Pyper Braun and DeWanda Wise in Imaginary (2024)
Imaginary (2024) Character Portrayal
DeWanda Wise as Jessica, Taylor and Alice's stepmother
Taegen Burns as Taylor & Pyper Braun as Alice, Jessica's stepdaughters
◄ IMDb Polls
Poll: Favorite 21st Century "Good" Stepmother Movie Portrayal
In recognition of the pivotal role stepmoms play in blended families, as well as, to show appreciation for the countless contributions they make all year long, that may go unthanked on a daily basis, a "good" stepmother movie poll. This poll is dedicated to Donna L. & Erica E., two "good" stepmothers.
Which of these selected 21st century movie "good" stepmother character portrayals* (as opposed to the trope of "evil" stepmother" character portrayals) is your favorite film depiction?
* Stepmother character must be part of an "official" stepfamily for at least a portion of the movie (or by final film scene at least), as well as, her acts of "good" vs. "evil" may be subjectively interpeted.
Discuss the topic here. #StepmothersDay & #BonusMomDay
Make Your Choice
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Amy Adams in Disenchanted (2022)
Disenchanted (2022) Character PortrayalAmy Adams as Giselle Philip, Morgan's stepmother
Gabriella Baldacchino as Morgan Philip, Giselle's stepdaughter
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Jennifer Connelly in The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008)
The Day the Earth Stood Still (2008) Character PortrayalJennifer Connelly as Helen Benson, Jacob's stepmother
Jaden Smith as Jacob Benson, Helen's stepson
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Allison Janney and Elliot Page in Juno (2007)
Juno (2007) Character PortrayalAllison Janney as Brenda "Bren" MacGuff, Juno's stepmother
Elliot Page as Juno MacGuff, Bren's stepdaughter
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Carrie Preston in To the Bone (2017)
To the Bone (2017) Character PortrayalCarrie Preston as Susan, Ellen's stepmother
Lily Collins as Ellen "Eli", Susan's stepdaughter
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Angela Bassett in Damsel (2024)
Damsel (2024) Character PortrayalAngela Bassett as Lady Lucinda Bayford, Elodie's stepmother
Millie Bobby Brown as Elodie, Lady Bayford's stepdaughter
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Keri Russell in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014) Character PortrayalKeri Russell as Ellie, Alexander's stepmother
Kodi Smit-McPhee as Alexander, Ellie's stepson
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Mary Steenburgen in Step Brothers (2008)
Step Brothers (2008) Character PortrayalMary Steenburgen as Nancy Huff (earlier Nancy Doback), Dale's stepmother
John C. Reilly as Dale Doback, Nancy's stepson
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Sprague Grayden in Paranormal Activity 2 (2010)
Paranormal Activity 2 (2010) Character PortrayalSprague Grayden as Kristi Rey, Ali's stepmother
Molly Ephraim as Ali Rey, Kristi's stepdaughter
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Yoshino Kimura and Gemma Chan in The Boy and the Heron (2023)
The Boy and the Heron (2023) Character PortrayalYoshino Kimura / Gemma Chan as Natsuko Maki, Mahito's stepmother
Soma Santoki / Luca Padovan as Mahito Maki Natsuko's stepson
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Rosario Dawson in Unforgettable (2017)
Unforgettable (2017) Character PortrayalRosario Dawson as Julia Conover née Banks, Lily's stepmother
Isabella Kai Rice as Lily Connover, Julia's stepdaughter
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Chandra West in White Noise
White Noise (2005) Character PortrayalChandra West as Anna Rivers, Mickey's stepmother
Nicholas Elia as Mickey Rivers, Anna's stepson
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Kelly Macdonald in Nanny McPhee (2005)
Nanny McPhee (2005) Character PortrayalKelly Macdonald as Evangeline Brown née Ward, stepmother to the Brown children
Thomas Sangster as Simon Brown, Eliza Bennett as Tora Brown, Raphael Coleman as Eric Brown, Jennifer Rae Daykin as Lily Brown, Samuel Honywood as Sebastian Brown, Holly Gibbs as Christianna "Chrissie" Brown, Hebe and Zinnia Barnes as Agatha "Aggie" Brown, collectively the Brown children, Evangeline's stepchildren
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Maura Tierney in Beautiful Boy (2018)
Beautiful Boy (2018) Character PortrayalMaura Tierney as Karen Sheff née Barbour, Nick's stepmother
Timothée Chalamet as Nicolas "Nic" Sheff, Karen's stepson
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Rebecca Staab in Love Hard (2021)
Love Hard (2021) Character PortrayalRebecca Staab as Barbara "Barb" Lin, Josh's stepmother
Jimmy O. Yang as Josh Lin, Barb's stepson
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Sridevi in Mom (2017)
Mom (2017) Character PortrayalSridevi as Devki Sabarwal, Arya's stepmother
Sajal Aly as Arya Sabarwal, Devki's stepdaughter
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Amy Adams in Enchanted (2007)
Enchanted (2007) Character PortrayalAmy Adams as Giselle Philip, Morgan's stepmother
Rachel Covey as Morgan Philip, Giselle's stepdaughter
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Mary Steenburgen in Elf (2003)
Elf (2003) Character PortrayalMary Steenburgen as Emily Hobbs, Buddy's stepmother
Will Ferrell as Buddy Hobbs, Emily's stepson
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Bryce Dallas Howard in Pete's Dragon (2016)
Pete's Dragon (2016) Character PortrayalBryce Dallas Howard as Grace Magary née Meacham, Natalie's stepmother
Oona Laurence as Natalie Magary, Grace's stepdaughter
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Laura Ramsey in Are You Here (2013)
Are You Here (2013) Character PortrayalLaura Ramsey as Angela Baker, Ben's stepmother
Zach Galifianakis as Ben Baker, Angela's stepson
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Renée Elise Goldsberry in Waves (2019)
Waves (2019) Character PortrayalRenée Elise Goldsberry as Catherine Williams, Tyler's and Emily's stepmother
Kelvin Harrison Jr. as Tyler Williams & Taylor Russell as Emily Williams, Catherine's stepchildren
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Sigourney Weaver in Tadpole (2002)
Tadpole (2002) Character PortrayalSigourney Weaver as Eve Grubman, Oscar's stepmother
Aaron Stanford as Oscar Grubman, Eve's stepson
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Natalie Portman in The Other Woman (2009)
The Other Woman: Love and Other Impossible Pursuits (2009) Character PortrayalNatalie Portman as Emilia Woolf (prior Greenleaf), William's stepmother
Charlie Tahan as William Woolf, Emilia's stepson
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Rene Russo in Yours, Mine & Ours (2005)
Yours, Mine & Ours (2005) Character PortrayalRene Russo as Helen Beardsley née North, stepmother to the Beardsley children
Sean Faris as William Beardsley, Katija Pevec as Christina Beardsley, Dean Collins as Harrison "Harry" Beardsley, Tyler Patrick Jones as Michael Beardsley, Haley Ramm as Kelly Beardsley, Brecken Palmer as Ely Beardsley, Bridger Palmer as Otter Beardsley, Ty Panitz as Ethan Beardsley, collectively the Beardsley children, Helen's stepchildren
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Constance Wu and Ben Palacios in Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022)
Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile (2022) Character PortrayalConstance Wu as Katie Primm, Josh's stepmother
Winslow Fegley as Josh Primm, Katie’s stepson
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Jennifer Lopez in Marry Me (2022)
Marry Me (2022) Character PortrayalJennifer Lopez as Kat Gilbert née Valdez, Lou's stepmother
Chloe Coleman as Lou Gilbert, Kat's stepdaughter
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Greta Gerwig in White Noise (2022)
White Noise (2022) Character PortrayalGreta Gerwig as Babette Gladney, Heinrich's & Steffie's stepmother
Sam Nivola as Heinrich Gladney & May Nivola as Steffie Gladney, Babette's stepchildren
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Diane Kruger in The Better Angels (2014)
The Better Angels (2014) Character PortrayalDiane Kruger as Sarah Lincoln née Bush, Abe's & Sarah's stepmother
Braydon Denney as Young Abraham " Abe" Lincoln, Sarah's stepson
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Emma Thompson in The Meyerowitz Stories (2017)
The Meyerowitz Stories (2017) Character PortrayalEmma Thompson as Maureen Meyerowitz, Danny's & Matthew's stepmother
Adam Sandler as Danny Meyerowitz & Ben Stiller as Matthew Meyerowitz, Maureen's stepsons
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Amrita Acharia in There's Something in the Barn (2023)
There's Something in the Barn (2023) Character PortrayalAmrita Acharia as Carol Nordheim, Lucas' and Nora's stepmother
Townes Bunner as Lucas Nordheim & Zoe Winther-Hansen as Nora Nordheim, Carol's stepchildren
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Indira Varma in Close (2019)
Close (2019) Character PortrayalIndira Varma as Rima Hassine, Zoe's stepmother
Sophie Nélisse as Zoe Tanner, Rima's stepdaughter
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Rose Byrne in I Capture the Castle (2003)
I Capture the Castle (2003) Character PortrayalRose Byrne as Rose Mortmain, Cassandra's and Topaz's stepmother
Romola Garai as Cassandra Mortmain & Tara Fitzgerald as Topaz Mortmain, Rose's stepchildren
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Emily Watson in Wah-Wah (2005)
Wah-Wah (2005) Character PortrayalEmily Watson as Ruby Compton, Ralph's stepmother
Nicholas Hoult (older) & Zac Fox (younger) as Ralph Compton, Ruby's stepson
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Nadine Velazquez in Within (2016)
Within (2016) aka Crawlspace Character PortrayalNadine Velazquez as Melanie Alexander, Hannah's stepmother
Erin Moriarty as Hannah Alexander, Melanie's stepdaughter
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Catherine O'Hara in Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Another "Good" Stepmother Movie Character Portrayal Not ListedBeetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024) Character Portrayal (as pictured example)
Catherine O'Hara as Delia Deetz, Lydia's stepmother
Winona Ryder as Lydia Deetz, Delia's stepdaughter
