Happy Mothers’ Day! In the past, we’ve celebrated this special day by talking about our favourite fictional moms; but this year, we’d like to shine the spotlight on five women working in the entertainment industry today, who prove that you can chase your dreams while also being an awesome mom to your family.
Without further ado, here’s our list (in no particular order):
1. Greta Gerwig
Greta Gerwig, director of the Golden Globes-winning Barbie, is a mother to three children: Rohmer, her step-son from her husband Noah Baumbach’s previous marriage; Harold, who she gave birth to in 2019; and a second son, born in 2023. She directed her films Barbie and Little Women while pregnant – even giving birth just 24 hours after delivering a rough cut of Little Women.
Many of Gerwig’s films, including Barbie, Little Women, and her debut film Lady Bird, also explore themes of motherhood and mother-daughter relationships. She is currently working on a new adaptation of C.S. Lewis’ Narnia series for Netflix.
2. Riho Iida
Riho Iida first rose to fame when she was cast as Rin Hoshizora in Love Live! School Idol Project, an anime and game project that would go on to become a full-blown franchise. As Rin, she appeared in many Love Live! spin-off projects, including movies, music videos, live performances, and more. After her time with Love Live!, she would go on to voice characters such as Shirakawa from 2022’s Odd Taxi and Irma from 2024’s Dahlia in Bloom.
Iida announced her pregnancy in December of 2024, stating that she would continue to work after consulting with those around her. In her announcement, she also opened up about her struggles with infertility, sharing that she had undergone treatment for the condition. She successfully gave birth to a pair of twins earlier this April.
3. Charlize Theron
The actress behind Furiosa from Mad Max: Fury Road is a single mother to two adopted daughters – 11-year old Jackson, and 7-year old August. She adopted Jackson shortly before the filming of Fury Road, writing on Instagram: “At least my child will forever have the fun fact of ‘I spent most of the first year of my life in a war rig.'”
Theron has often spoken about her experiences with adoption and single parenthood. She told Elle in 2018: “I was always aware that there are so many children in this world who don’t have families. (…) I never saw a difference in raising an adopted child versus my own biological child. I don’t feel like I’m missing out on something. This was always my first choice, even when I was in a relationship.”
4. Otsuka Ray
Japanese independent VTuber Otsuka Ray went viral in the English-speaking sphere when she posted a message thanking fans for supporting her VTubing journey. As a single mother, VTubing allowed her to have a stable income, while also caring for her young daughter Reika full-time.
Ray has also spoken about wanting to be an inspiration for other VTubers thinking of having children. She recently wrote a message supporting fellow mom VTuber Pina Pengin, sharing: “I have always said that I wanted to be the one to prove that VTubers can change their lifestyle and continue to be VTubers even after having children. I’m glad she had the same concerns and made the same decision. I congratulate her and her little baby!”
5. Ikumi Nakamura
Ikumi Nakamura got her start in the game development industry as an artist at Capcom, working on background art for 2006’s Okami. She briefly joined Platinum Games as an artist for Bayonetta and Scalebound, before leaving for Tango Gameworks, where her work on Ghostwire: Tokyo would bring her into the public eye.
In 2020, Nakamura announced the birth of her daughter, describing the experience as “the longest ongoing project I’ve ever taken on and I know it will bring the deepest joy and happiness to the world”. She currently heads her own indie game studio, UNSEEN Inc., where she oversees the production of its debut game KEMURI.
Are there any other inspiring moms you think deserve a shout-out? Let us know in the comments!
