Celebrities With Famous Godparents

The following article includes brief references to child sexual abuse allegations.

You've heard a lot about nepo babies, but what about nepo godbabies? Celebrities love asking other stars to be the godparents of their children, so tons of tiny tots are growing up with extra Hollywood connections — giving them yet another advantage over other aspiring entertainers who've had to settle for average Joe godfathers who probably haven't even seen "The Godfather."

It's much too soon to tell if she'll be a screen queen like her mom, but Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor has a godfather who could definitely help her land an acting gig or two. When Meghan Markle and Prince Harry asked producer Tyler Perry to be their daughter's godfather, he immediately accepted his friends' request. But on the Netflix docuseries "Harry & Meghan," Perry recalled informing the couple that he would not be flying to the U.K. to participate in a christening ceremony with the rest of the royals.

It's also not unusual for actors to ask co-stars to be their children's godparents. Mindy Kaling's former "The Office" castmate — and former boyfriend — B.J. Novak is the godfather of her two kids. "He's very good with children!" Kaling gushed to ET. "... He's a great godfather." And on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," Aaron Paul revealed that he asked his "Breaking Bad" co-star, Bryan Cranston, to be his son's godfather. The entertainers on this list also have famous godparents and grew up to be successful themselves, so who can blame celebs for keeping this time-honored tradition alive?

By deciding to become an actor, Angelina Jolie was following in the footsteps of her father, Jon Voight, and her mother, Marcheline Bertrand, who sadly died from ovarian cancer in 2007. Jolie also gained a famous godmother when Voight appeared alongside British icon Jacqueline Bisset in the 1975 movie "End of the Game." However, it was Bertrand who forged a close bond with Bisset. "We became friends, and she asked me to be her godmother when Angie was in the tummy," Bisset recalled to People in 2021.

Unfortunately, a casting shakeup prevented Bertrand from getting to see her bestie and her daughter act alongside each other in the 2005 action comedy "Mr. & Mrs. Smith," which also starred Jolie's future ex-husband, Brad Pitt. Bisset revealed that she and another English actor, Terence Stamp, filmed scenes as the bosses of Jolie and Pitt's spy characters, but they got scrapped. "They recast it, with apparently two other actors. They said we were too British," Bisset recalled.

When Jolie visited Paris for a Guerlain fragrance event in 2019, she reconnected with her godmother. Jolie previously told Marie Claire that she agreed to become the face of Guerlain because her mother used the French cosmetic brand's products. And who better to reminisce about Bertrand with than Bisset? "They don't see each other often, so this recent visit was a real treat," a source told ET. "... Angelina and Jacqueline talked about memories of her mother."

In a 2020 interview with Esquire, "Home Alone" star Macaulay Culkin opened up about a topic he rarely speaks about: his friendship with Michael Jackson. In defending the late pop star against allegations that he sexually abused children, Culkin said that he never witnessed Michael do anything inappropriate when he spent time around him as a child. Culkin also revealed that Michael asked him to be the godfather of his daughter, Paris Jackson.

Paris and Culkin became close friends and even got identical tattoos of spoons, a reference to Culkin's custom of pilfering the cutlery from establishments he dines at. The ink also serves as a reminder of some wisdom Culkin once shared with Paris: "Don't forget to be silly, don't forget to take something away from this whole experience, and don't forget to stick something up your sleeve."

According to Paris, Culkin also offered her some helpful acting advice. She had a few screen credits to her name when she auditioned for a role in the 2021 anthology series "American Horror Stories," but Culkin's input was invaluable because he'd previously appeared in its parent series, "American Horror Story." Paris told E! News, "He said overdo it at certain points. Kind of like, overact and kind of make it theatrical." After she landed the part, she later celebrated by sending her godfather a selfie of her blood-soaked face. "Then he sent me a picture of blood in his hair. It was cute," Paris recalled.

If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

"Vanderpump Rules" villain James Kennedy is the godson of pop royalty: "Faith" singer George Michael. However, Michael was only a "Father Figure" to Kennedy until the future reality show star was a tween. According to The Sun, Michael and Kennedy's father, former music producer Andros Georgiou, were cousins who were once the best of friends. However, Michael's 1998 arrest for lewd conduct reportedly fractured their friendship. "He was like a second dad — he was family. He wasn't George Michael to me, it was family," Kennedy recalled, adding that the "Last Christmas" singer always bought him awesome gifts during the holidays.

In a 2017 appearance on "Watch What Happens Live," Kennedy said that Michael's death on Christmas Day in 2016 hit him and his dad really hard. Kennedy had been planning to visit the singer sometime after the holidays. "It was heartbreaking," he shared.

According to Kennedy, reports that he'd received an inheritance from Michael were just rumors, but the Wham! legend left him an even greater legacy: his music. Kennedy launched a music career of his own as a DJ and producer, and in 2021, he told TheThings that he was toying with the idea of remixing some of Michael's music. "It would have to be done right. Definitely in my life, it's going to happen. Who knows, it could be something special. A 'Last Christmas' Christmas remix would be really great," Kennedy said. "... I want to make him proud."

On "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon," actor Marisa Tomei revealed that she became friends with Lisa Bonet before they began appearing together on "A Different World" in the late '80s. "Yeah, we met in an acting workshop," Tomei recalled. When Bonet and rocker Lenny Kravitz became parents in 1988, Bonet asked her co-star confidant to be the godmother of their daughter, Zoë Kravitz, whom Tomei affectionately refers to as Zozo.

Three decades later, Tomei interviewed her goddaughter for InStyle. By then, Zoë was a star in her own right, and her acting credits have included the likes of "Big Little Lies" and "The Batman." Tomei's pride in Zoë's accomplishments was evident. "To see you cultivate your own style and watch you move through the world as you grow up — you just keep grabbing more of who you are, stepping into yourself," she told her goddaughter.

Tomei said that she gained a new friend when Zoë reached adulthood, with the two women discussing topics including their work, similar taste in body art, and favorite beauty rituals. And speaking of beauty, when Zoë collaborated with YSL Beauté on a lipstick line in 2019, she paid homage to her godmother by giving one of the shades a name inspired by Tomei: Maris' Nude, per Refinery29. Many of the shades' names were tributes to influential women in her life, another topic Zoë discussed with Tomei. "I've grown up with an amazing support system. You're part of it!" she told her godmother.

Kris Jenner is a good friend of former talk show host Kathie Lee Gifford, who is the godmother of Kris and Caitlyn Jenner's daughters, Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner. When she needed help choosing a baby name that fit with her family's alliterative theme, Kris turned to her fellow member of the K name club. "I started throwing out names to Kathie Lee — 'Kameron' ... 'Kendall' — and she stopped me at 'Kendall,'" Kris recalled in her memoir "Kris Jenner ... And All Things Kardashian."

Years after she played such a significant role in her goddaughter's life, Gifford seemingly threw some shade at Kendall and Kylie's behavior when she appeared on "Watch What Happens Live." In the 2020 interview, Gifford admitted that she wasn't close with the girls but shared the advice she would give them. "I would tell them, first of all, stay close to god — and they sometimes do," she said, laughing.

Gifford can possibly claim some responsibility for the rise of the Kardashian-Jenner dynasty. In her memoir "It's Never Too Late," she shared that her agent kept urging her to do a reality series, which she had no interest in. Gifford suggested that the Jenners would be a better fit for the format. While her agent wasn't a fan of this idea, she decided to ask another client if he would be open to inviting cameras into his life: future "Keeping Up With the Kardashians" producer Ryan Seacrest.

When "Dynasty" legend Joan Collins was asked to be Cara Delevingne's godparent, the honor was slightly diminished by the fact that Collins shared the title with 16 other people. Collins is good friends with Cara's parents, property magnate Charles Delevingne and his wife, Pandora Stevens, a socialite whose mother was one of Princess Margaret's ladies-in-waiting. In a 2015 appearance on "Watch What Happens Live," Collins said that she asked the couple why Cara had over a dozen other godparents. "They said, 'Well, in case any of them die!'" she recalled (via Hola!).

Collins became an active participant in Cara's life, and the model turned to the seasoned star for advice when she decided to pursue her own acting career. However, Collins didn't immediately spill her secrets for executing a flawless slapping scene. "From when she said she wanted to be an actress when she was about 16, I said, 'You know what Jack Nicholson always said in that movie "As Good As It Gets"? 'Just what the world needs: another actress,'" Collins recalled to The Cut.

But a determined Delevingne told The New York Times that she'd dreamed of becoming an actor since she was a little girl. When she went against Collins' wishes, her godmother transitioned to the role of a supportive mentor. "She gave me truly great advice about being an actress," the "Paper Towns" star told TimeOut. "She was the one who told me I didn't have to go to drama school."

"Star Wars" icon Carrie Fisher chose a universally admired godmother for her child. In 1990, Meryl Streep starred in the semi-autobiographical movie "Postcards from the Edge," the screenplay of which Fisher adapted from her own novel of the same name. Two years after the movie premiered, Fisher and talent agent Bryan Lourd welcomed their daughter, Billie Lourd — who hit the jackpot when Streep was asked to be her godmother. During a 2019 "Watch What Happens Live" episode, Andy Cohen asked Billie, "What's the most magical thing about having Meryl Streep as your godmother?" Her response? "I mean, she's Meryl Streep!" 

Streep spent some time with her goddaughter for a heartbreaking reason in 2017. The December prior, Fisher and her mother, silver screen legend Debbie Reynolds, had died just a day apart, and Streep was among the mourners in attendance at a memorial for the two beloved stars. According to People, Streep sang "Happy Days Are Here Again," her late friend's favorite tune.

Reynolds and Fisher's acting legacy lives on in Billie, who joined the "Star Wars" family in 2015 with her appearance in "The Force Awakens." Her television credits include "Scream Queens" and "American Horror Story." Now that she's a star in her own right, she has a career goal that we're fairly certain her late mother would support. "This is so dumb to say, but I'd love to work with Meryl. Who wouldn't?" Billie told Vulture with a laugh in 2018. "So classic and typical, but she's awesome."