Happy (Hollywood) Mothers Day!

First SJP wanted to be a gay icon (see old post: A History of ...Sarah Jessica Parker) and now she wants to be "America's Most Fabulous Mom" Basically she's planning to cover all female archetypal roles before she dies. She's already done plucky child star (Annie), brainy nerd girl (Square Pegs), longsuffering girlfriend (The Robert Downey Jr years), blonde ditz (LA Story), trophy girlfriend (First Wives Club), gay icon/fashion muse/sex symbol/career girl (Sex & The City) so why not? But she has a lot of competition for this latest title.

Though I often express dismay at my favorite actresses ditching their careers for diaper changing (especially in the cases where they just disappear), I do find the subject of Hollywood moms fascinating. If you take press and media at face value ALL OF THEM... every last celebrity who has given birth or adopted is a passionately devoted and caring hands-on mother. I'm talking about the actual stars, mind you, not the stage moms who gain fame from the fruits of their womb. The latter variety are invariably painted as monsters. They're all Rose from Gypsy, only without the sympathy gaining classic curtain calls of their own.

Once famous folks have passed on, the truth (or new perceptions) will out. Superstar mothers and stage mothers alike undoubtedly land on all gradations of the curve between fabulous nurturing role model and abusive and neglectful parent. You know that a few of them have to be Ingrid Bergmans (well liked by their children but by all accounts often not present) and there's probably modern Joan Crawfords (straight up psycho/evil if you believe the infamous tell-alls some star legends become burdened with) too

But today on this special day (have you called your mother yet?) we should believe that they're all saints. Every single one of them is the super do-it-all woman we want her to be. Here are a few of my favorite actresses with their broods as well as some other happy celebrity moms & kids. A happy day to all of them... and any moms reading this, too!


Now, call your mother!