established.
Speaking with Health in early 2021, Dawson said that there wasn't even a question about bringing Isabella into her life. As her adoptive mother, the actress has committed to going to therapy with her daughter since she arrived in her home.
The "Dopesick" star said that she also needed to become conscious of the many triggers in her daughter. Through the years, she saw how much Isabella has developed and matured and how their connection has deepened as mother and daughter.
Taking Care of Her Dad
Meanwhile, Dawson has been taking care of her parents since the pandemic, especially her father, who is fighting a battle with pancreatic cancer. In April 2020, the actress told Entertainment Tonight that her dad had been in recovery from chemotherapy for four months when the pandemic hit, but she is grateful she has the means to look after him.
While she's living with her parents, Dawson said she has to be careful about her choices so they won't be at risk. As a dutiful daughter, the actress said that she wants to do what's possible to protect her family, especially those who are vulnerable.
