Moms Of Celebrities Who Are As Famous As Their Kids
Stacker takes a look at celebrity mothers whose children have gone on to achieve some fame of their own.
Honoree Zoe Kravitz and presenter Lisa Bonet attend the InStyle Awards at Getty Center on October 26, 2015 in Los Angeles, California.
Jason Merritt/Getty ImagesBecoming a famous actor, singer, model, or artist takes hard work, talent, and a lot of luck. But for some, star quality may run in the family. Sure, nepo babies are a thing, but when the latent backs up the connections these stars are born with, we have to give credit where it's due.
Some of our favorite actors have given birth to some equally talented actors. The folks who come to mind are Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan's son, Jack Quaid, who we know as the lead actor in The Boys television series. Jack, 32, has been on the satirical superhero show since 2019 and has since appeared in Oppenheimer and in the Scream remake.
Looking up family trees, there are a plethora of celebrities with equally -- if not more -- famous mothers. These women have not only found success in their own careers, but have passed along the superstar bug to their sons, daughters -- and even their grandchildren, too.
Some famous mother-child duos may sound familiar: Debbie Reynolds and her daughter Carrie Fisher, for example, made news when they both died within a day of each other in late 2016. Others, however, may come as more of a surprise as some celebrities are more secretive when it comes to their star-studded lineage. For instance, we had no idea that Meryl Streep's daughter won an award for her acting abilities in theater! Streep has four children, two of whom are actors, one a musician, and another a model.
See below which moms of celebrities are as famous as their kids:
Courtney Love
Stuart C. Wilson/Getty ImagesThe Hole singer was born Courtney Michelle Harrison. While in Portland in 1980 working at the strip club Mary's Club she adopted the surname Love to conceal her identity and later adopted Love as her surname.
Goldie Hawn
Eamonn M. McCormack/Getty ImagesGoldie Hawn has been a big name in film and TV acting since the early ‘70s when she won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1969 movie 'Cactus Flower,' and then gained even more prominence on NBC’s 'Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In.' Her daughter Kate Hudson is an Oscar-nominated actress ('Almost Famous') known for her roles in various romantic comedies, including 'How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days' in 2003. Hudson also recently embarked on her pop music career! Hudson and Hawn share a close, "open" relationship, in which they reportedly talk about everything together.
Melanie Griffith
Jerod Harris/Getty ImagesThis 'Working Girl' celebrates her birthday on August 9. She was born in New York in 1957.
Naomi Judd
Stephen Cohen/Getty Images
Meryl Streep
Tristan Fewings/Getty ImagesMeryl was filming scenes for <i>Iron Lady</i> back in 2011 when she crossed paths with a couple getting married at the UK's Manchester Town Hall — the same place where she was filming. The bride and groom were thoroughly surprised to see Margaret Thatcher (Meryl) suddenly appear during their nuptials. Meryl later sent the new couple signed pictures with congratulations, and the crew gifted them with champagne, flowers, and a glass vase.
Jada Pinkett Smith
Jon Kopaloff/Getty ImagesThe Smiths are a powerhouse family—Will Smith is a well-known action and drama actor as well as a ‘90s sitcom icon, and Jada Pinkett Smith is a TV and film star herself, having starred in the 2017 all-female comedy 'Girls Trip.' Their children Willow and Jaden have both already found success in their music careers. Though some of their parenting has been called “unconventional,” the family appears to be close in the public eye.
Lisa Bonet
Frazer Harrison/Getty ImagesBest known as teenager Denise Huxtable on the ‘80s sitcom 'The Cosby Show,' Lisa Bonet was married to popular rock singer Lenny Kravitz and gave birth to her daughter Zoë Kravitz. Zoë has racked up many acting credits of her own, starring in 2011’s 'X-Men: First Class,' the 'Divergent' film series, HBO’s miniseries 'Big Little Lies,' and most recently, in 2022's 'The Batman' as Selina Kyle, AKA Catwoman.
Janet Leigh
Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesJanet Leigh had a long-spanning acting career that culminated in winning a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress and an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her work in Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 film 'Psycho.' She and her husband, the late actor Tony Curtis, are the parents of actress and author Jamie Lee Curtis, who is well-known for her role in the 'Halloween' horror franchise, as well as 2003’s 'Freaky Friday.' Curtis has said of Leigh, "My mother instilled very good qualities in both of us, and I give her all the credit for it.”
Peggy Lipton
Frazer Harrison/Getty ImagesActress and model Peggy Lipton has enjoyed a 50-year career in film and television, notably for the series 'The Mod Squad' from 1968–1973, in which she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Drama Series. She also played Norma Jennings in HBO’s 'Twin Peaks.' Lipton married musician and producer Quincy Jones and is the mother of Rashida and Kidada Jones, who are both actresses. Rashida Jones in particular has turned heads for her comedic acting, notably in NBC’s 'Parks and Recreation' and in her AppleTV+ series, 'Loot.' Jones said that her mother and she are “more than best friends; we are partners in crime.”
Maria Shriver
Getty ImagesJournalist, author, and niece of former President John F. Kennedy, Maria Shriver currently works as an occasional special correspondent for NBC News and has won two Emmys, as well as a Peabody Award for her work on a documentary covering Wisconsin’s welfare reform program. She is the mother of four children, including actor and model Patrick Schwarzenegger. His first leading role in a film was in the 2018 romantic drama 'Midnight Sun.' He also snagged a role in Amazon's 'The Boys' spin-off, 'Gen Z.' Shriver said in an interview that she was Patrick's “craziest fan.”
Demi Moore
Frazer Harrison/Getty ImagesActress Demi Moore rose to fame in the ‘80s and ‘90s, particularly with the 1990 film 'Ghost,' for which she received a Golden Globe nomination. She has three children with ex-husband and actor Bruce Willis—the most prominent being Rumer Willis. Rumer first starred in 'Now and Then' in 1995 alongside her mother, went on to star in 'Chicago' on Broadway, and has a recurring role on the musical-drama 'Empire.' Willis said of her mother: “I’m so proud and kind of in awe of [Demi Moore].”
Kris Jenner
Theo Wargo/Getty ImagesMany know the Kardashian children due to social media and their various entrepreneurial endeavors, and the woman powering the Kardashian-Jenner machine is mother Kris Jenner, the family’s manager and producer. Her business tactics and relationships with her family are well-documented in the popular reality TV series, 'Keeping Up with the Kardashians,' then 'The Kardashians.' Kourtney, Kim, Khloé, Rob, Kylie, and Kendall may share their fair share of ups and downs with their mother, but as a whole, the family appears to be close and always has each other's backs.
Blythe Danner
Gabriel Olsen/Getty ImagesBlythe Danner has enjoyed a long and illustrious career in TV, movies, and theater, and won two Emmys for playing Izzy Huffstodt on the 2004–2006 series 'Huff,' a Tony for 1969’s 'Butterflies Are Free,' and a Golden Globe nomination for 2004’s 'Back When We Were Grownups.' Her daughter Gwyneth Paltrow is an actress and entrepreneur, having started her own lifestyle company, Goop. She won the Academy Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in 1998’s 'Shakespeare in Love.' The mother-daughter duo are close and have even been known to wear matching outfits.
Diana Ross
Emma McIntyre/Getty ImagesR&B singer Diana Ross was a member of the 1960s group The Supremes, one of the best-selling girl groups of all time. Their hits include "Stop! In the Name of Love" and "You Can't Hurry Love." One of her children, Tracee Ellis Ross, has become a well-known, Golden Globe-winning and Emmy-nominated actress. She and her mother are reportedly close and even play tennis together.
