
Mother’s Day is here, and in the realm of entertainment, there’s no lack of iconic movie moms. Motherhood, of course, comes in all shapes and sizes, and that’s been portrayed in various ways throughout cinema history — be it comedy, drama or sometimes straight-up horror films. In celebration of Mother’s Day, we’ve rounded up a list of some of the most iconic moms from the silver screen. This isn’t an objective be-all, end-all list, but a mere snapshot of the range of unforgettable mothers that have been brought to life – particularly in the last couple of decades. We’ve got revenge-seeking moms, protective moms, and even killer moms on this list.
Check out some of cinema’s most iconic movie moms below.

Kathleen Turner as Beverly Sutphin in “Serial Mom” (1994)
You might think being called a killer mom is a compliment, but Kathleen Turner quite literally played an easily-ticked-off yet delightfully polite murderous mother when she starred as Beverly Sutphin in “Serial Mom.” Living as a happy housewife and a mother of two in the middle of suburbia, Beverly’s long list of kills began after her son’s teacher spoke despairingly about him. And her response was to do what else? Run him over. “Serial Mom,” premiered in theaters on April 13, 1994.

Irma P. Hall as Mother Joe or Big Mama in “Soul Food” (1997)
The matriarch of the family and the person who always brings everyone together is “Soul Food’s” Mother Joe, or as she’s affectionally called Big Mama. After falling into a coma during an operation, the entire Joseph family is left scrambling to keep the family and its traditions afloat. And in the midst of it, they clash into one another, exposing generational trauma and adding in new drama along the way. “Soul Food” debuted in theaters Sept. 26, 1997.

Michelle Yeoh as Evelyn Wang in “Everything Everywhere All at Once”(2022)
Being a mother already means being a superhero, but when overworked businessowner Evelyn Wang (Michelle Yeoh) taps into a newfound powers, she quite literally saves the day after an interdimensional rupture occurs. “Everything Everywhere All at Once” came out on March 11, 2022 and took home seven Academy awards, including Best Picture in 2023, and the film also deftly explores the complicated relationships between mothers and daughters.

Jennifer Lopez as Slim Hiller in “Enough” (2002)
After working as a waitress, Slim (Jennifer Lopez) finds love with wealthy contractor Mitch (Billy Campbell) and begins what seems to be a life filled with happiness and luxury. But after getting married, Slim ends up on the run from her abusive and possessive husband. When she decides not to flee any longer she confronts Mitch one last time to save herself and her young daughter. “Enough” premiered on May 21, 2002, and Lopez plays another badass mom in the 2023 Netflix film “The Mother,” in which she’s an assassin protecting her child.

Catherine O’Hara as Kate McCallister in “Home Alone” (1990)
When we say amazing mothers will do anything for you, Kate McCallister (Catherine O’Hara) in the “Home Alone” franchise took to it to an entirely new level. Kate went to great lengths to get back to her son when she realized her Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) was left behind (twice!). While Kevin made it look easy warding off two screwball robbers, Kate’s motherly instincts were spot-on. “Home Alone” premiered on Nov. 16, 1990.

Emily Blunt as Evelyn Abbott in “A Quiet Place”(2018)
Giving birth is a hard enough job for mothers, imagine having to give stay silent during the ordeal while a terrifying, hungry alien is after you (and your child). Emily Blunt plays Evelyn Abbott in “A Quiet Place” and “A Quiet Place 2.” The film follows a family as they navigate their new world where they live in complete silence in order to evade blood-thirsty creatures that hunt by sound. “A Quiet Place” came out on April 6, 2018 while the sequel opened May 28, 2021. Both films were directed by Blunt’s husband (and father of her children) John Krasinski.

Kieu Chinh as Suyuan Woo in “The Joy Luck Club” (1993)
Based on the novel by Amy Tan, “The Joy Luck Club” tells the story of four Chinese women Suyuan Woo (Kieu Chinh), An-Mei Hsu (Lisa Lu), Lindo Jong (Tsai Chin) and Ying-ying St. Clair (France Nuyen) who come together regularly to play Mahjong, a tradition started by Suyuan — the creator of their Joy Luck Club group. After Suyuan dies of a cerebral aneurysm, her 36-year-old daughter Jing Mei “June” Woo (Ming-Na Wen) steps in to take her role at the Joy Luck Club’s next meeting. While there, the women and their daughters discuss their generational differences, and the struggles their mothers underwent during their migration to the U.S. The film premiered on Sept. 8, 1993.

Cicely Tyson Myrtle Evers in “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” (2005)
Mothers always know best, and it was no different for Myrtle Evers, played by Cicely Tyson in Tyler Perry’s “Diary of a Mad Black Woman.” While Myrtle’s daughter Helen (Kimberly Elise) didn’t immediately accept her sound advice about grace and forgiveness, she got it eventually — after torturing her unfaithful husband that is. “Diary of a Mad Black Woman” came out on Feb. 25, 2005.

Jenny Gago as Maria Sánchez in “My Family” (1995)
“My Family” or “Mi Familia” tells the story of a Mexican migrant family and its early beginnings in the U.S. The film is narrated by the family’s youngest Jimmy and starts with the journeys of his mother and father, Jose (Jacob Vargas) and Maria (Jennifer Lopez and Jenny Gago), who both traveled from Mexico to Los Angeles where they meet. As years go by Jose and Maria raise do their best to raise their family with the resources they have. “My Family” came out on May 3, 1995.

Uma Thurman as Beatrix Kiddo in “Kill Bill” (2003)
After coming out of a four-year-long coma, former assassin Black Mamba sets off on a mission to murder the team of assassins who wronged her on the day of her wedding and while she was with child. By the end of Vol. 2 (spoiler alert), she finds out that her child survived and she’s been taken care of by the person who orchestrated her attack: Bill. The film series “Kill Bill” premiered in theaters Oct. 10, 2003.