Hollywood's Famous Celebrity Godparents
Emma McIntyre via Getty Images for The Recording Academy

29+ Unexpected Godparents in Hollywood

Celebs

| LAST UPDATE 01/01/2023

By Abby Wall

Some of these celebrities got their start in Hollywood way before they were even born. Here are some of our favorite stars who have famous godparents or "fairy godmothers," as Dolly Parton would say!

Jamie Lee Curtis & Jake Gyllenhaal

Jamie Lee Curtis plays the warm, endearing, and loving mother in most of her roles, so who better be deemed the perfect godmother to Jake Gyllenhaal? In fact, their relationship goes way back!

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Charbonneau/BEI via Shutterstock

Curtis is longtime friends with Gyllenhaal's parents, Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal, and director Stephen Gyllenhaal, which granted her the spot of godmother! The actress frequently supports her godson in his many acting endeavors and even wrote "PROUD GODMOTHER ALERT" on one of his Instagram posts promoting The Guilty.

Marisa Tomei & Zoë Kravitz

With Lenny Kravitz as her father, Lisa Bonet as her father, and Jason Momoa as her step-father, Zoë Kravitz has a famous family tree we could only dream about! So who can possibly take the title of her godmother? Actress Marisa Tomei holds the position, but how did that come to fruition?

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Jeff Vespa/VF1/WireImage via Getty Images

Tomei starred in the 1980s sitcom, A Different World alongside Lisa Bonet, who may not have stayed on the show for very long, but the two remained close friends ever since. So when it came down to picking godmothers, Tomei got the job. She is also godmother to Bonet's two children with Momoa - Lola and Nakoa-Wolf.

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Eva Longoria & Harper Beckham

Victoria Beckham and Eva Longoria have been BFFs since Vic and her husband, David Beckham, moved to LA in 2007 when the soccer player began playing for the LA Galaxy. Their friendship just kicked off, and years later, Longoria was asked to be the godmother to the couple's fourth child Harper Seven.

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Instagram via @victoriabeckham

"Victoria asked me to be Harper's godmother, and of course, I said yes," Eva told the Mirror. "I'm absolutely thrilled. Harper is simply adorable," she said. The fashion designer even created Eva's wedding dress in 2016 and was her bridesmaid as well!

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Quincy Jones & Nicole Richie

When Nicole Richie was adopted by music legend Lionel Richie, he named his friend and iconic music producer Quincy Jones to be her godfather. Jones worked on many hits with her father, Lionel, such as the huge hit that was born back in the '80s, We Are the World.

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 Kevin Mazur/WireImage via Getty Images

Nicole has even remained close friends with Jones' two daughters, Rashida and Kidada, since she was young. However, Jones wasn't Nicole's only godfather! In fact, the fashion designer's second godfather was none other than Lionel's longtime friend and frequent collaborator, Michael Jackson.

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Macaulay Culkin & Paris Jackson

The Home Alone actor became good friends with the late musician back in the 1990s, and the King of Pop named him the godfather to his three children: Paris Jackson, Michael Jackson Jr., and Prince "Blanket" Jackson. After the musician passed away, Culkin remained close to his godchildren, specifically Paris.

Hollywood's Famous Celebrity GodparentsHollywood's Famous Celebrity Godparents
Instagram via @parisjackson

Culkin is particularly protective over his goddaughter and keeps the details of their relationship relatively private. In an interview on Marc Maron's WTF podcast, the actor shared, "I am very protective of her, so just look out," he said. "I am a very open book when it comes to things, but like with her, she is beloved by me."

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Steven Spielberg & Drew Barrymore

What an iconic duo! Steven Spielberg is responsible for basically making Barrymore's career after directing her in her breakout role as Gertie in ET the Extra-Terrestrial all the way back in 1982! The famous director has always served as an inspiration to Drew throughout her career, as she continued to make him proud!

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Steve Granitz/Wire Image via Getty Images

Throughout the years, Spielberg has really taken his role seriously! The director famously sent Drew a hilarious gift back in the '90s after she posed for Playboy. It was a quilt with a note that said, "cover yourself up," and the two still laugh about it today.

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Steven Spielberg & Gwyneth Paltrow

Steven Spielberg isn't godfather to just one Hollywood A-lister, but two! The film director is close friends with Gwyneth's parents, Blythe Danner and Bruce Paltrow, and was given the job as her godfather when she was born. And just like with Barrymore, he takes his role very seriously!

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Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

The longtime movie director came in handy a few years back when he took on the job as the videographer for Gwyneth's wedding to husband Brad Falchuk! She shared, "He definitely has videoed me over the years, and he was actually, you know, the only person who was videoing at my wedding two and a half years ago."

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Jessica Alba, Topher Grace & James Knight Newman

Jessica Alba and Topher Grace might make the coolest godparents ever! The Hart of Dixie actress announced the duo would become their baby boy's godparents in an adorable Instagram post, "So grateful for our baby #JamesKnight to have such loving Godparents. Thank you for being there for us and the love of our lives."

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Instagram via @jaime_king

King and her husband are longtime friends with Grace and Alba, making them the ideal candidates! King shared the adorable snap of her son and his godparents, writing, "Life is a constant gift. Our baby blessing this evening for our son #JamesKnightNewman with our beloved godparents @tophergrace and @jessicaalba.

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Taylor Swift & Leo Thames 

King sure knows how to pick 'em! The actress clearly surrounds herself with only the best of the best, as she chose Taylor Swift to be her second baby's godmother. "She's so loving and so giving and so generous, and she does everything from her heart, and she's incredibly brave and authentic. It's a very rare thing to come across."

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Instagram via @jaime_king

"I always thought if I were to have another child that she would be the ideal godmother because the way she not only treats me but the way she treats other human beings," Jaime told E! News. Swift takes her godmother responsibilities pretty seriously, as she often posts adorable flicks of them together!

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Joan Collins & Cara Delevingne

The legendary actress was good friends with the model's parents, Charles and Pandora, which then earned her the title of Cara Delevigne's godmother! The two are often pictured together at events or enjoying a nice day together under the sun in Malibu.

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Dominique Charriau/French Select via Getty Images

"She is the most natural and down-to-earth girl you could ever meet," the Dynasty actress said about her goddaughter. "You would never believe she is a top model. I am very proud, and I think it is wonderful what she has done." Now that's what we love to hear!

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Hugh Grant & Damian Hurley

Hugh Grant and Elizabeth Hurley's love story goes all the way back to the '80s when they met on the set of Roaring with the Wind. The actors immediately fell head over heels for each other and dated for 13 years before calling it quits after Hugh was caught cheating.

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 Jon Furniss/Wire Image via Getty Images

However, the duo remained close over the years, and when Hurley welcomed her child, Damien Charles, into the world, she asked her former boo to be her son's godfather. A few years back, Grant opened up about their decades-long friendship, saying they are like "brother and sister," according to the Daily Mail.

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Dolly Parton & Miley Cyrus

The queen of country shares a special bond with the entire Cyrus family, which explains how she landed the special role as Miley's "fairy godmother." Parton worked with Miley's father, Billy Ray, for years, and after getting to know each other, it was Dolly who made the decision that Miley "got to be my fairy goddaughter."

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 Emma McIntyre via Getty Images for The Recording Academy

The two superstar musicians have an unbreakable bond that goes way past their love of country music. Dolly often acts as Cyrus' mentor, giving her those words of wisdom we could all use! "I've told her some things that I think are valuable and that she uses, but I'd rather live an example," Dolly told People in 2019.

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Leah Remini, Max Muñiz & Emme Muñiz

Jenny from the block and actress Leah Remini's friendship goes years and years back after the two met through the singer's ex-husband Marc Anthony. "We're very close like sisters are, but in a different way that sisters are," said Leah Remini of her friendship with Lopez on The View. So who better to be the twin's god mama?!

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Stefanie Keenan/WireImage via Getty Images

Before Remini received the prestigious godmother title, she joked to People that she and her husband had asked for "an audition for godparent roles." Her husband jokingly said, "Not sure whether it entails that we have to sing, dance, recite a monologue, but we're ready!" Well, wish granted!

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Sadie Frost & Lila Grace

The British actress Sadie Frost and supermodel best friend Kate Moss have been through it all. The two met years ago when Frost was married to her ex-husband Jude Law, and the three became inseparable. However, three children later and Frost and Law separated.

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David M. Benett/Dave Benett via Getty Images

However, Frost and Moss remained inseparable over the years, which could explain how they are both godmothers to each other's daughters. Iris Law and Lila Grace Moss Hack are even following in their famous mothers' footsteps as they try to make it in Hollywood themselves.

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Kathie Lee Gifford, Kendall Jenner & Kylie Jenner

The Today host and Kris Jenner go all the way back to their early 20s. According to Gifford, they met when she first started her career in California and have remained close ever since. So close that she was even named godmother to the youngest Jenners.

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Facebook via TODAY with Hoda & Jenna

Kris even revealed in her memoir, Kris Jenner… And All Things Kardashian, that her close friend helped choose Kendall's name. "I started throwing out names to Kathie Lee," she wrote. "'Kameron'… 'Kendall' — and she stopped me at 'Kendall.'" And voila!

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Henry Winkler & Bryce Dallas Howard

Growing up with a famous father must mean a famous godparent, right?! Well, Bryce Dallas Howard scored big time with her superstar of a godfather, Henry Winkler. Her father, Ron Howard, worked alongside "The Fonz" on the iconic American sitcom Happy Days back in the '70s, and the two remained close ever since.

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Andrew Toth via Getty Images for The Environmental Media Association

In an interview with The Talk, Howard talked about her relationship with Winkler. "He's just the most wonderful man. It's great as a kid to have adults who you can go to who are mentors. They don't have the ability to ground you, but they do have the wisdom of being someone who loves you and who cares about you and is aware."

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Jacqueline Bisset & Angelina Jolie

Bisset's relationship with the Maleficient star goes way back to before Jolie was even born! The British actress was great friends with Jolie's late mother, Marcheline Bertrand, who she met when she was starring alongside Jolie's father, Jon Voight, in the 1975 thriller, The End of the Game.

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 Lester Cohen/Wire Image via Getty Images

According to Bisset, "We became friends, and she asked me to be her godmother when Angie was in the tummy." The Deep actress speaks so highly of her goddaughter, calling her "extraordinary." Bisset says, "Her whole aura is breathtaking, and it's amazing how much she's changed in different stages [of life]. She's evolved so much."

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Sia & Maddie Ziegler

Unlike most celebrity godparent relationships, Sia and Ziegler have no previous connections! According to the dancer, Sia and the rest of the world saw the then-eight-year old on Dance Moms, where she "religiously" watched the show and tweeted at her asking if she would dance in her Chandelier music video.

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Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic via Getty Images

According to Maddie Ziegler, "The day we met, we clicked, and we knew that it was a special connection," and well, the rest was history. The dancer told Jimmy Fallon in an interview they've always kept such a tight relationship, and she just thinks she's her "god mom now!"

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Meryl Streep & Billie Lourd

Lourd was destined for fame, with actress Carrie Fisher as her mother and superstar Debbie Reynolds as her grandmother, so it only made sense that she scored one of the biggest names in Hollywood as her godmother! Before Lourd was born, her mother met Streep on the set of Postcards From the Edge, and the rest was history.

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ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images

As Lourd made her way into showbiz, Streep passed along some words of wisdom to the aspiring actor. According to Lourde, the Mamma Mia! star suggests that she just enjoys herself and "Take a step back and try to not be stressed every day," according to Elle.

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Vin Diesel & Meadow Walker

This one is just good for the soul. Vin Diesel and the late Paul Walker were more than just co-stars in the Fast & Furious franchise; they were brothers. The two go way back to before the franchise even began, and Diesel was named Meadow's godfather in 1998 when she was born.

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Instagram via @meadowwalker

The actor and his goddaughter have such a close relationship that he even walked her down the aisle at her wedding last year in honor of the late Paul Walker. Speaking about his love for Meadow, Diesel said, "I feel very protective. It goes beyond the movie."

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Jenni "Jwoww" Farley & Lorenzo Lavalle

Jersey Shore fans must be thrilled to know that friendships made at the shore don't always just stay at the shore! A few years after the iconic duo left the Jersey Shore to start settling down and having babies, Snooki gave birth to her first child Lorenzo, and immediately gave BFF JWoww the title of godmother.

JWoww Snooki Family GodparentsJWoww Snooki Family Godparents
Jamie McCarthy via Getty Images

"I think I'll be a pretty good godmommy," the reality star told MTV News. "I already started Lorenzo's college tuition. That was his present from me." As far as words of wisdom, "I'm just gonna show him the ways and hope he learns from me and his mom's errors and mistakes that we made along the way." Ah, the good times!

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Molly Bernard & Banks Violet

Not only did the actresses star together in the sitcom series Younger, but the two actresses are actually BFFs in real life. As per social media, Duff and Bernard are constantly posting pics of each other and their families, so when it came down to choosing godparents, the choice was easy!

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Instagram via @bollymernard

"After [Banks] was born, I was like, 'Oh, does she have a godmother?' And Hil was like," she told People, pointing at herself. Well, that settles that right! Bernard takes her god-parenting duties very seriously, as she's always posting pictures of her goofing around and having fun with Banks and Duff's two other children.

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Mariska Hargitay & Sophia Meloni

This is a huge win for Law & Order: Special Victims Unit fans all over. Although special detectives Olivia Benson (Mariska Hargitay) and Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni) never dated on the show or in real life, we're glad to announce the next best thing. Hargitay is godmother to Meloni's 21-year-old daughter, Sophia!

Mariska Hargitay Chris Meloni DaughterMariska Hargitay Chris Meloni Daughter
Djamilla Rosa Cochran/WireImage via Getty Images

"The birth of his first child and being privy to his amazing, solid relationship with his wife, before I had that for myself — I think that Chris and Sherman played a really big role for me, to see this really stable couple that loved each other," Hargitay told People of the example they created for her.

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Cicely Tyson & Lenny Kravitz

According to the musician, Tyson, and his mother, Roxie Roker, were "kindred spirits," which explains how she secured the spot as Lenny's godmother, and they were, too, just as close. "After my mother passed, Godmother's role in my life was amplified," Kravitz said. "I constantly felt her spirit over me."

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Instagram via @lennykravitz

The two had an unbreakable bond, and Kravitz constantly sang her praises for the world to listen. "All I can do is thank God that we have been on this planet at the same time, and I have been so blessed to receive your love. The best is yet to come. I love you," he captioned her 96th birthday post right before she passed.

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Khloe Kardashian & North West

How does one choose a godmother as a Kardashian? We imagine it can be extremely overwhelming with so many siblings to choose from! But at the end of the day, decisions were made, and Kimye's firstborn, North West, was named goddaughter to Khloe Kardashian.

Khloe Kardashian North West GodparentKhloe Kardashian North West Godparent
Instagram via @khloekardashian

When Kim's little girl was just one year old, the family traveled to Israel for North's baptism at the St. James Cathedral in the Armenian Quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. According to an insider, it was during the special ceremony that Khloe was named godmother, and eight years later, she's still killing it!

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Kim Kardashian & True Thompson

So naturally, Khloe returned the favor when her turn came around, despite knowing it would cause an issue with Kourtney. "Watching Kimberly be a mom, I really respect her parenting skills — not that I don't respect Kourtney's, I relate to how Kim parents more," Khloe shared in an episode of Keeping Up.

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Kevin Mazur via Getty Images for ABA

"I feel like Kim has been so selfless during my pregnancy," added Khloé. "She's trying to just help make sure that you feel your best, look your best, have the best. She's so secure in her life that I feel like she would be an incredible godparent. She's just been a great friend and sister." With that, Kim was the chosen one!

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Lady Gaga & Zachary & Elijah Furnish-John

Gaga and Elton John are like two peas in a pod! The eccentric performers have a harmonious relationship incomparable to most, so naturally, the singer was named Gagamother to Elton John's boys! According to John, Gaga has a "very heavy-scheduled life, but she always finds time for them." Now that's love.

Lady Gaga Elton John KidsLady Gaga Elton John Kids
Steve Granitz/FilmMagic via Getty Images

At the end of the day, the couple believes she is a "great role model" for their boys, which translates into her superior godmother abilities and always making time for them! "She bathes them, she sings to them, she reads stories to them," John explained. "She's the greatest godmother. She really cares."

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David Beckham & Sailor & Lula Gardner

Fans were surprised to see Liv Tyler announce the soccer superstar had been handed over the title of godfather to her two youngest children, Sailor & Lula, but as it turns out, it makes total sense! Tyler's partner, Dave Gardner, has been Beckham's agent and business manager for years.

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Instagram via @misslivalittle

The two became friends almost 15 years ago after meeting at Manchester United Youth Club, and they have remained close ever since. So when it came down to things, Beckham was chosen as godfather. Tyler often posts adorable pictures of the trio on Instagram while rooting for the soccer player in all his endeavors!

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Zach Braff & Rocco & Wilder Faison

Zach Braff and his Scrubs co-star, Donald Faison, are so close he was chosen as godfather for two of his children, Rocco & Wilder Faison. The two co-starred on the medical sitcom for nine seasons before the show came to an end in 2010. Despite the show's ending, their bromance was still kept alive!

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Michael Bezjian via Getty Images for Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric Aids Foundation

Braff frequently posts pictures of him with his godchildren while poking a few jokes here and there at his former co-star. "Thank you to @caceecobb for growing this for @donald_aison and I. #GodfatherII," he wrote on an old Instagram post welcoming his second godchild, Wilder.

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Jessica Simpson & Wilder Faison

It seems like Zach Braff isn't the only famous godparent to Donald Faison's children! As it turns out, Jessica Simpson, too, carries the title of godparent to Faisons daughter, Wilder. So, what's the connection? The actor's wife, Cacee Cobb, and Simpson are lifelong BFFs!

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Instagram via @jessicasimpson

"Madly in love with my Goddaughter Wilder Frances Faison!!! I am beyond proud of @caceecobb and @donald_aison," Simpson wrote on Instagram, welcoming little Wilder into the world a few years ago. Now that seems like a fun family dinner to be a part of!

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