Summary
The aspect of family is often regarded as an important trope in film. From the space operas ofStar Warsto the royal kingdoms of Disney princess movies, family is ever-present in storytelling.Films teach a message, good or bad, and one great lesson that is often taught from films is that family does not have to be related by bloodline.
There are some great movies out there in which stepmothers are presented as loving, fun, and people that audiences would want as tropes for their mother. Some areas fun as the Minions. It’s great to see a representation of stepmothers in films, especially in a positive light rather than as the evil and wicked depictions that have been seen in previous entries.
Updated July 10, 2025, by Blaise Santi:A common trope in movies and television is the concept of the “wicked stepmother,” an archetype seen in Cinderella, Snow White, and even ancient tales of Greek mythology. It’s also frequently seen in Disney movies, though despite what some viewers may assume, there have, of course, been plenty of Disney movies in which stepmothers are not only good people, but incredibly kind and caring towards their stepchildren. These films are important for the ways they break conventions in depicting step-relationships on screen, so with that in mind, this list adds a few other great stepmothers from films, with two of them being wickedly amazing stepmothers from the world of Disney.
Portrayed By
Bryce Dallas Howard
The 2016 version ofPete’s Dragontook a modern spin of Disney’s 1977 live-action/animated hybrid. Bryce Dallas Howard stars as Grace, a park ranger who discovers an orphaned boy, Pete, living in the woods alongside a dragon named Elliot. Throughout the film, Grace takes an almost maternal care for the young boy, helping protect Elliot from a ruthless dragon hunter played by Karl Urban.
By the end of the film, Grace marries her boyfriend, Jack, and the two adopt Pete into their family along with Jack’s own daughter from his previous marriage, Natalie. It’s a Disney movie, which meansPete’s Dragonpredictably ends with everybody living happily ever after, but it’s especially sweet to see the connection between Grace and Pete knowing they’re both technically outsiders in this family.
Sigourney Weaver
The 2002 filmTadpolemay have only seen a limited theatrical release in the United States, but its budget was only a mere $150,000, despite casting A-lister Sigourney Weaver in one of its lead roles. The film centers on a 15-year-old boy, Oscar, who’s much smarter than other kids his own age,eventually setting his sights on Eve, his own stepmother, and later her best friend Diane.
The film certainly crosses a few lines for some given that Oscar ends up pursuing a romance with Diane, but as his stepmother, Eve is a voice of reason towards her friend about seducing a teenager. Even when she comes to understand how Oscar feels about her, she’s respectful and compassionate towards him, which is a lot more forgiving than you’d expect from most stepmothers.
Amy Adams
In case you’ve forgotten, the classic Disney filmEnchantedfrom 2007 stars Amy Adams as Giselle, a princess exiled from her animated world into live-action New York City, where she falls for a cynical lawyer with a 6-year-old daughter who immediately takes a liking to this fish out of water. By the end of the film, Giselle opts to stay in New York City with her newfound family.
In 2022, the sequelDisenchantedreleased exclusively on Disney+, revealing both the happiness that has followed Giselle and her family as well as the mundanity of living in New York City. Giselle ends up struggling to connect with her children as they’ve grown up, but her fairy-tale demeanor also turns her briefly wicked, like all evil stepmothers, despite snapping out of it by the end of the film.
Keri Russell
It’s not easy keeping a family together in an apocalyptic scenario, butDawn of the Planet of the Apesfeatures a surprising exception inEllie,played by Keri Russell.The wife of Jason Clarke’s Malcolm, Ellie is a very kind presence in the life of her stepson Alexander, played by Kodi Smit-McPhee. The two are instrumental in helping humankind bond with the apes.
Despite being a step-mom, Ellie’s maternal instincts are on full display in the film. There’s obvious tension between the humans and apes, but trust is solidified after Ellie rescues Caesar’s wife, Cornelia, and later helps nurse a wounded Caesar back to health. Although there’s plenty of war to come for the apes, because of Ellie, Malcom’s family is protected.
Catherine O’Hara
Catherine O’Harais one of the most iconic comedic performers of all time, and that’s no more apparent than her iconic role asDelia Deetz in Tim Burton’sBeetlejuice(as well as the recent sequelBeetlejuice Beetlejuice). However, early on in the film, Delia seems to be a nuisance to not just the ghostly Maitlands, but to her step-daughter Lydia, played by Winona Ryder.
Thankfully, Delia’s not Lydia’s biggest problem in the film. By the end, the Deetzes and Maitlands have learned how to cohabitate together and exorcise Betelgeuse from their lives. InBeetlejuice Beetlejuice, it’s shown that Delia and Lydia’s relationship has remained intact well into Lydia’s adulthood, despite their multiple brushes with the afterlife.
Yoshino Kimura / Gemma Chan (English dub)
Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film,The Boy and the Heron, dives deep into the complicated relationship between a stepmother and her reluctant step-child. After Mahito’s mother dies, his father remarries one of her sisters,Natsuko, and moves the family to the countryside, where he struggles to adapt to his new life and acts coldly towards his new stepmother.
However, when Natsuko goes missing, Mahito goes on a treacherous journey into a fantastical world to find her, lured by a talking grey heron. By the end of the journey, Mahito learns to accept Natsuko as his new mom and is rewarded for it with a step-sibling and a happy ending.
Mary Steenburgen
In the real world, most wives wouldn’t be so happy to discover their husband has an adult son who spent his entire life growing up in Santa’s workshop. However,Mary Steenburgen’s Emily inElfis not like most women. While Buddy’s father, Walter, is apprehensive about “adopting” this fully-grown man who loves candy, Emily warmly welcomes Buddy into the family.
While Emily is assuming that Buddy has some mental deficiencies going on, and wasn’t actually raised by Santa, she nevertheless quickly takes to his way of life, much to Walter’s chagrin. For a movieall about someone injecting Christmas spirit into peoplewho desperately need it, it’s heartwarming that Emily is the first person to accept Buddy’s joyfulness.
Kristen Wiig
The firstDespicable Mefilm surprised audiences by being a heartwarming story about a reluctant father to three adopted girls. However,Despicable Me 2upped the ante by pairing Gru withLucy, an agent for the Anti-Villain League who recruits him for a top-secret mission, but Gru slowly begins to fall for her.
Future films in the franchise show how well Lucy has adjusted to becoming the stepmother to Gru’s girls, while also teaming up with Gru on the side to stop supervillains. However, in the upcomingDespicable Me 4, it seems the one thing Lucy can’t do is give Gru a son who isn’t hell-bent on tormenting her husband.
Mayuno Yasokawa / Mari Devon (English dub)
Howl’s Moving Castleis one of Ghibli’s most enchanting movies and its story centers around Sophie Hatter, a young woman who, after being cursed by a witch into appearing elderly, embarks on a journey and ends up in the moving castle of the mysterious wizard Howl, who she falls for.
Even thoughHoney Hatteris a minor character, she still plays an important role in Sophie’s life and makes a big impact on her life. She’s a warm person who deeply cares for her stepdaughter despite making some bad decisions. While their world is filled with unpredictability, Honey tries to navigate it to the best of her abilities while also supporting her loved ones. Movie lovers of all ages can enjoy a touching story, great characters, as well as some of the mostbeautiful Ghibli songs.
Geena Davis
Stuart Littleis one of the most delightful family films from the 90s with a heartwarming story about blended families, acceptance, and love. It’s set in New York City and its story follows the life of the Little family who adopts a small mouse named Stuart.
There are many characters who are trying to guide the young Stuart through his new life butEleanor Little, his new stepmom, also gives him love and support. Her nurturing nature towards both Stuart and George showcases how family bonds extend beyond biology.Stuart Littleis a great choice for those who are looking forfun kids' moviesfilled with adventure and humor.
