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Home • News

Celebrities and Their Mothers

By Essence · Updated October 28, 2020
01
Barbadian Beauties

Rihanna is a spitting image of her mom Monica Fenty.

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Like Mom, Like Daughter

Jada Pinkett Smith clearly gets her good looks from mom Adrienne Banfield-Jones. Jada based her HawthoRHe character on Adrienne.

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My Everything

“She has pulled me up when I’ve stumbled, she’s pulled me back when I’ve run out of line,” First Lady Michelle Obama told ESSENCE about her mother Marian Robinson whom she refers to as her “rock.”

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Good Genes

Helen Williams passed her good looks on to her beautiful daughter, Vanessa L. Williams.

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Shining Glory

Taraji . P. Henson shows off her lovely mom Bernice Gordon at the Think Like a Man premiere.

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Knowles Knows Best

Tina Knowles’ daughters are both successful. Can we get a how-to book in the near future?

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07
Beautiful Pair

Toni Braxton and her equally fabulous mother Evelyn Braxton currently star on WEtv’s Braxton Family Values.

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Mom’s Delight

Christina Milian is a spitting image of her beautiful mom Carmen.

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Hats Off

Alicia Keys’ mom Teresa Augelio raised her daughter to become one of the most successful singers in the world. And she did it as a single parent.

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Proud Mom

Will Smith’s mom Caroline Smith has a lot to proud of – from her super successful son and his wife, to her grandchildren.

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Family Business

Through her management company, Brandy and Ray-J’s mother Sonja Norwood helped make them the celebrities they are today.

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Fab Mommy

We’ll bet anything Kimora Lee Simmons first learned about fabulosity from her stylish mom, Joanne Perkins.

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Two of a Kind

Naomi Campbell’s mom Valerie Campbell is just as gorgeous as her supermodel daughter.

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My First Love

Before he married wife Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon’s red-carpet partner-in-crime was mom Beth Hackett. The two continue to share a special bond, as Nick raises his own children.

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Lady’s Love

Trey Songz’ mom April Tucker is as youthful as ever.

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They Got Each Other’s Back

Laila Ali and her mother don’t often see eye to eye, but they agree on one subject: Laila is the overprotective one. “If we go out or I leave Laila’s house, she always says, ‘Call me when you get home!’” says Veronica Porche, Psy.D., Ali’s mother. “I’m overprotective of anyone I care about,” explains Ali, in her defense.

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Model Citizen

Author Zuleykha Haywood and her mom, supermodel Iman.

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Mogul’s Mom

Jay-Z calls Brooklyn native Gloria Carter, “mom.”

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Three’s Company

Mary Mary show off their gorgeous mother Thomasina Atkins on the red carpet.

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Best Buddies

Carolyn London is not only mother to model turned mogul Tyra Banks, she and her daughter are best friends. "The main thing that I’m most moved by is the fact that she has this real gift for opening herself, opening her soul, being strong and brave enough to share,” says Banks about her mother.

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21
Rapper’s Delight

Common gets his smarts from his mother, Dr. Mahalia Ann Hines.

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Mommy and Me

Monica got her powerhouse voice from her mother, Marilyn Best who sang in church.

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Precious Moments

Richie and her mother Brenda Richie share a sweet moment.

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Gotta Love Her

Drake was raised by his mother Sandi Graham.

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My Rock

LeBron James’s mom Gloria embraces her superstar son.

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Hot Mommas

Well at least we know where Niecy Nash gets her spiciness from. Clearly mom, Margaret Ensley keeps it fab at any age.

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Support System

Sean “Diddy” Combs continues to maintain a close relationship with mom, Janice Combs who raised the entertainment mogul as a single mom, after his father passed away.

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By Your Side

Halle Berry says her mom Judith Ann Hawkins is always her best support system.

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Double Take

Malinda Williams’s mom, Beverly, could easily pass for her sister.

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All this Love

Estelle holds tight to her mother, Deen Swaray.

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31
Solid as a Rock

Chris Rock continues to credit mother Rose with pushing him to be his best. She shared her secrets to raising three well-balanced children in the book, “Mama Rock’s Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Houseful of Successful Children.”

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Solid As a Rock

Chris Rock continues to credit mother Rose with pushing him to be his best. She shared her secrets to raising three well-balanced children in the book, Mama Rock’s Rules: Ten Lessons for Raising a Houseful of Successful Children.

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Love Like This

Jordin Sparks and her mother Jodi Sparks maintain a super close relationship.

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Best of Both Worlds

Malcolm-Jamal Warner starred as the son of Clair Huxtable on The Cosby Show. In real life had mom, Pamela Warner.

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Legendary Beauty

Tracee Ellis Ross is blessed with her mom Diana Ross’s beauty.

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Team Style

“She’s great company,” says Emmy Award-winning actress Lynn Whitfield about her daughter, Grace Gibson, who’s a model and a dancer. “We’re such a team.”

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Brave Heart

Good Morning America co-anchor and breast cancer survivor Robin Roberts turned to her mother for support when she was first diagnosed with the disease in 2007. With her mother’s love, family support and encouragement of millions of fans, Roberts publicly shared her experience with dignity, style and grace.

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Love Is Real

For actress Rachel True, a mother extends beyond biological definitions. Raised by her stepmother Verona True the star told ESSENCE, “I know it must have been difficult for you to step in and raise two children who were missing their biological mother, but you really took care of us. I’m thankful to my birth mother for letting my father raise me in a stable family—and I’m glad Dad picked you.”

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39
Lovely Ladies

Model Anansa Sims is taking a walk in her mother Beverly Johnson’s shoes.

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40
Why We Admire Mom’s

“I am so grateful that you gave me the gift of limitless possibilities. Your value as a woman is so much greater than simply being my mother,” says former “Half and Half” star Essence Atkins about her mother Sandy Nelson.

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Better Days

Jumping the Broom star Tasha Smith and her mother, Monique, have repaired their relationship since her childhood, when her mother battled drug addiction. Tasha encourages others to let go of the past and cherish the time you have with loved ones.

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42
Knowles Knows Best

Tina Knowles’ daughters are both successful. Can we get a how-to book in the near future?

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43
Shining Glory

Oscar-nominated actress Taraji P. Henson shows off her stylish mother at the 2nd Annual ESSENCE Black Women In Hollywood Luncheon in Beverly Hills in March 2008.

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Hot Mommas
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Rugrat to Runway

Designer Kimora Lee set her two little ones on the right track, er, runway. In 2007, Ming, 9, and Aoki Lee Simmons, 6, goddaughters to Tyra Banks, launched their own kids clothing line called Ming and Aoki.

Read more about a mother’s love from our exclusive interview with First Lady Michelle Obama and her mother Marian Robinson. »

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46
My First Love

Before he married wife Mariah Carey, Nick Cannon’s red-carpet partner-in-crime was mom Beth Hackett. The two continue to share a special bond, as Nick begins a family of his own.

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Rappers Delight
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49
Mommy & Me

Oscar winner Halle Berry looks fit and fab in just about everything she wears. We’re pretty sure baby Nahla Ariela Aubry will walk proudly in her mom’s fashion footsteps.

Read more about a mother’s love from our exclusive interview with First Lady Michelle Obama and her mother Marian Robinson. »

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50
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun

Sasha and Malia have become the world’s favorite trendsetters-in-training, taking notes from their stylish mother, who has fun with fashion, colors and prints.

Read more about a mother’s love from our exclusive interview with First Lady Michelle Obama and her mother Marian Robinson. »

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51
Two Hot to Handle

Haiti-born Hollywood beauty Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon and her mother, Marie-Claire, dazzle on the red carpet. Beauvais-Nilon gave birth to twin boys Jax Joseph and Jaid Thomas in 2007, making her and her mother two hot mamas.

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52
Pretty Ladies

“Ugly Betty” star Vanessa Williams passed the good genes on to her beautiful daughters, Jillian (left), and Melanie.

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