All the Celebrity Godparents You Didn't Know About
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Originally appeared on E! Online
These celebrities were made an offer they just couldn't refuse.
One of the biggest decisions some parents make is selecting who will be their child's godparents, the two (or more) individuals invited to be active participants in their offspring's upbringing or to serve as legal guardians in the event of an emergency.
One star who was surprised to be offered that role? Tyler Perry, who was picked by Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to be the godfather of their daughter Lilibet Diana after the couple formed a close connection with him amid the Coronavirus pandemic. While the director was "honored," he admitted in the Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan that he needed to "take a minute" to reflect on the decision.
But saying yes was certainly worth it. "She's so adorable," Perry raved in November, noting he calls the 2-year-old Little Lili. "They make some beautiful kids. Archie and Lili are beautiful."
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And he isn't the only celeb to be named a godparent of a fellow famous person's child, with Meryl Streep, Tim McGraw, Jennifer Aniston and more all taking on the very special role for their friends' kids.
Take, for instance, Taylor Swift's role in the life of Jaime King's son Leo.
"I always thought if I were to have another child that she would be the ideal godmother because the way she not only treats me but the way she treats other human beings," King told E! News in 2016 of selecting Swift for the honor. "She's so loving and so giving and so generous and she does everything from her heart and she's incredibly brave and authentic. It's a very rare thing to come across."
Now, read on and check out all of the celebrities who are godparents...
Stephen Curry & Ayesha Curry
The NBA star and his wife are godparents to Lindsay Lohan and husband Bader Shammas' son Luai, as they revealed with a basketball jersey the athlete gifted them at a Golden State Warriors game in February 2024.
Tyler Perry
The filmmaker recalled the surprising moment when he was crowned godfather to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's daughter Lilibet Diana.
"They were pretty serious on the phone," he recalled in the Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan. "I go, 'OK, what's going on?' They said, 'Well, we'd like for you to be Lili's godfather.' I go, 'Whoa.' I take a minute to take that in. And I thought, 'I'd be honored. I'd be absolutely honored.'"
Taylor Swift
The singer announced in 2015 that Jaime King had dubbed her godmother of her son Leo Thames. The Grammy winner posted a photo of her first meeting with her godchild on Instagram, writing, "Meeting my boy."
Jessica Alba
Swift isn't the only celeb that King tapped to be a godparent to her children, having revealed in a 2013 Instagram post that Jessica Alba was her eldest son James' godmother.
"Thank you Jess for your unending love and light," King wrote. "We are so grateful for you." Plus, King shared That '70s Show star Topher Grace is James' godfather.
Khloé Kardashian
Kim Kardashian named her little sis as North West's godmother during her baptism in Israel in 2015. Three years later, Khloé Kardashian returned the favor when she named the SKIMS founder as her daughter True Thompson's potential legal guardian, leading to tension with their older sister Kourtney Kardashian.
"So I can't make anything official until the baby is born…but I am going to probably have Kim as the legal guardian if, god forbid, something happens," the Good American mogul explained in a 2018 episode of Keeping Up With the Kardashians. "I don't know my parenting style until I have a baby, but from what I envision my parenting style to be, I do think it'll be more like Kim. A little more stricter."
Kim's reaction to the title? "It is my honor," she said. "And I will take such good care of your kids."
Dolly Parton
The renowned country singer-songwriter known for her big voice and big hair was named godmother to "Wrecking Ball" artist Miley Cyrus after forming a close bond with her father Billy Ray Cyrus when they worked together in the early 1990s.
"We just kind of jelled, 'cause we're both country kids. We had a lot of fun just talking about that," Parton said on SiriusXM's Just Jenny in 2019. "And then when Miley came along, I said, 'She's got to be my fairy goddaughter.'" Parton would later make an appearance on Hannah Montana as the titular character's fairy godmother.
Jennifer Aniston
The one where Courteney Cox asked Jennifer Aniston a very special question.
Cox and her ex-husband David Arquette tapped her Friends co-star and real-life bestie as their daughter Coco Cox Arquette's godmother.
After Cox posted a video of her and Coco singing a cover of Demi Lovato's "Anyone" in 2020, Aniston commented, "Aww, just like her godmother taught her."
Joan Collins
The English actress and author is godmother to supermodel Cara Delevingne.
Jamie Lee Curtis
The Oscar winner, once dubbed the "scream queen" due to her starring roles in the Halloween film franchise, is godmother to siblings Jake Gyllenhaal and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
B.J. Novak
Who says you can't stay friends with your ex? While their romantic relationship ended, The Office costars and writers remained so close that Mindy Kaling named B.J. Novak the godfather to her kids, Katherine Kaling and Spencer Kaling. While she has never publicly identified the father of her children, some fans have wondered if it's Novak. As for how they feel about the speculation?
"It doesn't bother me," the A Wrinkle in Time star told Marie Claire in August 2022. "He's the godparent to both my kids—and they have such a great relationship—and so far [the rumors haven't] affected my happiness at all, it hasn't affected my kids or B.J…If that's what is going to be titillating to people, I'll take it."
Macaulay Culkin
After becoming close friends with Michael Jackson as a child star, the Home Alone actor was named the godfather of Paris Jackson, the late pop legend's only daughter.
"I am close with Paris," Culkin said on Marc Maron's WTF podcast in 2018. "I'm going to warn you now I am very protective of her, so just look out. I am a very open book when it comes to things but like with her, she is beloved by me."
Nick Jonas
He proved he's a sucker for his niece Valentina Jonas, revealing on Snapchat in 2017 that his older brother Kevin Jonas and his wife Danielle Jonas asked him to be her godfather.
The "Jealous" singer posted a photo of himself and his sister-in-law Katie Deleasa holding Valentina on her "Dedication Day," where they were officially named her godparents.
Vin Diesel
After Paul Walker's tragic death in 2013, his Fast & Furious co-tar Vin Diesel was first and foremost there for his then 15-year-old goddaughter Meadow Walker. Their bond held fast, and the action star was there to walk Meadow down the aisle at her wedding to Louis Thornton-Allan in October 2021.
"I could say that I am so proud of the person you are becoming," Diesel wrote in a 2019 Instagram post for Meadow's 21st birthday. "But the truth is I have always been proud of you."
Tim McGraw
From costars to close friends. After starring in two films together—Friday Night Lights and Country Strong—Garrett Hedlund selected Tim McGraw to be the godfather to his son Rhodes Robert, who he shares with his ex-girlfriend Emma Roberts.
"He's somebody that I admire and respect, not only as an amazing father and an amazing husband, amazing musician and amazing actor," Hedlund told Kelly Clarkson in 2021. "I've known him for a long time."
After first working together in 2006 when they played father and son, Hedlund explained, "I got to first experience him as a father...and we've remained such close friends. He's the best."
Victor Garber
From Spy Daddy to godfather! Jennifer Garner tapped her Alias costar Victor Garber for the important role when she and then-husband Ben Affleck welcomed daughter Violet Affleck in 2005.
Bryan Cranston
Aaron Paul was the one who knocked when he asked his Breaking Bad costar Bryan Cranston to be the godfather of his two children with wife Lauren Paul.
Cranston said that being a godparent to his friend's kids is "truly answering a call."
"It is truly allowing me to go through the experience of what it feels like to be a grandfather," he shared with British GQ. "My jaws hurt from [smiling]."
Of choosing Cranston, Paul told Jimmy Fallon, "I love the man to death. He's one of my best friends in the world, and it was just a no-brainer."
Jake Gyllenhaal
The award-winning actor is godfather to Matilda Williams, the daughter of his Brokeback Mountain costars Michelle Williams and the late Heath Ledger. Matilda counts her mom's Dawson's Creek costar-turned-BFF Busy Philipps as her other godparent.
Meryl Streep
"I mean, she's Meryl Streep."
That was the response Billie Lourd, daughter of the late Carrie Fisher, gave Andy Cohen when he asked what the best part of having the Oscar winner as her godmother was during a 2019 episode of Watch What Happens Live.
Sting & Trudie Styler
The British rock star and his wife are the godparents to Madonna and Guy Ritchie's son Rocco Ritchie.
Rupert Everett
Madonna's adopted son, David Banda, has the My Best Friend's Wedding actor as a godfather, forever and ever.
Zach Braff
The Garden State actor was given the title from his Scrubs costar and real-life best friend Donald Faison, who has two kids, Rocco Faison and Wilder Faison with wife CaCee Cobb.
"Thank you to @caceecobb for growing this for @donald_aison and I," Braff joked in Aril 2015 after Wilder's birth. #GodfatherII."
Kathie Lee Gifford
A longtime friend of Kris Jenner, the former Today host is godmother to Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner.
Cameron Diaz
Angels forever! Barrymore picked her Charlie's Angels costar and best friend Cameron Diaz to be the godmother to her younger daughter, Frankie Barrymore Kopelman.
Steven Spielberg
The famed director gave his goddaughters their big breaks, casting Barrymore in E.T. and Gwyneth Paltrow in Hook.
A version of this story was first published on Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023 at 3 a.m. PT.
