The Coolest Celebrity Moms Ever
The apple didn't fall far from the tree.


Celebrities, just like regular people, often owe much of their success to the way they were raised and the lessons learned from their moms. Here, we're taking a closer look at the moms of celebrities who have set a beautiful example for their famous offspring and the sweet relationships they share. And in the meantime, we'll try to gloss over the fact that, like, half of them are called Donna.
Tyra Banks' Mom Carolyn London
There's close mother-daughter relationships, and then there's Tyra Banks and Carolyn London. The two have such a strong bond that they even co-authored a book titled Perfect Is Boring: 10 Things My Crazy, Fierce Mama Taught Me about Beauty, Booty, and Being a Boss. London has previously worked as a photographer and a CEO.
Melissa McCarthy's Mom Sandra McCarthy
Mom Sandra McCarthy is so important to actress Melissa McCarthy that of course she was her date to the Oscars Nominees Luncheon in 2019. Speaking about it on Good Morning America, Melissa said tearfully, "My mom and dad both always supported me, you know, maybe even more than they should have." Pass the tissues, please.
Michael B. Jordan's Mom Donna Jordan
Did you know that Michael B. Jordan's dad's name is Michael A. Jordan? Anyway, we're here to talk about the Black Panther actor's mom Donna Jordan, who could clearly not be prouder of her incredibly successful son. When Michael B. was growing up, Donna was a guidance counselor at his middle school and a teacher at his high school—a real-life superhero, if you will.
Priyanka Chopra's Mom Madhu Chopra
Priyanka Chopra may be a Hollywood and Bollywood actress, but her mom Madhu Chopra is a star in her own right. Madhu is a doctor specializing in ENT, who later turned her attention to aesthetics—and she has a very sizeable social media following. Meanwhile, Priyanka and Madhu are often spotted on mother-daughter dates, whether they're attending a tennis match or out on a walk in NYC.
John Legend's Mom Phyllis Stephens
John Legend's life might have been very different if he didn't grow up surrounded by musicians. His mom Phyllis Stephens was a choir director, and Legend once told The Guardian, "Every setting that I spent time in was filled with music, and by seven I had begged my mother to let me into the choir." Their mother-son relationship was difficult for many years, but they began to repair it starting in 1999.
Colin Farrell's Mom Rita Farrell
Colin Farrell thinks his mom is the coolest ever, and who are we to disagree? "My mum Rita is my best pal in the world, an amazing woman," the In Bruges star once said. "Anything I am, or hope to be, I have to thank her." Colin obviously loves spending time with Rita, since he has brought her to red-carpet events many times over the course of his career.
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Billie Eilish' Mom Maggie Baird
Maggie Baird is actually an actress, known for small roles in Bones and Days of Our Lives, among others. But she really started making headlines when her children, Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, became award-winning musicians and collaborators—and of course Baird is their biggest fan.
David Beckham's Mom Sandra Beckham
David Beckham's parents Ted and Sandra Beckham have been there for him ever since his passion for soccer began. "My mum was the one that was driving me to training, to games when my dad was working," David once revealed. Sandra's own career was as a hairdresser.
The Jonas Brothers' Mom Denise Jonas
Denise Jonas has supported her superstar boys Kevin, Joe and Nick Jonas ever since they started their career as teenagers. Denise has lent her vocals on family-produced songs, and has also appeared in various family reality TV shows, including Married to Jonas, and Jonas Brothers: Living the Dream.
Lupita Nyong'o's Mom Dorothy Nyong'o
Lupita Nyong'o's mom Dorothy Nyong'o, as well as being a loving parent, is an incredibly impressive woman. She is a managing trustee of Africa Cancer Foundation, plus the director of PR company 7th Sense Communications Limited, and the First Lady of Kisumu County in Kenya. Talk about a packed schedule.
Laverne Cox' Mom Gloria Cox
Gloria Cox wasn't a model mother when her daughter Laverne Cox was growing up, to say the least. But the two women have since taken brave steps towards healing their relationship, and in Laverne's words, "My mom and I are really cool right now." Doing that generational healing work is so difficult, and so important.
Jennifer Lawrence's Mom Karen Lawrence
Jennifer Lawrence's mom Karen Lawrence ran a day camp while the actress was growing up. And as Jennifer grew into the brilliant and successful woman she is today, Karen has continuously shown how proud of her she is. "Talent is nothing if you're not a nice person," she once said of her daughter. "That's just who she is. And that makes us proud of her more so than her talent." Those are strong values right there.
Timothée Chalamet's Mom Nicole Flender
Timothée Chalamet's mother Nicole Flender made headlines when his girlfriend Kylie Jenner ceded her place to her in case he won the Oscar he was nominated for in 2025. That should tell you something about the support Flender gives her son—and her actress daughter Pauline Chalamet. While Nicole has her own iMDb page, she primarily works as an estate agent.
Ryan Gosling's Mom Donna Gosling
Actor Ryan Gosling is super close with both his sister Mandi Gosling and his mom Donna Gosling, both of whom have accompanied him to various red-carpet events. Donna actually homeschooled Ryan as a kid, which he once told British GQ totally changed his life. "My mother was so good at it she became a teacher," he said of Donna's instruction.
Yara Shahidi's Mom Keri Shahidi
Keri Shahidi has a pretty cool career, on which she collaborates with daughter Yara Shahidi: She's an executive producer and co-principal of 7th Sun Productions, and is also known for hosting the podcast The Optimist Project alongside actress Yara—plus she's low-key famous on social media.
Ariana Grande's Mom Joan Grande
Any Ariana Grande fan worth her salt knows that mom Joan Grande is basically the singer's best friend. Joan is just as high-powered as her international superstar daughter: She's the president and CEO of Hose-McCann Communications, a company which has been in the Grande family since 1964!
Emma Stone's Mom Krista Stone
While accepting the BAFTA award for leading actress in 2024, Emma Stone had the whole room in floods of tears when she thanked her mom Krista Stone in her acceptance speech. "Without her none of this exists, including my life, so thanks for that too, mom," she said. We're not crying... we're not crying.....
Chrissy Teigen's Mom Vilailuck Teigen
Chrissy Teigen's mom Vilailuck "Pepper" Teigen lived with the model and her family for a long time, and regularly appeared in her Instagram posts. But in early 2024, Chrissy revealed that Pepper had moved out, and gone back to her native Thailand: "We miss her. So much," Chrissy said. "She's only been gone for a couple of weeks, but you feel the void."
Lizzo's Mom Shari Johnson-Jefferson
Lizzo (née Melissa Viviane Jefferson) and her mom Shari Johnson-Jefferson share the absolute sweetest relationship, with the singer regularly shouting out Johnson-Jefferson on Instagram. A particular highlight, though, was when the celeb mom was the one to present her famous daughter with the People's Champion Award at the People's Choice Awards in 2022. Love that!
Nicole Kidman's Mom Janelle Ann Kidman
Nicole Kidman's mom Janelle Ann Kidman sadly passed away in 2024, and the actress' public reaction was a testament to their close relationship. Nicole received an award at the Venice Film Festival that year, and said about Janelle in a statement, "this award is for her. She shaped me, she guided me, and she made me."
Taylor Swift's Mom Andrea Swift
Andrea Swift can often be spotted in the audience at her international superstar daughter Taylor Swift's shows. The mother and daughter have such a special relationship that Taylor has even written several songs about Andrea, including "The Best Day" and "Soon You'll Get Better."
Scarlett Johansson's Mom Melanie Sloan
Scarlett Johansson's mom Melanie Sloan once went viral for the weirdest reason: She seemed to disappear—as in, fully vanish—while Johansson was being interviewed on the red carpet in 2006. Don't worry, though, Sloan has since been found, and her famous daughter remains very grateful to her for introducing her to all her favorite movies when she was a kid.
Reese Witherspoon's Mom Betty Witherspoon
Reese Witherspoon's mom Betty Witherspoon was a nurse, so she was incredibly busy—but that didn't stop her from being an amazing parent. "My parents were always incredibly supportive," Reese once said about their relationship to her acting career. And in a later interview, the actress shared, "I've learned a lot about hard work from my mother."
Rihanna's Mom Monica Braithwaite
You'd have to be a pretty cool person to raise one Robyn Rihanna Fenty, and that's mom Monica Braithwaite in a nutshell. "Thank you for carrying me, birthing me, raising me, supporting me, teaching me, and loving me unconditionally!" the singer and entrepreneur once wrote to her mother. "The woman I am today is because of everything that you are!"
Travis Kelce's Mom Donna Kelce
Donna Kelce, mom to NFL champs Travis Kelce and Jason Kelce, got very famous in her own right after Taylor Swift started dating her youngest son. Not only does she get interviewed on TV all the time, but she's also become a baking and hosting influencer. Love that for her!
Kate, Princess of Wales' Mom Carole Middleton
Catherine, Princess of Wales, née Kate Middleton, is incredibly close with her family—particularly mom Carole Middleton. Aside from being a royal-adjacent figure, Carole was also the co-founder of Party Pieces, a shop for all things party decorations. This was a very appropriate venture, given Carole herself is a hosting master.
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex' Mom Doria Ragland
Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, clearly has deep admiration and love for her mother Doria Ragland. Ragland works as a yoga instructor and a social worker, and is an amazing parent, too. "We can just have so much fun together, and yet, I'll still find so much solace in her support," Meghan once told Glamour (via Harper's Bazaar).
Lady Gaga's Mom Cynthia Germanotta
Cynthia Germanotta isn't just an incredibly supportive mom to daughter Lady Gaga (AKA Stefani Germanotta). She's also the co-founder of the Born This Way Foundation, which works towards fostering mental emotional wellness in young people—a mission that could not mean more to both Cynthia and Stefani.
Jennifer Garner's Mom Patricia Ann Garner
Jennifer Garner is an amazing mom to kids Violet, Fin and Samuel Affleck—and she had an amazing mom herself. Patricia Ann Garner is beloved by Jennifer's Instagram followers for her no-nonsense instructions when they cook together. Aside from that, Patricia has always loved to explore and learn, making her a very interesting lady.
Jennifer Lopez' Mom Guadalupe Rodríguez
Jennifer Lopez has always had the staunch support of her mom Guadalupe Rodríguez—and she's learned so much from her, too. In an Instagram post in 2019, J. Lo wrote, "People ask me where I get my energy from, my drive, my dance moves lol ... well now you know ... Guadalupe ... my mommy." So sweet.
Beyoncé's Mom Tina Knowles
Tina Knowles needs no introduction, but here's one anyway. Mom to singers Beyoncé and Solange (and honorary mom to Kelly Rowland), Knowles wears many hats: She's an author, an entrepreneur, a fashion designer... as well as a loving mom and grandma. Women really can do it all.
Selena Gomez' Mom Mandy Teefey
Selena Gomez and her mom Mandy Teefey co-founded Wondermind, a mental health platform, together. The two women are both passionate about destigmatizing mental health and improving people's wellbeing. Meanwhile, Teefey has also worked as a producer, most notably on 13 Reasons Why.
Iris Goldsztajn is a London-based journalist, editor and author. She is the morning editor at Marie Claire, and her work has appeared in the likes of British Vogue, InStyle, Cosmopolitan, Refinery29 and SELF. Iris writes about everything from celebrity news and relationship advice to the pitfalls of diet culture and the joys of exercise. She has many opinions on Harry Styles, and can typically be found eating her body weight in cheap chocolate.
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