It is easy to forget that behind the fame, cameras, and headlines, celebrities are still just parents. And their kids, even when they grow up in the spotlight, still want to say thank you in ways that feel real and personal.
Sometimes that thank you comes through a speech. Other times it is a photo, a post, or a small moment shared in public. These gestures may seem simple, but they often mean more than awards or career milestones.
This list looks at nine times celebrity kids found thoughtful ways to honor their famous parents. Each moment is different, but they all share the same message. Family still matters most, and these stories are worth reading all the way through.
1. Salma Hayek’s daughter, Valentina, wore her mom’s 1997 dress to the 2023 Oscars.
2. Kate Hudson showered her stepdad, Kurt Russell, with praise.
When Kurt Russell became part of Goldie Hawn’s family, he did not just take on a role, he showed up in a real way. Over the years, he has been a steady and caring presence for her kids, Kate and Oliver Hudson, and that has never gone unnoticed.
Kate has always spoken about him with gratitude and respect, making it clear how much he means to her. She has said she grew up surrounded by love, with a strong mother and a stepfather who truly stepped in when it mattered.
As she once put it, “I have a great family. I have a beautiful mother. I have a stepfather who stepped in and played a huge, huge part in sharing what it is to have a dependable father figure in our life.”
3. Dakota Johnson also wants everyone to know that her stepfather, Antonio Banderas, is the best.
It looks like Antonio Banderas earned a special place in Dakota Johnson’s life as well. She has spoken openly about how much he meant to her growing up, especially when her family changed in a big way.
While honoring him at the Hollywood Film Awards in 2019, Johnson shared how their relationship grew over time. What started as a stepdad role turned into something much deeper and more meaningful.
As she told the audience, “I got a bonus dad who I realized, over time, is actually one of the most influential people in my life. When I was 6 years old, my mother married a man who brought an unbelievably bright light and a whole new world of creativity and culture, and one remarkably magical little sister into our family.”
4. Billie Lourd stepped in as Princess Leia to replace her late mom, Carrie Fisher.
Carrie Fisher passed away in late 2016 before she was able to fully finish her work on the new Star Wars films. Because of that loss, the production faced a difficult situation, but there was a meaningful connection that helped bridge the gap.
Fisher’s daughter, Billie Lourd, was already part of the project and was able to step in for certain scenes. For her, the experience carried a lot of weight, blending grief with something deeply personal and unexpected.
She described it this way: “It’s literally like a gift from her, or her forcing us to make her the star of the movie. Probably both. Being back has been incredible, painful, surreal, all of the adjectives you could come up with, probably, I’ve felt.”
5. Bindi Irwin recreated her parents’ pregnancy photo.
6. Dakota Johnson, once again, subtly referenced her mom’s legendary line in Fifty Shades Darker.
Fifty Shades Freed includes a small nod to Melanie Griffith’s role in Working Girl. In one scene, her daughter Dakota Johnson repeats her mom’s famous line almost exactly, saying, “I expect you to call me Ana. I don’t expect you to fetch me coffee unless you’re getting some for yourself… and the rest we’ll just make up as we go along, okay?”
7. Brooke Shields’ daughter wore her mom’s vintage dress to prom.
8. Ella Travolta regularly remembers her late mom, Kelly Preston, with the sweetest photos.
Kelly Preston passed away in 2020 at age 57, leaving a deep loss for her family, including her children Jett, Benjamin, and Ella. Since then, her daughter Ella Travolta has made a point to honor her mother whenever she can, often sharing tributes on Mother’s Day and on Preston’s birthday.
In one message, Ella wrote, “Mama, thank you for all you have done for us and for this world. I miss you and love you very much, but your smile, warmth, and love are everlasting.”
9. Jamie Lee Curtis recreated her mom’s iconic scene from Psycho.
