This is your next binge-worthy list of shows and movies.
Watch these Badass moms playing badass moms!
#1 Little Fires Everywhere
Two badass moms: Kerry Washington and Reese Witherspoon, play moms on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Set in the 90's, this book turned limited series on Hulu, follows a single mom and daughter as they move to a new town. They are taken under the wing of their landlord as they settle into their new home. This show tackles racism, adoption and classism while two worlds collide and unravel.
#2 American Son
This play turned movie, again starring Kerry Washington (I LOVE HER), playing a mother who can't find her son. This movie is a short but hard watch. My husband got sucked in with me and by the end of it...we were both crying ugly tears. If you are a theater actor, you will appreciate the way the film is done: one set, minimal characters and amazingly gripping dialougue. This can be triggering so be prepared.
#3 Mixedish
Along with her numerous credits, her company: Sugaberry and an amazing podcast with another amazing industry mommy; Tika also stars as badass lawyer mommy: Alicia Johnson, mother to, before Black-ish was Black-ish, Rainbow Johnson. They tackle big issues with comedy and Mark Paul Gosselaar makes an adorable, hippie dad.
#4 Hustlers
Sometimes you take care of your kids anyway you have to and sometimes you really like it. Jennifer Lopez and Constance Wu star in this gritty film about strippers turned scamapranuers.
I would watch this for the cameos alone! When are we taking a pole class??
#5 What To Expect When You're Expecting
I am not sure if they were moms when this movie came out but this movie based off the wildly popular book is really endearing. Between showing various roads to motherhood, the vastly different journies of pregnancy and Elizabeth Moss completely losing her "Give a Fuck" meter (If you don't know that reference...listen to Actor Mommy on Spotify), this movie will make you laugh out loud and pregnancy cry.
#6 Bad Moms and Bad Moms: Christmas
Did you know this was first a book? Its on every mom movie watch list but I still love them. The performances are hilarious, the ending is cute and it never hurts to have Jay Hernandez as eye candy. Though, I still can't get over how Mila Kunis' daughter speaks to her! My grammy's "No Back Talk" voice comes out real hard during that scene.
#7 Otherhood
This candid and funny film stars three mothers playing three mothers to adult sons. They don't call, they don't write and they especially don't like it when their mothers show up on their doorsteps out of the blue. They cook, they clean, they meddle and fight; its one of those best friend love stories that us, new moms, can look up to for futuristic inspiration.
#8 A Simple Favor
Finally a movie that combines some of my favorite things: motherhood, mystery and a killer wardrobe. I thought this movie was going to be pretty standard but the Hitckcockian twists, gripping soundtrack and the angles...(oh my god, the camera angles!) makes this film about a perky, DIY, youtube mom: Anna Kendrick and her aloof, sophisticated and definitely pyschotic new mommy friend: Blake Lively, a fun watch.
#9 LA's Finest
Don't sleep on this spin off from the Bad Boy franchise. It stars Gabrille Union and Jessica Alba, two badass moms, as LAPD detectives. Though only Alba plays a (step) mom in this show, both women get to drive badass vehicles, take down the bad guys and don't have to tone down their confidence or their femaleness for anyone.
#10 Grace and Frankie
I know, I know technically only Jane Fonda is a mother but I love this show. Its a masterclass in comedy from Jane Fonda and Lilly Tomlin as well as an inspiration and reminder that we, as actors, can have incredible careers and roles at any age! Two moms, in their seventies, are left by their husbands to be with each other. After a lot of crying and a lot of alcohol, they start a business creating vibrators for women of a certain age! They couldn't be more different as women and as mothers but God, are they both badasses.
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