10 on-screen Mama Bears to honour on Mother’s Day. Is your fav in here?

One for the history books, and for the physics books too, considering her position in the multiverse. Evelyn Wang knows that the universe is powered by love, and that her daughter might need some convincing of it. There’s fighting, bickering, confusion, rocks, googly eyes, laundry, taxes and a lot else going on. But Michelle Yeoh plays Evelyn so well, it’s no wonder she won an Oscar for it. Perfect for Mother’s Day.

Olivia Baker is made of fire. She’s trying to get justice for her daughter, Hannah, who died by suicide as her rapist walks free. She’s uncovering the truth from the audio tapes Hannah made before she died. Kate Walsh plays Olivia, and brings Jay Asher’s 2007 novel to life in a way that young people have loved. This is a mom to have on your side when things get rough.

It’s the Winona Ryder comeback we didn’t know we needed. Joyce is the fragile Mama Bear, using Christmas lights to communicate with her son, Will, trapped in the Upside Down in Season 1 (2016). She’s rescued people, taken a little girl into her care, made deals with Russians and battled a Demogorgon. Get this woman a cup of coffee!

For much of the 2022 Disney film, Ming Lee is the classic overprotective Asian mom, preoccupied with reining in her daughter, even after Mei has turned into a giant red panda. She gatecrashes the gig her daughter has sneaked out to attend. But mama (voiced by Sandra Oh) loosens up in the end, giving us some endearing mother-daughter moments.

Don’t look. Something is causing humans to kill themselves, by taking on the form of their worst fears. So Malorie Hayes (Sandra Bullock) and her little boy and girl must keep their eyes closed to survive. The 2018 thriller based on the 2014 novel by Josh Malerman, celebrates the mother tirelessly fighting off predators, while navigating their way to safety.

Mila Kunis plays a troubled woman in her 30s, who just needs to stay sober for four days, to be able to get a drug that promises to help with her de-addiction. Glenn Close plays her mother, which means it’s going to be tough love. The scenes are delicate but uncomfortably real. Boundaries are tested, so is love. Sometimes, being a mother wins.

How could we not? Mrs Weasly isn’t rich, but she’s generous with love, knitting Harry Christmas sweaters, almost adopting him and Hermione. The seven books (1997-2007) have plenty of great mothers: Lily Potter, Narcissa Malfoy, even Neville’s grandma. But Molly has the warmest heart. Don’t cross her. She’s the one who killed Bellatrix Lestrange.

She’s fun, quirky, practical and doesn’t mince her words when it comes to voicing the truth. Neena Gupta is the kind of Indian mom who freaks out about pregnancy scares but remembers that her daughter needs to be consoled too (and judging Masaba’s choices only in secret). We love the banter, the fights. Neena has great comebacks, and fantastic clothes on the show (2020-present)

It’s never fun to raise a teen and grieve a dead husband. But Poorna Jagannathan, playing Naini, pulls it off with just the right amount of exasperation, pain and love on the 2020 series that will ends this year. Devi, headstrong but learning, falls in love, is confused in love, and makes life all about love. Nalini is right there, hovering along the edges without being overbearing.

Angela Bassett carries Chadwick Boseman’s legacy onward with her portrayal of Queen Ramonda in Wakanda Forever. There’s a section of Wakanda Forever during which it’s believed that her daughter, Shuri, is also dead. Nonetheless, she persists, leading Wakanda to stability and success after the loss of their king. That’s how to be a superhero mother.