In Appreciation of All the Mama’s Boys
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Originally appeared on E! Online
Perhaps Leonardo DiCaprio said it best: "My mother is a walking miracle."
Let's face it, there's nothing more endearing than hearing an actor gush about his true leading lady, the woman who gave birth to him. Leonardo himself serves as a prime example. Not only has he repeatedly praised his mom, Irmelin Indenbirken, but he's also been known to bring her as his "date" for big nights like the Golden Globes. In fact, after winning the award for Best Actor at the 2016 BAFTAs, the Revenant star took the opportunity to highlight the most important person in the room to him.
"I would not be standing up here if it wasn't for this person," he told the audience, referring to his mom. "I didn't grow up in a life of privilege. I grew up in a very rough neighborhood in East Los Angeles.... This woman drove me three hours a day to a different school to show me a different opportunity."
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But Leonardo isn't the only Hollywood actor that has expressed adoration for Mom. Justin Timberlake has explained why he's so, um, in sync with mother Lynn Bomar Harless while Ryan Gosling has said mom Donna Gosling and sister Mandi Gosling are the reason he's more than just Ken.
"I grew up in a family of strong women and I owe any capacity I have to understand women to my mother and big sister," he told The Sun. "They taught me to respect women in a way where I've always felt a strong emotional connection to women, which has also helped me in the way I approach my work as an actor."
Keep reading for more heartwarming quotes from your favorite celebs...
Bradley Cooper
The Nightmare Alley star has long gushed over his mom, but arguably his most touching quote about her came from an interview with Details in 2013. Following his father's death from cancer in 2011, Bradley shared that his mom had moved in with him and called her a "cool chick" of a roommate.
"We're surviving. Both of us. Let's face it: It's probably not easy for her, by the way, to be living with her son," he shared. "It was a schism, and its aftershock has not stopped. And we need each other. So here we are... It's not without complications. It's not like I live in a compound and she's in the guesthouse. No. She's in the next room. But here's the thing: She's a cool chick. We can hang, and she can roll with the punches... I love having her. I wouldn't have it any other way."
Justin Timberlake
There's no doubt that Justin Timberlake will love his mom, Lynn Bomar Harless, until the end of time. As he once gushed to the Daily Mail as far back as 2010 (some two years before he wed Jessica Biel), "We're best friends—she's a very special woman...She's been so supportive. She's partly the reason why I have so much respect for women. I'm never going to find someone as good as my mother, am I? Maybe that's why I have such problems with girls."
Drake
Any fan of Drake's will absolutely know the name: Sandi Graham. After all, he told the world that she was the only one that that he loved (besides his bed) on "God's Plan." The rapper made it clear to The Hollywood Reporter that her unconditional support is what kept him going.
"My mother is an incredible woman," he told the outlet in 2017. "She never necessarily implemented anything. She's always just told me, 'You know, whatever you want to do, whatever you end up being, I'll always love you."
Leonardo DiCaprio
Calling his mom—and frequent red carpet plus-one—a "walking miracle" is the ultimate pinnacle of love, but it's not only time Leo has praised the German native. After his 2014 Golden Globe win, he told Access Hollywood that "she's the only reason I'm able to do what I do."
"I wouldn't be doing any of this if it weren't for her, both my parents," he said. "She supported this little kid who said, ‘I want to be an actor,' at 12 years old, which is ridiculous, and she drove me to all these auditions."
Safe to say that her hard work more than paid off!
Zac Efron
For someone who has starred in The Lucky One, that may be the phrase Zac Efron would use to describe being a son to his mom, Starla Baskett. "My mom is the No. 1 person who has taught me to be courteous towards women," he told People in 2012. "To always be respectful and polite to them, and to always lead with your heart."
Tom Hiddleston
The Loki star credits his mom with being his inspiration, telling Elle UK, "I believe in the strength and intelligence and sensitivity of women. My mother, my sisters, [they] are strong. My mum is a strong woman and I love her for it."
Ryan Gosling
It's no surprise that Ryan Gosling has proven to be the ultimate rom-com hero, because he probably learned a thing or two from the women in his family—including his mom Donna Gosling and his sister.
"If I have any particular appeal to women, maybe it's because I listen more than other guys do and appreciate how they think and feel about things," he told The Sun. "I grew up in a family of strong women and I owe any capacity I have to understand women to my mother and big sister... They taught me to respect women in a way where I've always felt a strong emotional connection to women, which has also helped me in the way I approach my work as an actor."
Justin Bieber
Although the musician admitted that he and his mom, Pattie Mallette, hit a rough patch in their relationship in 2014, he later explained to Billboard the following year that the two are now closer than ever. "I was distant because I was ashamed. I never wanted my mom to be disappointed in me and I knew she was. We spent some time not talking, so it takes time to rebuild that trust. She's living in Hawaii now, so it's hard, but getting better. She's an amazing woman and I love her."
Harry Styles
Anyone following the "Adore You" singer knows how much, well, he adores mom Anne Twist. Not only has she proven that she's his biggest fan, but more recently, Harry pulled out all the stops when he asked concertgoers to sing "Happy Birthday" in her honor.
Jay-Z
After Jay-Z's mom, Gloria Carter, came out to her son, the two collaborated together and shared their experience on the 2017 single, "Smile." Of his relationship with his mom, he told the Times, "We never spoke about it. Until, like, recently, now we start having these beautiful conversations, and just really getting to know each other. We were always good friends but now we're really great friends. And then she was sharing that she was in love. She can be herself [now]."
"She doesn't have to hide for her kids or feel like she's embarrassing her kids," he added. "It was a much different time then. [Now] she can just live her full life, her whole life, and be her."
Ed Sheeran
Once the "Shape of You" singer became a dad to daughter Lyra in 2020, Ed expressed a deeper appreciation for his mom, Imogen Sheeran. As he told Zane Lowe in 2021, "I think the biggest thing I took away from [fatherhood] was … Well, two things: The relationship that I had with my parents has completely changed … It was amazing before, but now it's just like there's this eternal gratefulness and respect of being like, I know what they went through and I'm still kind of going through it."
A year later, he and wife Cherry Seaborn welcomed daughter Jupiter.
Jared Leto
Jared Leto will forever give it up for his mom, Constance Leto, for everything she's done for him. "We were born very poor, into pretty humble surroundings," he told Popsugar. "And, my mother always wanted to do something better with her life; she always wanted to do something better for her children." He credits her with where he is today, telling the outlet, "The biggest lesson she taught me was to dream, and to do the work that it takes to make dreams a reality."
