The two women bonded over their adoption journeys during an interview for the Today show, airing on Monday. “You don’t even know who you’ve inspired,” Kotb, who welcomed 15-month-old daughter Haley Joy in February 2017, said to Bullock, who is mom to daughter Laila, 5½, and son Louis, 8.
“You’re a forever parent the minute you accept the love of that child,” the Ocean’s 8 actress responded as she broke down in tears.
Bullock, 53, welcomed Laila at 3½ years old in December 2015 from Louisiana and adopted Louis at 3½ months old in January 2010, also from Louisiana.
The Oscar winner also chatted about her advocacy for adoption for InStyle‘s June 2018 issue, calling for a greater understanding and treatment of women’s rights over their own bodies and an end to the phrase “my adopted child.”
“Look: I’m all for Republican, Democrat, whatever, but don’t talk to me about what I can or can’t do with my body until you’ve taken care of every child who doesn’t have a home or is neglected or abused,” she explained, getting emotional. “It makes me teary-eyed.”
She added, “Let’s all just refer to these kids as ‘our kids.’ Don’t say, ‘my adopted child.’ No one calls their kid their ‘IVF child’ or their ‘Oh, s—, I went to a bar and got knocked up child.’ Let’s just say, ‘our children.’ ”
The Today interview will air on Monday, June 4.
This article originally appeared on PEOPLE