The “mom” characters from TV shows and movies—and their storylines—aren’t always heart-warming. If the mother isn’t killed off shortly after the opening credits (almost every Disney movie), she might be ruthless (Game of Thrones’ Cersei Lannister), vapid (Gossip Girl’s Lily van der Woodsen), or just plain cold-blooded. (Livia Soprano, you might recall, put out a hit on her own son.)
On the more pleasant, less sociopathic end of the spectrum, though, you’ll find famous fictional moms who regularly demonstrate the grit and grace—and often the fashion sense—that real-life moms might find themselves aspiring to. The best among them are still flawed (we’ll pass on Carol Brady’s placid smile and Lorelai Gilmore’s jean shorts) but all 12 of the iconic TV and movie moms below have something worth copycatting.
