Mother’s Day is upon us, and it’s a necessity that we make all of the motherly figures in our lives feel as special as they are. Whether it’s your biological mom, stepmom etc, make sure you take the time to show your appreciation. While these women have been the backbones of our lives, they’re not the only ones we need to pay homage to. We have our real-life mothers and we have our fictional mothers.
These are the women who we grew up watching on television and in films and who have taught us life lessons from afar. From the uber-classy Dee Mitchell of Moesha to Greenleaf’s Lady Mae Greenleaf, we salute these mommas today and always. Here’s our list of eight fictional mothers that we’re celebrating for Mother’s Day this year.
1. Sheryl Lee Ralph as Dee Mitchell
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The ’90s sitcom Moesha made an impact on all of us, and we have the titular character’s stepmom to thank for that. Sure, these two Mitchell women may not have always seen eye-to-eye, but the love was always there. The most important lesson that Dee taught us was everlasting patience. Considering how much of a handful Moesha was, she must’ve had a great deal of it.
2. Lynn Whitfield as Lady Mae Greenleaf
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Can I get an Amen? Greenleaf’s Lady Mae Greenleaf deserves this and so much more for her fierce parenting style founded on the love of her children. We love a mother who knows no bounds when protecting her family. Lady Mae taught us the power of reconciliation after mending her relationship with her daughter, Grace.
3. Anna Maria Horsford as Mrs. Jones
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What would the Friday franchise be without the fabulous and shady Mrs. Jones? We stan a queen who could get to the bag and throw shade at her neighbor in one scene. An icon! The lesson that Mrs. Jones taught us? How to quickly maneuver from talking crap to making plans to hang out with the subject of said crap talking.
4. Esther Rolle as Florida Evans
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Hands down, Good Times‘ Florida Evans may be the ultimate OG mother. We salute anyone who can raise JJ Evans and two other children while keeping her sanity. Mrs. Evans taught us the beauty of resilience. After losing her husband, James Evans, she still made it happen for her family. Get it, Flo!
5. Paula Jai Parker as Trudy Proud
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Recently, The Proud Family has been rebooted for Disney+ and we’re most excited to see our lovely, young matriarch, Trudy Proud. The calming nature that she exudes is reason enough to pay for that subscription. After all, what other fictional TV mother is poised to teach us how important it is to allow your child to grow into adulthood on their own terms? Penny and her siblings are blessed.
6. Jill Marie Jones as Toni Childs
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Toni Childs of Girlfriends may be a lot of things, but the good mother title is certainly one that she’s deserving of. Sure, she could never remember Jabari’s name, but she certainly remembered her daughter’s! Toni constantly reinforced the message of it never being too late to get your act together. We’re all a work in progress.
7. Janet Hubert as Vivian Banks
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Whether you prefer The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air or Bel-Air, you must admit that Aunt Viv is the cornerstone of both. We must give her her rightful flowers for taking in her nephew, who was just uprooted from his home, with the same love she showers her children with. The beloved Aunt Viv taught us that it’s never a bad idea to maintain your own life before becoming someone’s wife. Her name is Vivian Banks, and the B stands for bands.
8. Jackée Harry as Lisa Landry-Sims
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Imagine being the mother to a teenage girl and then discovering that she has an identical twin sister. On Sister, Sister, that’s exactly what happened to Lisa Landry-Sims. The fashion designer will always receive praise from us for mothering both young ladies and doing a great job at it. This fabulous mom showed us the importance of allowing your children to be raised by a village, as it truly takes one.
Which of these leading ladies resonates with you the most? Whether it’s the calmness of Trudy Proud or the fierceness of Lady Mae Greenleaf, there were several lessons learned that we still keep with us to this day.
