Barbara Walters and the High Cost of Success: A Candid Look at Motherhood and Ambition
Barbara Walters built a groundbreaking legacy in broadcast journalism, but it came with deeply personal sacrifices. A new Hulu documentary, “Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything,” explores the iconic journalist’s complex relationship with motherhood and the personal toll of a trailblazing career.
A Private Struggle Behind Public Triumph
Best known for interviewing presidents, world leaders, and Hollywood legends, Walters spent decades commanding primetime television. However, beyond the spotlight, she faced challenges as a mother to her adopted daughter, Jacqueline (also known as Jackie).
In 1968, after suffering three miscarriages, Walters and her then-husband Lee Guber adopted Jackie. She named her after her own sister, who was developmentally disabled, hoping to share a sense of motherhood with her sibling. As Walters later admitted, it was the “best thing” she ever did.
Yet balancing fame and family was anything but easy.
“I Don’t Think I Was Very Good at Marriage”
Walters divorced Guber in 1976, the same year she became the first female anchor of ABC’s evening news. Her commitment to journalism often overshadowed personal responsibilities. She once reflected, “My career was just too important. I wasn’t willing to give that much.”
In the 2014 ABC special Her Story, she noted that bringing her daughter into the studio would have been frowned upon. “It would be as if I had brought a dog who was not housebroken,” she said. Parenting in a high-powered media world left her with few options—and mounting guilt.
Jackie’s Teenage Years: “It Was Awful”
As Jackie entered her teens, the pressure of having a famous mother took its toll. She ran away at 16. Walters eventually found her and sent her to an emotional growth school for three years. In a 2001 special, Jackie admitted, “I was sorry for my whole teenage years. It was awful.”
Walters, too, expressed regret. “I’ve said I’m sorry for so many things,” she confessed.
Oprah Winfrey: “Something Has to Give”
In the documentary, Oprah Winfrey offers a powerful perspective. Walters once encouraged Winfrey to consider motherhood, calling it fulfilling. But Winfrey declined, noting that Walters’ life showed the cost of trying to have it all.
“You are a pioneer,” Winfrey said. “And that is why I did not have children. I knew I could not do both well.”
A Legend’s Honest Reflection
Despite the glamour and accolades, Walters often reflected on what she missed. In Art of the Conversation, she shared a poignant moment with a friend who had a large family. “That’s richness,” Walters said. “But I don’t have that. I didn’t take that path.”
“Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything” paints a fuller portrait of the journalism icon—not just as a sharp interviewer or a media pioneer, but as a woman who faced the emotional weight of choosing ambition over intimacy.
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