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25 Movie Moms Audiences Love to Hate
Hollywood has given us countless memorable movie mothers, but not all of them are warm, supportive, or lovable. Some are controlling, cruel, manipulative, or downright unhinged, leaving audiences cringing every time they appear on screen. From overbearing parents to outright villains, these characters have earned their bad reputations through unforgettable performances. This list rounds up 25 movie moms audiences love to hate, along with the actors who brought these infamous roles to life and made them so memorable.
1. Margaret White – Carrie
- Year: 1976
- Studio: United Artists
- Actress: Piper Laurie
2. Mary – Precious
- Year: 2009
- Studio: Lionsgate
- Actress: Mo'Nique
3. Eleanor Young – Crazy Rich Asians
- Year: 2018
- Studio: Warner Bros.
- Actress: Michelle Yeoh
4. Joan Crawford – Mommie Dearest
- Year: 1981
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Actress: Faye Dunaway
5. Mrs. Bates – Psycho
- Year: 1960
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Actress: (Voice) Virginia Gregg (plus Joan Taylor and Jeanette Nolan; never fully shown on screen)
6. Mrs. Iselin – The Manchurian Candidate
- Year: 1962
- Studio: United Artists
- Actress: Angela Lansbury
7. Mother Gothel – Tangled
- Year: 2010
- Studio: Walt Disney Pictures
- Actress: Donna Murphy (voice)
8. Queen Gertrude – Hamlet (2000 adaptation)
- Year: 2000
- Studio: Miramax Films
- Actress: Diane Venora
9. Mrs. Robinson – The Graduate
- Year: 1967
- Studio: Embassy Pictures
- Actress: Anne Bancroft
10. Beverly Sutphin – Serial Mom
- Year: 1994
- Studio: Savoy Pictures
- Actress: Kathleen Turner
11. Violet Weston – August: Osage County
- Year: 2013
- Studio: The Weinstein Company
- Actress: Meryl Streep
12. Camille Meadows' Mother – Seance
- Year: 2021
- Studio: RLJE Films
- Actress: Candice Fox (briefly shown, emotionally distant figure)
13. Grace Stewart – The Others
- Year: 2001
- Studio: Dimension Films
- Actress: Nicole Kidman
14. Mrs. Lift – Throw Momma from the Train
- Year: 1987
- Studio: Orion Pictures
- Actress: Anne Ramsey
15. Willa Harper – The Night of the Hunter
- Year: 1955
- Studio: United Artists
- Actress: Shelley Winters
16. LaVona Golden – I, Tonya
- Year: 2017
- Studio: Neon
- Actress: Allison Janney
17. Alma Beers Del Mar – Brokeback Mountain
- Year: 2005
- Studio: Focus Features
- Actress: Michelle Williams
18. Queen Mother – Snow White and the Huntsman
- Year: 2012
- Studio: Universal Pictures
- Actress: Charlize Theron (as Queen Ravenna, Snow White's stepmother)
19. Mrs. Loomis – Scream 2
- Year: 1997
- Studio: Dimension Films
- Actress: Laurie Metcalf
20. Barbara Covett – Notes on a Scandal
- Year: 2006
- Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
- Actress: Judi Dench
21. Mrs. Carmody – The Mist
- Year: 2007
- Studio: Dimension Films
- Actress: Marcia Gay Harden
22. Natalie – Black Swan
- Year: 2010
- Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
- Actress: Barbara Hershey
23. Beatrice – Doubt
- Year: 2008
- Studio: Miramax Films
- Actress: Viola Davis (note: brief role but emotionally impactful and morally complex)
24. Mother – Mother!
- Year: 2017
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Actress: Jennifer Lawrence
25. Mrs. Bennett – Pride and Prejudice (2005 film)
- Year: 2005
- Studio: Focus Features
- Actress: Brenda Blethyn