Oprah Winfrey Discusses Impact of Barbara Walters’ Relationship with Daughter on Her Own Choices

Oprah Winfrey has recently shared insights about how the relationship between Barbara Walters and her daughter, Jacqueline Dena Gerber, influenced her own decision not to have children.

In her new documentary, *Barbara Walters Tell Everything*, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival, Winfrey recalled a conversation with Walters. She mentioned how Walters had encouraged her to consider motherhood, saying, “Nothing more fulfilling than having a child,” but ultimately, Winfrey found herself observing Walters’ complex relationship and deciding against it.

Describing that relationship as both “recharged” and “complicated,” Winfrey noted, “I understand why. That’s one of the reasons we didn’t have children.”

The documentary delves into Walters’ challenging dynamic with Jacqueline, whom she adopted with her ex-husband, Lee Gerber, in 1968. It features archival footage and narrates Walters’ own reflections on her difficulties as a mother, particularly regarding how her career ambitions impacted their relationship.

Walters expressed feelings of guilt over her parenting, noting the struggles Jacqueline faced during her childhood. “She had a mother who was a celebrity, so I didn’t realize how harsh it was,” Walters reflected. “We struggled through school, and at one point, I think she ran away when she was 16.”

Cynthia McFadden, a former colleague and friend of Walters, mentioned that while Jacqueline had a father, Walters acknowledged multiple times that she felt she had made mistakes as a mother.

Though Walters attempted to mend their relationship as Jacqueline reached adulthood, their bond remained fragile. McFadden pointed out that, as Walters aged, she sensed instability in their connection, although the reasons weren’t always clear.

Winfrey, for her part, seems at peace with her choice not to have children. In a 2017 interview, she shared that despite societal pressures, she has no regrets, feeling fulfilled in her role as a “mother of the children of the world.”

She elaborated, “Love doesn’t know the boundaries. It doesn’t matter if the child came from your womb or if you found the person at the age of 1, 10, or 20. If love is genuine, compassion is pure and it comes from a good space.”

*Barbara Walters Tell Everything* will be available for streaming on Hulu starting June 23rd.