Maria Menounos severed her relationship with a friend who made fun of her for using a surrogate.

Maria Menounos recently shared a painful experience in which a former friend judged her decision to use a surrogate to have her daughter, Athena, whom she and her husband Keven Undergaro welcomed via surrogate in June 2023 after struggling with infertility. In an interview on Women in the Nude podcast with Sasha Pieterse, Maria revealed that this friend, who had worked for her at one point, was dismissive when Maria explained the situation.

Maria explained that the friend questioned why she couldn’t carry a child, even after learning that Maria’s top neurosurgeon had advised against it. The friend’s response, expressing confusion and judgment, deeply hurt Maria. “I was like, ‘Oh, I don’t ever want to talk to you again,’” she recalled. Maria felt that judgment from people who didn’t understand her situation was one thing, but for someone close to her to act this way was unacceptable.

After this incident, Maria chose to sever ties with the friend, feeling betrayed by the judgment. In addition to discussing this, Maria also opened up in 2023 about her battle with Stage 2 pancreatic cancer, further highlighting her resilience in the face of personal challenges.