A Guide to All of Hollywood's Celebrity Godparents

Friends 'til the end! The close bond between Aniston and Cox grew even deeper when Cox named her former costar godmother to daughter Coco Arquette.

"Jennifer has the biggest heart," Cox told PEOPLE, "and there could be no better godmother."

Aniston proved it when she wished her goddaughter a happy 17th birthday on social media, sharing a series of cute throwback photos, which included one with the caption "Happy birthday my sweet Cocolicious! Godmama LOVES you!"

Hargitay and her Law & Order: SVU costar Chris Meloni are way more than real life BFFs — they're practically family. When Meloni and wife Sherman Williams welcomed daughter Sophia in 2001, they tapped Hargitay to be godmother. 

"The birth of his first child and being privy to his amazing, solid relationship with his wife, before I had that for myself — I think that Chris and Sherman played a really big role for me, to see this really stable couple that loved each other," Hargitay told PEOPLE of the example they set for her.

Garrett Hedlund told Kelly Clarkson that he and Emma Roberts chose McGraw as the godfather to their new son Rhodes Robert in part because of Hedlund's work with the country star in 2004's Friday Night Lights and 2010's Country Strong.

"He's somebody that I admire and respect, not only as an amazing father and an amazing husband, amazing musician and amazing actor," he said. "I've known him for a long time."

"We laugh about it because it's probably been over 17 years since we did Friday Night Lights together, we played father and son. So I got to first experience him as a father — in that film, somewhat more of an abusive one — but then we did Country Strong together, and we've remained such close friends and, you know, I've seen his children, his daughters, from the time they were 1, 3 and 5," Hedlund added.

"He's the best," Hedlund continued, adding, "After around 12 weeks of Emma being pregnant, I called him, and the first thing he said was, 'I'm the godfather.' So, how can you argue?"

"She's extraordinary," Lear said during a 2018 podcast chat with Sagal, who revealed that the legendary producer introduced her parents. "I've known you since I was born," Sagal added, calling Lear "kind of the reason I'm here."

Two stars share more than A-list status: Barrymore and Paltrow both have Spielberg in common as a godfather. Gwyneth's parents Bruce Paltrow and Blythe Danner selected the director at birth to be godfather to their baby girl, while Spielberg assumed the mantle for Barrymore (whom he directed in E.T.) in her teens.

Bisset was named Jolie's godmother thanks to her strong connection to Marcheline Bertrand, Jolie's late mom. Bertrand died of ovarian cancer in 2007 at age 56.

"[Jacqueline] is very important to [Angelina]," a source told PEOPLE of the pair's bond following a July 2019 trip to Paris. "They're very close, and Jacqueline is someone Angelina has admired for a long time. And of course, there is the connection to her mom." 

From costars to even more: Kaling revealed former Office star Novak's important role in her life with daughter Katherine in May 2019.

"The truth is that B.J. is so much more like family now than a platonic friend. He's the godfather to my daughter," Kaling told Good Housekeeping.

"He comes over like once a week. Sometimes he'll come over just to hang out with her," the Late Night star added.

The Younger star doesn't just work with Duff — she's godmother to the actress' young daughter Banks Violet, too.

"After [Banks] was born, I was like, 'Oh, does she have a godmother?' And Hil was like," she told PEOPLE, pointing at herself.

Bernard frequently posts photos of herself hanging with Banks and Duff's other child, son Luca Cruz, and was one of the first to congratulate Duff on her engagement to boyfriend Matthew Koma.

During a May 2019 visit to Watch What Happens Live, Andy Cohen asked Lourd (whose mom is the late Carrie Fisher) about the best part of having Streep as her godmother. And Lourd had the perfect response: "I mean, she's Meryl Streep!"

If you've got the two coolest parents in the world (as Zoë does in Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet), it stands to reason your godmother will be pretty awesome, too. Zoë was interviewed by her "godmama" for an InStyle cover story, in which the two dished about their matching tattoos and long history together. 

Eva Longoria joined Victoria and David Beckham pals Ken Paves and Marc Anthony as godparents when their children Cruz and Harper (pictured) got baptized. As the first girl in the Beckham clan, Harper's milestones are cause for celebration in the family — and for doting godmother Longoria. "I was in L.A. [when Harper took her first steps]," Longoria told PEOPLE. 

Another proud godparent to the Beckham clan: Sir Elton, who has that role for the Beckhams' oldest two sons, Romeo (far right) and Brooklyn (not pictured). He continues to enjoy the role — check out the over-the-top cake he sent for Romeo's 16th birthday. 

Days before the pioneering actress passed away, her godson paid tribute to her on her 96th birthday. "Happy Birthday to my dearest Godmother, Cicely Tyson," he wrote. "All I can do is thank God that we have been on this planet at the same time, and I have been so blessed to receive your love. The best is yet to come. I love you."

When times are tough, Miley Cyrus can count on her country-legend godmother to have her back. "I've loved her through the years and watched her grow up, and I've seen how smart she is and how talented she is," Parton told the London Evening Standard. "If she needs my opinion on something I will surely give it [but] I would never dream of calling her and saying, 'Well why are you doing this?' or, 'You shouldn't do this or that…' She's just trying to find her own place and wings and learn to fly."

The Dame is longtime friends with the model's parents, Pandora and Charles, and they frequently cross paths at fancy fashion events. But the Dynasty star knew her when: "Cara was an amazing child. Her favorite expression was 'mine'. That's the youngest of three: 'Mine, mine' ... [She] loved dancing to the Spice Girls, showing off the nicest routines."

Johnson played along with her pregnant pal, Addison Timlin, and then eventually became godmother to Timlin's first child with Jeremy Allen White of Shameless.

Khloé Kardashian's decision to make sister Kim godmother and guardian of daughter True caused a bit of a rift with big sister Kourtney.

But "watching Kimberly be a mom, I really respect her parenting skills — not that I don't respect Kourtney's, I relate to how Kim parents more," Khloé said on a September 2018 episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians. "But at the end of the day, this family is so close and we love each other so much and if anything, God forbid, were to happen, I know my daughter is in the best of hands no matter who her legal guardian is."

"I feel like Kim has been so selfless during my pregnancy," added Khloé. "She's trying to just help make sure that you feel your best, look your best, have the best. She's so secure in her life that I feel like she would be an incredible godparent. She's just been a great friend and sister."

The legendary producer, a longtime pal of Nicole's dad Lionel Richie, serves as her godfather. (She has another godfather as well: the late Michael Jackson.)

A longtime friend of the King of Pop, Culkin was named godfather of Michael Jackson's middle child, Paris. Since the singer's death, Culkin and his goddaughter have spent lots of time together, documenting their get-togethers on social media. They even have matching tattoos!

The God-Fonz-er? Bryce's dad Ron Howard stayed close with his Happy Days costar well after the sitcom wrapped, and named him godfather to his daughter Bryce, now an actress herself.

Close pals since their days on Alias, they're now practically family: Garber is godfather to Garner's eldest, Violet.

Braff is godfather to friend and former Scrubs costar Donald Faison's two kids with wife CaCee Cobb. "Thank you to @caceecobb for growing this for @donald_aison and I. #GodfatherII," Braff joked following the April 2015 birth of the couple's youngest, daughter Wilder. In July 2017, the proud godparent shared a video of Wilder and brother Rocco giving him an adorable message.

Wilder has a famous godmother, too. "Madly in love with my Goddaughter Wilder Frances Faison!!! I am beyond proud of @caceecobb and @donald_aison," Simpson wrote shortly after her best friend Cobb welcomed her second child with husband Faison.

And it continues: for godmother to daughter Maxwell, Simpson turned to none other than best friend Cobb.

Elton John had a solid reason for choosing Gaga as godmother for his two sons with David Furnish, Zachary and Elijah. "She's a great role model," John told Extra. "She's been a great godmother to Zachary. She came to bathe him in Las Vegas. She was already dressed to go to the show, and she was sitting there and she bathed him, and she was like dressed like Audrey Hepburn… and she fed him… We're all bonkers in this business, but we're human beings at the same time."

Charlie's Angels stick together — so it's no surprise Drew picked Cameron to be godmother to her younger daughter, Frankie.

A longtime friend of KarJenner matriarch Kris Jenner, Today host Gifford is godmother to the youngest members of the fam, Kendall (far left) and Kylie (not pictured).

The singer announced his role in niece Valentina's life with a sweet Snapchat photo. "My beautiful niece on her dedication day. With my sister in law's sister Katie. We are honored to be the god parents," he wrote. Valentina is the daughter of Jonas's brother Kevin and wife Danielle.

Little Sailor may have officially hit the godfather jackpot: Liv Tyler took to Instagram to show off an adorable lunch meeting between her then-7-month-old son, proud papa David Gardner and Beckham, Sailor's "God daddy" (awww).

Swift officially met her godson, Leo Thames, in 2016. The youngster is BFF Jaime King's second son with Kyle Newman.

Choosing Swift as a godmother was an easy decision, King shared. "It was because of her morals and her values, the way that she treats people and how hard-working she is," said the Hart of Dixie actress. "That's the kind of person I want to be the guide and the spiritual protector of my child."

Swift isn't the only celeb who'll play an important role in the lives of King's children. The actress revealed in a 2013 Instagram post that good friend Jessica Alba is the "Nina (Godmother)" of son James Knight. "Thank you Jess for your unending love and light – we are so grateful for you," King wrote. James also did pretty well in the godfather department: Topher Grace was asked to do the honors.

Joining Kim Kardashian West, Kanye West and little North on a spring 2015 trip to Armenia ended up with its perks: as the family headed home to Los Angeles, they detoured to Jerusalem to baptize North, naming Khloé, who'd joined them on the voyage, as godmother. "It was epic," a source told PEOPLE of the event, which happened in the city's Armenian quarter. "So beautiful."

Though Tamblyn told PEOPLE that the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants crew would be Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds's daughter James's godmothers, Lively set the record straight, announcing that her sister Robyn was picking up the official duties. However, her costars also have a special role in the little one's life as "fairy godmothers," Lively told E!

Talk about lucky! Michelle Williams' daughter Matilda has not one, but two celebrity godparents: Philipps (Williams' buddy from their Dawson's Creek days), and Gyllenhaal, who starred in Brokeback Mountain with Williams and Heath Ledger, Matilda's late father.

The Coldplay frontman and actor go way back, which is why the trusted friends are godfathers to each other's children — Pegg to Apple, Martin's daughter with ex Gwyneth Paltrow, and Martin to Pegg's daughter Matilda. "[Chris] sang a song for [Matilda] in Berlin when she was born," Pegg shared. "He dedicated one of the songs, and I was really chuffed about it."

From matchmakers to godparents! Sting and Trudie Styler introduced Madonna to former husband Guy Ritchie, so it's only fitting the couple chose them to be the spiritual guides to their now teenage son Rocco.

Two peas in a pod since Jersey Shore, Snooki's (a.k.a. Nicole Polizzi) first choice for son Lorenzo was a no-brainer: Farley, of course. At the baby's March 2013 baptism, Farley took her duties seriously. "My precious godbaby," she wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo of a party favor.

Showbiz is in Jake Gyllenhaal's blood (Mom's a screenwriter, Dad's a director and sis Maggie is a fellow actor), so naturally his godmother — and shopping buddy — is Hollywood legend Curtis.

The songstress is much more than a mentor to teen muse and collaborator Maddie Ziegler. "She is the best person in my life, she really is. She's my godmom now," the Dance Moms alumna revealed on The Tonight Show of Sia, who casts her in numerous music videos and live performances. "So if anything were to happen, she would take me, which is really cool. The day we met, we clicked, and we knew that it was a special connection … she's taught me so many life lessons and I'll never forget that."