Famous parents? Tough job.
Harder still when the aunts and uncles in your spiritual life are icons.
Kids born into the spotlight get an extra layer of protection, usually in the form of godparents who also have movie starlets written under their names.
It’s a wild setup.
But not rare.
We know about Miley Cyrus. Everyone does.
Dolly Parton stands in her corner.
That’s the baseline.
But dig deeper and the tree gets tangled with directors and sitcom alumni and global monarchs.
Take Steven Spielberg.
Godfather to two major actresses.
Yes. Two.
Then there is Marisa Tomei.
She and Lisa Bonet hit it off during the filming of A Different World in the 80s.
A standard set friendship.
It didn’t fade when the cameras stopped.
It turned into something solid.
Tomei became godmother to all three of Boneta’s children.
Lifelong bonds.
The kind you actually read about.
Newest drama comes from Netflix’s Harry & Meghan.
The bombshell?
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle tapped Tyler Perry to be Lilibet Diana’s godfather.
Sounds like a random choice, maybe a publicity stunt?
Maybe.
But look at the timeline.
Perry and Meghan had never exchanged a word until he reached out before her 2018 wedding to Harry.
They were barely acquaintances.
Just polite nods at most.
Then 2020 hit.
The Sussexes left the royal family.
The UK turned hostile.
The paparazzi swarmed like hornets.
Perry opened his house.
Safe.
Private.
No flashing lights.
That act changed everything.
Trust isn’t given.
It’s built.
Especially during a pandemic.
By the time Lilibet was born in 2021, the closeness was already absolute.
Not every connection is so dramatic.
Jake Gyllenhaal. Jamie Lee Curtis. Nicole Richie. Michael Jackson.
Names drop out there fast.
Is blood really thicker than water when you can just pick a Hollywood legend?
Maybe not thicker.
But definitely louder.
A version of this piece ran back in January 2023 ⏳
