Hollywood’s Most Badass Moms

When it comes to her brood, the duchess will always be queen. That’s because, while all badass moms know when to put their children first, Meghan did so with the entire world watching – and criticizing – every move she made. As Markle revealed in her now-famous tell-all with Oprah Winfrey, fear for her son Archie’s safety (not to mention equality within the royal family) was a large part of what drove her and Prince Harry to ditch the royal life and move to California. Furthermore, we applaud the mom for speaking out about miscarriage and mental health, two topics that are difficult for any mom to navigate.

Chrissy Teigen has always been real about her personal life on social media, but never more so than when she’s talking about being a mom to Luna and Miles. From breastfeeding and mom-shaming, to needing the odd break and everything in between, she has made moms feel less alone in their own journeys while slamming all the haters. That realness was never more apparent than last year when she and her husband John Legend lost their third baby, Jack, following a difficult pregnancy. Teigen’s raw posts were heartbreaking, but entirely relatable to all of the other women out there who have suffered similar losses.

There are enough demands on working moms everywhere without having to also be a working mom in the spotlight. That was the position Michelle Obama was in when Barack Obama became the 44th President of the United States, and suddenly she and her daughters, Sasha and Malia, were household names. We’d say the former first lady proved that you can be a badass mom and a badass leader, all through leading by example and speaking up for yourself. Even though Michelle is now an empty-nester, there’s no doubt that she sent two (equally) remarkable ladies out into the world and will continue being a guiding presence to them (not to mention the rest of us) for years to come.

You can’t round up Hollywood’s most badass moms and not include JLo. In addition to being a single mom, Super Bowl performer, Golden Globe nominee, and all-around amazing human, it’s pretty clear that she’s also head-over-heels for her twins, Emme and Maximillian. That much was clear from her emotional Instagram post on their 13th birthday last February, when she spoke for moms everywhere. “I’m feeling so many emotions this morning… so very emotional today,” she wrote. “So proud and happy and heartbroken that I can’t freeze time.” Hear, Hear.

There’s no denying that divorce is hard on everyone, but especially for the kids. So we can only imagine how trying it was for Jennifer Garner and Ben Affleck to consciously uncouple back in the day while also dealing with all of those rumours and trying to create a safe space for their three children. But that’s also part of what makes Jen such a badass mom. Not only did she forgive Ben for everything they’d been through, but she’s never said a bad thing about him publicly. Furthermore, their co-parenting style is proof that it is still possible to put the kids first, even after the relationship has long since fizzled out. Add in the fact that Jen works her butt off and that her Instagram is basically the joy so many people need in their lives, and well… she deserves a place on this list.

Sure, Serena Williams is a 23-time Grand Slam tennis winner, but she’s also one champ of a mom. The athlete has been honest more than once about her struggles to balance motherhood with her career, making her one of the most relatable celebs out there. Of course we also appreciate that Serena keeps fans apprised of her daughter's growth spurts and all-around cuteness on her own official Instagram page, which currently has more than 600,000 followers and counting.

On screen and behind-the-scenes Gabrielle Union is one admirable woman, starring in and producing her own series while speaking up for herself and against inequality on TV series that are less than equal (hi there, America’s Got Talent). In terms of her everyday life, Gabrielle is equally outspoken, getting real about infertility and surrogacy with her daughter Kaavia, but also walking the walk when it comes to supporting her trans step-daughter, Zaya Wade. In other words, she is one heck of a bad ass mom.

You don’t need to be an Upper East Sider to know that Blake Lively is in hot demand as an actor, but she has made no apologies for taking a step back from her career to be a mom. The mother-of-three has been super selective of her projects ever since she and husband Ryan Reynolds entered parenthood, which is a badass choice in itself. Not everyone can afford to do it, but there are many stay-at-home mothers who want to soak it all in and cherish every second they have with their children, despite the naysayers who may put them down for it. Meanwhile we also love how protective Blake and Ryan are of their children’s identities, choosing only to bring them out for the big moments… like the time Ryan got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

There’s a reason Beyoncé is our original Bey, and that’s because in addition to being one of the hardest-working people in the business she’s also really darned good at what she does: music, dancing, fashion… you name it, she kills it. So no one would blame the personality if she didn’t have time for PTA meetings and other regular mom stuff, but Beyoncé does all that and more for kids Rumi, Sir and Blue Ivy. Not only does she make time for her kids, but she also tries to incorporate them into her world whenever possible (fashion lines and album covers, for example). It’s also clear from her interviews and social media accounts that she’s super protective of her cubs, and that makes us love her even more.

We’re still mourning the cancellation of Busy Phillips’ late-night talk show, because it was a space where she got real with her guests about the trials of parenting (among other subjects). The good news is that Busy always seems down to chat about her kids and she frequently features them on her Instagram page. The actor has also spoken out in the past about how she doesn’t buy into the whole “mommy wine” culture, and that she does some of her best parenting while sober. Considering the popular thing these days seems to be parenting with a side of red, it’s heartening to see celebrities speak out about that stereotype and remind everyone that there are various, valid ways to get through this whole motherhood thing.