Mother’s Day: On-screen moms who inspired us with their best advice and life lessons

Gina Rodriguez shows us how passion and a vision leads to a future. The Jane the Virgin actress is a matriarchal figure dominating the show, and she taught us that whether you are a single mother or not, you can achieve your dreams. Also, she is proof that staying rooted in your goals is important, “Life is full of tough moments, you have to fight for what you want.”

Most Latinas have a conservative and radical mom like Lydia. The Cuban abuela from One Day at a Time follows the golden rule of drying your hair to prevent getting the cold or flu, “Everybody knows that going outside with wet hair is almost as deadly as walking barefoot in your own home.”

Sophia Petrillo, played by Estelle Getty, has always been the wisdom lady of The Golden Girls. She is best known for her brazen remarks and unapologetic decisions. She is the mother we all need when things get awry. She also has a penchant for real talk and is not afraid to express her opinion. “You want poetry, you listen to Neil Diamon. You want good advice, you listen to your mother.”

Jennifer Lopez, the mom from Maid in Manhattan is a hard-working woman with a dream. She taught us the real meaning of staying true to your values when Lionel tells her, “To serve people takes dignity and intelligence. But remember, they are only people with money. And although we serve them, we are not their servants. What we do, Miss Ventura, does not define who we are. What defines us is how well we rise after falling.”

Motricia Addams may have an obsidian soul, but she taught us how to be feminists. “I’m just like any modern woman trying to have it all. Loving husband, a family. It’s just... I wish I had more time to seek out the dark forces and join their hellish crusade.” She can have darkness in her heart but is always there for her family.

Clair Huxtable taught us that you always have to show up with your best outfit, “When all else fails make sure you look good.”

Though Mean Girls was a movie full of drama, Regina George’s mom taught us to embrace our relationships with our mother. Sometimes mom can be as cool as our friends, “I’m not like a regular mom. I’m a cool mom.”

In The Blind Side, Sandra Bullock shows her unconditional love for Michael. She is an example that when we help others, we change from the inside out. “You’re changing that boy’s life. Leigh Anne Touhy: No. He’s changing mine.”

Lily Van der Woodsen is proof that the choice you make in life is yours. You can’t change the circumstances but you can change the outcome, “Sweetie, if I’ve learned anything in life, it’s that sometimes things get in your path, and you have a choice.”