The Top Twenty Best Loved Movie Mums Revealed – But Who Came Top?

The Top Twenty Best Loved Movie Mums Revealed – But Who Came Top?

March 7, 2024

It’s official, Donna Sheridan, the matriarch of Mamma Mia! played by Meryl Streep is the nation’s favourite movie mum beating off Morticia Addams played by Anjelica Huston in the 1993 classic, Addams Family Values and Linda Hamilton as Sarah Connor in Terminator 2.

Inspired by ABBA’s 1975 hit, Mamma Mia!, Donna Sheridan is the owner and manager of the Bella Donna hotel on the Greek island of Kalokairi and the mother of Sophie Sheridan.

The poll was commissioned by ITV, to celebrate its coverage of the Oscars this Mother’s Day.

Also making the list were Miss Honey played by Embeth Davidtz from Matilda (22 percent), Julie Andrews’ iconic Maria Von Trapp in The Sound of Music (20 percent), Queen Ramonda played by Angela Bassett from 2018’s smash hit, Black Panther (nine percent), the strong and fierce, Sofia from The Color Purple who was played by Oprah Winfrey (nine percent) and NASA mathematician, Katherine Johnson played by Taraji P. Henson in Hidden Figures (eight percent).

Sally Field is the only actor to appear twice in the list for her portrayals of Mrs Gump in Forrest Gump (18 percent) and Miranda Hillard (16 percent) in the iconic 1993 film Mrs Doubtfire.

Brits say that their mum is their hero because she is loving and kind, the heart of the family, loyal and a role model.

In fact, a further 90 percent admit that their mum is the most important person in their lives, with four in ten (40 percent) speaking to them every day. A quarter chat to their mother twice a week, while 18 percent talk once a week. Women are most likely to speak to their mum every day, along with Brits aged between 18 and 29 years old.

Four in ten (41 percent) are speaking to their mum more now than three years ago.

It’s no surprise that we call our mums regularly as 84 percent think that their mother gives the best advice, asking her for words of wisdom an average of 11 times a month.

As a thank you for the advice, 70 percent would take their mum as their plus one if they got the chance to go to a glitzy awards ceremony (like The Oscars®).

41 is the age that we turn into our parents, according to the 2,000 Brits surveyed.

Join Jonathan Ross for Oscars® LIVE from 10.15pm on March 10, plus warm up for the ceremony with Oscars® Red Carpet LIVE at 9pm on ITVX.

BRITAIN’S FAVOURITE MOVIE MUM 

  1. Donna Sheridan (Meryl Streep), Mamma Mia! (2008) – 24%
  2. Morticia Addams (Anjelica Huston), Addams Family Values (1993) – 23%
  3. Sarah Conner (Linda Hamilton), Terminator 2 (1991) – 22%
  4. Miss Honey (Embeth Davidtz), Matilda (1996) – 22%
  5. Maria Von Trapp (Julie Andrews), The Sound of Music (1965) – 20%
  6. Mrs Gump (Sally Field), Forrest Gump (1994) – 18%
  7. Miranda Hillard (Sally Field), Mrs Doubtfire (1993) – 16%
  8. Lorraine McFly (Lea Thomson), Back To The Future (1985) – 12%
  9. Mrs Robinson (Anne Bancroft), The Graduate (1967) – 11%
  10. Evelyn Abbott (Emily Blunt), A Quiet Place (2018) – 10%
  11. Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Aliens (1986) – 10%
  12. Jeanine Stifler (Jennifer Coolidge), American Pie (1999) – 9%
  13. Leigh Anne Tuohy (Sandra Bullock), The Blind Side (2009) – 9%
  14. Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Black Panther (2018) – 9%
  15. Sofia (Oprah Winfrey), The Color Purple (1985) – 9%
  16. Mrs. George (Amy Poehler), Mean Girls (2004) – 8%
  17. Nina Banks (Diane Keaton), Father of the Bride (1991) – 8%
  18. Katherine Johnson (Taraji P Henson), Hidden Figures (2016) – 8%
  19. Mary Taylor (Dee Wallace), E.T. (1982) – 7%
  20. Ellen Brody (Lorrain Grey), Jaws (1975) – 6%

A glass half-full kind of a girl and a believer that everything happens for a reason, Tatiana works in Media Relations. She loves writing, spotting inspiring stories, and building meaningful relationships.