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Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ming-Na Wen is 61. She feels like she's in her 30s.
If you're surprised to learn that Ming-Na Wen — best known for voicing Mulan in the Disney films alongside roles in ER, The Joy Luck Club and, more recently, the Star Wars franchise — is 61, it might be because she was playing teenagers into her 20s. It also doesn't hurt that, as Wen herself notes, her skin is pore-free. And despite being a Hollywood veteran who has weathered motherhood and menopause — the latter of which 'kicked me in the ass,' she tells me during our call for Yahoo Life's Unapologetically series — the actress has managed to embrace aging while maintaining a youthful spirit. 'I don't know what 61 feels like. I mean, I still feel like I'm in my 30s, I guess,' she says. 'And then there are days when I feel like I'm 14 years old when I meet [someone] like Jackie Chan or when I geek out at Mark Hamill in his Jedi outfit on set. ... It just depends on the circumstances.' Her Karate Kid: Legends co-star Chan, who is 10 years her senior, also set an example for career longevity, Wen says. 'He's still vying for roles, he's still hungry to create stories and content for himself. That's what keeps pushing me,' she shares. Here, she talks about this latest era of her career, her all-natural approach to beauty and why she's excited to play moms after always being cast as daughters. Wow, no, not at all. ... I think the idea that I would have a long career like this is something you dream about. But you never know. Your fear is always, OK, this is my last job, this is all I'm gonna get. And then you just fade off into the sunset. It happens to a lot of actors. So I'm very grateful. [As an Asian American actress] you're constantly just fighting for roles, and especially back then, there were so few and far between. So you're scrambling and your agents are scrambling to try to find parts that were not written specifically for an Asian. And I did, you know, obtain a lot of those roles ... but you were just fighting for scraps back in those days. I feel like it's such a combination of luck, fate, hard work and having the right team of people who believe in you and want to see you succeed. ... Having a belief in yourself, that this is your destiny and that you have to keep pursuing it and not quitting. Those are, I think, some of the elements that keep propelling me. And then I'm always looking for role models [within] each age bracket. I've always looked up to Betty White, especially now. I look up to Jean Smart. You recognize that the possibilities remain endless. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ming-Na Wen (@mingna_wen) I think being a mom has definitely made me a better actor. When you're a mom, you go through so many emotions and so many intense feelings — everything from vulnerability to inner strength to just growing up and being more observant. And also learning from my own children about who they are and who I am. It's definitely made me a better actor. I always played the daughters, or the young girlfriend and the ingenue. Now to be able to play the moms, I think it goes deeper and it gives me a chance to explore a lot of these more vulnerable and yet powerful emotions. I'm looking forward to what else I can dip my toes into. Well, luckily, with my genetics and my Asian genes, I am so grateful now. When I was younger, I was like, Oh, I wish I didn't look so Asian. You know, you don't appreciate being Asian; you just want to fit in. You want to be like the blond, blue-eyed [type] that you see everywhere, that are the 'Miss Popular' or getting all the lead roles. So now I embrace my culture, I embrace who I am. I love the fact that I can play younger roles. When I was in my 20s, I was playing a teenager. So it just perpetuates. I just hope to always be able to work with great, talented people who can not look at age as the factor in hiring, but instead look at what you can bring to the table. It's about the artistry, it's about the talents, as opposed to how many followers you have on social media. There are people out there who see beyond that, and those are the people that I look forward to working with, because they don't set boundaries for themselves. My reality is always and has always been that just because I'm Asian doesn't mean I can't play the role that wasn't specifically written for an Asian. So just because I'm a woman of a certain age now doesn't mean I [can't] play younger. We've got AI, babe. They can freaking transform me into a teenager if they wanted to. And what's so great is that I do have a childlike, Peter Pan sort of mentality. So I still play Mulan all the time. I still voice her all the time. So I do get to be a bit of a teenager whenever I'm Mulan. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ming-Na Wen (@mingna_wen) We are in a world of plastic surgery, Botox and filters to look as [young] as you can — young with no pores. Luckily, I don't have pores. I mean, this is all natural, babe, all natural right there. But I work at it, you know. I eat healthy, I train. I wish I slept better — I don't — but I work out. I make sure that I do my best because [my body] is my instrument. This is what I'm selling and it's important to keep it [in] its best form possible. With aging, I think if you try to fight what is a natural progression and the honor of getting older, the alternative is you're six feet under. [In] my culture, we do revere the elders and I think it's important to look your best, but it's also important to love the beauty of being more natural. So yeah, I don't mind aging. Sometimes it sucks because parts of your body hurt here and there. I think it's really important never to label how you're supposed to feel at any age. I think it's really important to just feel the best you can feel and be the best you can be and just say 'eff that' to that number. You know, I wish that our moms and our grandmothers had the platform to be open about it rather than feeling like they're going crazy or that they're alone in this struggle. It's real. I've never had postpartum [struggles] when I had kids, I never had really, really bad hormonal imbalance during my menstrual cycles. But menopause kicked me in the ass. ... I was getting panic attacks that I've never had before. I would be lethargic and unable to be motivated to even like, I don't know, do dishes or get up. It was scary because there's a part of me, maybe being an actor, where I can always kind of look in on myself. I'm like, This is not me. This is so not me. Something is wrong, something is happening. And so being able to share that and kind of forewarn younger women that if these things happen to you, be on the lookout, there is help out there, there [are] ways to try to rebalance your hormones and it's nothing to be ashamed about. It's a natural part of our body changing. So why should we be ashamed? You know, it would be like being ashamed that our hair grows. It's so bizarre. And that's the other hormonal thing about [menopause]: I have nose hair. Why is this my reward for perpetuating the human species by being able to give birth? Well, I went to see my doctor and got my hormones checked. My testosterone was really low and that's why I had no motivation to do anything. It's crazy that this is so strong in changing your personality, because I've always been someone who was absolutely motivated all the time to do anything, whether it's gardening, whether it's my arts and crafts, whether it's my work, whether it's raising my kids. So that imbalance altered who I am and I didn't like that person. I didn't like not being motivated to do anything. So he gave me some things for rebalancing my hormones. And it really, really helped a lot. I'm trying to embrace social media because I want to make it fun. It's another way to connect with the audience. ... I just started [TikTok], I don't know why. There's a part of me that's so regretting it. My whole persona or brand will be just like, I play all these badasses and I have these beautiful red carpet things, but that's not what comes home. That's what my husband's always saying when he sees me in a magazine. He's like, 'Can she come home some night?' So I want to show the real me where I'm a goofball. My kids will probably be hating it and feel embarrassed. But yeah, we'll see. Maybe that's my goal, is just to embarrass my kids. The advice that I would give to my 30-year-old self is to not give a shit about what other people think. And to cut [those people] out of your lives as soon as possible, or keep them at a very, very good distance. Because those are the people that you don't need to have in your life. I wish I could have appreciated my youth in my 30s. It's so crazy. I look back at some of my pictures in my 30s and I'm like, Why was I so critical of myself? Look at that hot little lady there. You know, it's so crazy. And I try to instill that in my kids and young people, to just really love being your age right now — or at any age, really. Now I think that way about myself. If I'm lucky enough to live as long as my mom — my mom's going to be 90 — if I'm able to live another 30 years, I'm going to look back and go, Shit, what was I complaining about? Being 60 was young. So yeah, if you're lucky enough to live long, appreciate where you're at now. I love that I can right now just live more in the present. I used to always think about the future. I used to always worry about the future. And I love the fact that, knowing that life is precious, I try very hard to be present and be aware of where I'm at and what I'm experiencing.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ming-Na Wen is 61. She feels like she's in her 30s.
If you're surprised to learn that Ming-Na Wen — best known for voicing Mulan in the Disney films alongside roles in ER, The Joy Luck Club and, more recently, the Star Wars franchise — is 61, it might be because she was playing teenagers into her 20s. It also doesn't hurt that, as Wen herself notes, her skin is pore-free. And despite being a Hollywood veteran who has weathered motherhood and menopause — the latter of which 'kicked me in the ass,' she tells me during our call for Yahoo Life's Unapologetically series — the actress has managed to embrace aging while maintaining a youthful spirit. 'I don't know what 61 feels like. I mean, I still feel like I'm in my 30s, I guess,' she says. 'And then there are days when I feel like I'm 14 years old when I meet [someone] like Jackie Chan or when I geek out at Mark Hamill in his Jedi outfit on set. ... It just depends on the circumstances.' Her Karate Kid: Legends co-star Chan, who is 10 years her senior, also set an example for career longevity, Wen says. 'He's still vying for roles, he's still hungry to create stories and content for himself. That's what keeps pushing me,' she shares. Here, she talks about this latest era of her career, her all-natural approach to beauty and why she's excited to play moms after always being cast as daughters. Wow, no, not at all. ... I think the idea that I would have a long career like this is something you dream about. But you never know. Your fear is always, OK, this is my last job, this is all I'm gonna get. And then you just fade off into the sunset. It happens to a lot of actors. So I'm very grateful. [As an Asian American actress] you're constantly just fighting for roles, and especially back then, there were so few and far between. So you're scrambling and your agents are scrambling to try to find parts that were not written specifically for an Asian. And I did, you know, obtain a lot of those roles ... but you were just fighting for scraps back in those days. I feel like it's such a combination of luck, fate, hard work and having the right team of people who believe in you and want to see you succeed. ... Having a belief in yourself, that this is your destiny and that you have to keep pursuing it and not quitting. Those are, I think, some of the elements that keep propelling me. And then I'm always looking for role models [within] each age bracket. I've always looked up to Betty White, especially now. I look up to Jean Smart. You recognize that the possibilities remain endless. I think being a mom has definitely made me a better actor. When you're a mom, you go through so many emotions and so many intense feelings — everything from vulnerability to inner strength to just growing up and being more observant. And also learning from my own children about who they are and who I am. It's definitely made me a better actor. I always played the daughters, or the young girlfriend and the ingenue. Now to be able to play the moms, I think it goes deeper and it gives me a chance to explore a lot of these more vulnerable and yet powerful emotions. I'm looking forward to what else I can dip my toes into. Well, luckily, with my genetics and my Asian genes, I am so grateful now. When I was younger, I was like, Oh, I wish I didn't look so Asian. You know, you don't appreciate being Asian; you just want to fit in. You want to be like the blond, blue-eyed [type] that you see everywhere, that are the 'Miss Popular' or getting all the lead roles. So now I embrace my culture, I embrace who I am. I love the fact that I can play younger roles. When I was in my 20s, I was playing a teenager. So it just perpetuates. I just hope to always be able to work with great, talented people who can not look at age as the factor in hiring, but instead look at what you can bring to the table. It's about the artistry, it's about the talents, as opposed to how many followers you have on social media. There are people out there who see beyond that, and those are the people that I look forward to working with, because they don't set boundaries for themselves. My reality is always and has always been that just because I'm Asian doesn't mean I can't play the role that wasn't specifically written for an Asian. So just because I'm a woman of a certain age now doesn't mean I [can't] play younger. We've got AI, babe. They can freaking transform me into a teenager if they wanted to. And what's so great is that I do have a childlike, Peter Pan sort of mentality. So I still play Mulan all the time. I still voice her all the time. So I do get to be a bit of a teenager whenever I'm Mulan. We are in a world of plastic surgery, Botox and filters to look as [young] as you can — young with no pores. Luckily, I don't have pores. I mean, this is all natural, babe, all natural right there. But I work at it, you know. I eat healthy, I train. I wish I slept better — I don't — but I work out. I make sure that I do my best because [my body] is my instrument. This is what I'm selling and it's important to keep it [in] its best form possible. With aging, I think if you try to fight what is a natural progression and the honor of getting older, the alternative is you're six feet under. [In] my culture, we do revere the elders and I think it's important to look your best, but it's also important to love the beauty of being more natural. So yeah, I don't mind aging. Sometimes it sucks because parts of your body hurt here and there. I think it's really important never to label how you're supposed to feel at any age. I think it's really important to just feel the best you can feel and be the best you can be and just say 'eff that' to that number. You know, I wish that our moms and our grandmothers had the platform to be open about it rather than feeling like they're going crazy or that they're alone in this struggle. It's real. I've never had postpartum [struggles] when I had kids, I never had really, really bad hormonal imbalance during my menstrual cycles. But menopause kicked me in the ass. ... I was getting panic attacks that I've never had before. I would be lethargic and unable to be motivated to even like, I don't know, do dishes or get up. It was scary because there's a part of me, maybe being an actor, where I can always kind of look in on myself. I'm like, This is not me. This is so not me. Something is wrong, something is happening. And so being able to share that and kind of forewarn younger women that if these things happen to you, be on the lookout, there is help out there, there [are] ways to try to rebalance your hormones and it's nothing to be ashamed about. It's a natural part of our body changing. So why should we be ashamed? You know, it would be like being ashamed that our hair grows. It's so bizarre. And that's the other hormonal thing about [menopause]: I have nose hair. Why is this my reward for perpetuating the human species by being able to give birth? Well, I went to see my doctor and got my hormones checked. My testosterone was really low and that's why I had no motivation to do anything. It's crazy that this is so strong in changing your personality, because I've always been someone who was absolutely motivated all the time to do anything, whether it's gardening, whether it's my arts and crafts, whether it's my work, whether it's raising my kids. So that imbalance altered who I am and I didn't like that person. I didn't like not being motivated to do anything. So he gave me some things for rebalancing my hormones. And it really, really helped a lot. I'm trying to embrace social media because I want to make it fun. It's another way to connect with the audience. ... I just started [TikTok], I don't know why. There's a part of me that's so regretting it. My whole persona or brand will be just like, I play all these badasses and I have these beautiful red carpet things, but that's not what comes home. That's what my husband's always saying when he sees me in a magazine. He's like, 'Can she come home some night?' So I want to show the real me where I'm a goofball. My kids will probably be hating it and feel embarrassed. But yeah, we'll see. Maybe that's my goal, is just to embarrass my kids. The advice that I would give to my 30-year-old self is to not give a shit about what other people think. And to cut [those people] out of your lives as soon as possible, or keep them at a very, very good distance. Because those are the people that you don't need to have in your life. I wish I could have appreciated my youth in my 30s. It's so crazy. I look back at some of my pictures in my 30s and I'm like, Why was I so critical of myself? Look at that hot little lady there. You know, it's so crazy. And I try to instill that in my kids and young people, to just really love being your age right now — or at any age, really. Now I think that way about myself. If I'm lucky enough to live as long as my mom — my mom's going to be 90 — if I'm able to live another 30 years, I'm going to look back and go, Shit, what was I complaining about? Being 60 was young. So yeah, if you're lucky enough to live long, appreciate where you're at now. I love that I can right now just live more in the present. I used to always think about the future. I used to always worry about the future. And I love the fact that, knowing that life is precious, I try very hard to be present and be aware of where I'm at and what I'm experiencing.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Ming-Na Wen is 61. She feels like she's in her 30s.
If you're surprised to learn that Ming-Na Wen — best known for voicing Mulan in the Disney films alongside roles in ER, The Joy Luck Club and, more recently, the Star Wars franchise — is 61, it might be because she was playing teenagers into her 20s. It also doesn't hurt that, as Wen herself notes, her skin is pore-free. And despite being a Hollywood veteran who has weathered motherhood and menopause — the latter of which 'kicked me in the ass,' she tells me during our call for Yahoo Life's Unapologetically series — the actress has managed to embrace aging while maintaining a youthful spirit. 'I don't know what 61 feels like. I mean, I still feel like I'm in my 30s, I guess,' she says. 'And then there are days when I feel like I'm 14 years old when I meet [someone] like Jackie Chan or when I geek out at Mark Hamill in his Jedi outfit on set. ... It just depends on the circumstances.' Her Karate Kid: Legends co-star Chan, who is 10 years her senior, also set an example for career longevity, Wen says. 'He's still vying for roles, he's still hungry to create stories and content for himself. That's what keeps pushing me,' she shares. Here, she talks about this latest era of her career, her all-natural approach to beauty and why she's excited to play moms after always being cast as daughters. Wow, no, not at all. ... I think the idea that I would have a long career like this is something you dream about. But you never know. Your fear is always, OK, this is my last job, this is all I'm gonna get. And then you just fade off into the sunset. It happens to a lot of actors. So I'm very grateful. [As an Asian American actress] you're constantly just fighting for roles, and especially back then, there were so few and far between. So you're scrambling and your agents are scrambling to try to find parts that were not written specifically for an Asian. And I did, you know, obtain a lot of those roles ... but you were just fighting for scraps back in those days. I feel like it's such a combination of luck, fate, hard work and having the right team of people who believe in you and want to see you succeed. ... Having a belief in yourself, that this is your destiny and that you have to keep pursuing it and not quitting. Those are, I think, some of the elements that keep propelling me. And then I'm always looking for role models [within] each age bracket. I've always looked up to Betty White, especially now. I look up to Jean Smart. You recognize that the possibilities remain endless. I think being a mom has definitely made me a better actor. When you're a mom, you go through so many emotions and so many intense feelings — everything from vulnerability to inner strength to just growing up and being more observant. And also learning from my own children about who they are and who I am. It's definitely made me a better actor. I always played the daughters, or the young girlfriend and the ingenue. Now to be able to play the moms, I think it goes deeper and it gives me a chance to explore a lot of these more vulnerable and yet powerful emotions. I'm looking forward to what else I can dip my toes into. Well, luckily, with my genetics and my Asian genes, I am so grateful now. When I was younger, I was like, Oh, I wish I didn't look so Asian. You know, you don't appreciate being Asian; you just want to fit in. You want to be like the blond, blue-eyed [type] that you see everywhere, that are the 'Miss Popular' or getting all the lead roles. So now I embrace my culture, I embrace who I am. I love the fact that I can play younger roles. When I was in my 20s, I was playing a teenager. So it just perpetuates. I just hope to always be able to work with great, talented people who can not look at age as the factor in hiring, but instead look at what you can bring to the table. It's about the artistry, it's about the talents, as opposed to how many followers you have on social media. There are people out there who see beyond that, and those are the people that I look forward to working with, because they don't set boundaries for themselves. My reality is always and has always been that just because I'm Asian doesn't mean I can't play the role that wasn't specifically written for an Asian. So just because I'm a woman of a certain age now doesn't mean I [can't] play younger. We've got AI, babe. They can freaking transform me into a teenager if they wanted to. And what's so great is that I do have a childlike, Peter Pan sort of mentality. So I still play Mulan all the time. I still voice her all the time. So I do get to be a bit of a teenager whenever I'm Mulan. We are in a world of plastic surgery, Botox and filters to look as [young] as you can — young with no pores. Luckily, I don't have pores. I mean, this is all natural, babe, all natural right there. But I work at it, you know. I eat healthy, I train. I wish I slept better — I don't — but I work out. I make sure that I do my best because [my body] is my instrument. This is what I'm selling and it's important to keep it [in] its best form possible. With aging, I think if you try to fight what is a natural progression and the honor of getting older, the alternative is you're six feet under. [In] my culture, we do revere the elders and I think it's important to look your best, but it's also important to love the beauty of being more natural. So yeah, I don't mind aging. Sometimes it sucks because parts of your body hurt here and there. I think it's really important never to label how you're supposed to feel at any age. I think it's really important to just feel the best you can feel and be the best you can be and just say 'eff that' to that number. You know, I wish that our moms and our grandmothers had the platform to be open about it rather than feeling like they're going crazy or that they're alone in this struggle. It's real. I've never had postpartum [struggles] when I had kids, I never had really, really bad hormonal imbalance during my menstrual cycles. But menopause kicked me in the ass. ... I was getting panic attacks that I've never had before. I would be lethargic and unable to be motivated to even like, I don't know, do dishes or get up. It was scary because there's a part of me, maybe being an actor, where I can always kind of look in on myself. I'm like, This is not me. This is so not me. Something is wrong, something is happening. And so being able to share that and kind of forewarn younger women that if these things happen to you, be on the lookout, there is help out there, there [are] ways to try to rebalance your hormones and it's nothing to be ashamed about. It's a natural part of our body changing. So why should we be ashamed? You know, it would be like being ashamed that our hair grows. It's so bizarre. And that's the other hormonal thing about [menopause]: I have nose hair. Why is this my reward for perpetuating the human species by being able to give birth? Well, I went to see my doctor and got my hormones checked. My testosterone was really low and that's why I had no motivation to do anything. It's crazy that this is so strong in changing your personality, because I've always been someone who was absolutely motivated all the time to do anything, whether it's gardening, whether it's my arts and crafts, whether it's my work, whether it's raising my kids. So that imbalance altered who I am and I didn't like that person. I didn't like not being motivated to do anything. So he gave me some things for rebalancing my hormones. And it really, really helped a lot. I'm trying to embrace social media because I want to make it fun. It's another way to connect with the audience. ... I just started [TikTok], I don't know why. There's a part of me that's so regretting it. My whole persona or brand will be just like, I play all these badasses and I have these beautiful red carpet things, but that's not what comes home. That's what my husband's always saying when he sees me in a magazine. He's like, 'Can she come home some night?' So I want to show the real me where I'm a goofball. My kids will probably be hating it and feel embarrassed. But yeah, we'll see. Maybe that's my goal, is just to embarrass my kids. The advice that I would give to my 30-year-old self is to not give a shit about what other people think. And to cut [those people] out of your lives as soon as possible, or keep them at a very, very good distance. Because those are the people that you don't need to have in your life. I wish I could have appreciated my youth in my 30s. It's so crazy. I look back at some of my pictures in my 30s and I'm like, Why was I so critical of myself? Look at that hot little lady there. You know, it's so crazy. And I try to instill that in my kids and young people, to just really love being your age right now — or at any age, really. Now I think that way about myself. If I'm lucky enough to live as long as my mom — my mom's going to be 90 — if I'm able to live another 30 years, I'm going to look back and go, Shit, what was I complaining about? Being 60 was young. So yeah, if you're lucky enough to live long, appreciate where you're at now. I love that I can right now just live more in the present. I used to always think about the future. I used to always worry about the future. And I love the fact that, knowing that life is precious, I try very hard to be present and be aware of where I'm at and what I'm experiencing.
Tatler Asia
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Tatler Asia
14 Mother's Day movies that make moms feel seen
2. 'Stepmom' (1998) When a marriage breaks down, no one is more affected than the children. This emotional tale features a soon-to-be stepmom struggling to find her footing within her impending life and a terminally ill mother who's just coming to terms with her divorce and missing out on her children's future. Eventually, Isabel (Julia Roberts) and Jackie (Susan Sarandon) reach mutual ground. The film sensitively navigates themes of acceptance, blended families and the unbreakable bonds of maternal love. 3. 'Real Women Have Curves' (2002) What is it about coming-of-age stories and motherhood? Based on a play, it follows a Mexican-American teenager, Ana Garcia (America Ferrera), as she navigates cultural expectations and body image. Her relationship with her mother, marked by both tension and deep love, highlights the complexities of maternal influence. This film is an underrated gem and a must-watch on your list of favourite Mother's Day movies. Also read: Mother's Day gift guide: 5 thoughtful presents for your mum and the maternal figures in your life 4. 'Anak' (2000) In this poignant Filipino drama, Josie (Vilma Santos) leaves her homeland to work as a domestic helper in Hong Kong, aiming to provide a better future for her family. Unbeknownst to her, her husband passes away during her absence. Upon her return, she faces resentment from her children, especially her eldest daughter, Carla (Claudine Barretto), who feels abandoned. The film details the emotional toll of overseas work on familial relationships, highlighting the sacrifices made by many Filipino mothers. 5. 'The Meddler' (2015) Marnie Minervini (Susan Sarandon), a recent widow, moves to Los Angeles to be closer to her daughter, Lori (Rose Byrne). Her well-intentioned involvement in Lori's life leads to humorous and heartfelt moments, showcasing the challenges of letting go and the enduring nature of maternal care. 6. 'The Joy Luck Club' (1993) Adapted from Amy Tan's bestselling novel, The Joy Luck Club is a touching and sweeping portrait of eight women—four Chinese American daughters and their immigrant mothers—who navigate the rift between two cultures and generations. At its heart, the film is a celebration of motherhood in all its complicated glory. From Suyuan Woo's (Kieu Chinh) quiet sacrifices to Lindo Jong's (Tsai Chin) fierce pride, each mother imparts lessons wrapped in pain, resilience and unspoken love. Their daughters, worlds apart in language and lifestyle, grapple with inherited trauma and expectations, learning that their mothers' silence was often an armour forged by history. This one is a must when you're planning a marathon of Mother's Day movies. 7. 'Tokyo Sonata' (2008) This Japanese drama portrays the disintegration of the Sasaki family after the patriarch loses his job. Megumi (Kyōko Koizumi), the mother, struggles to maintain normalcy amidst the family's unravelling. Her quiet resilience and eventual assertion of independence offer a compelling look at a mother's role in a changing family dynamic. 8. 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' (2022) In this chaotic, genre-bending multiverse epic, Michelle Yeoh gives a career-defining performance as Evelyn Wang, a weary laundromat owner burdened by taxes, regrets and a drifting connection with her daughter, Joy (Stephanie Hsu). But when the multiverse cracks open, Evelyn becomes an unlikely heroine in an absurd, high-stakes journey to reclaim her relationship with her child. Through hot dog fingers and bagel metaphysics, Everything Everywhere All at Once becomes a breathtaking metaphor for generational disconnect and reconciliation. Evelyn's arc (equal parts kung fu master, existential philosopher and immigrant mother) is a tribute to the unglamorous, everyday heroism of motherhood. In all its messiness and beauty, she shows that being a good mother means embracing chaos and choosing love in every universe. 9. 'A Quiet Place' (2018) You wouldn't expect a list of Mother's Day movies to include a horror film, but there's nothing like terror to bring out one's maternal instincts. In a post-apocalyptic world inhabited by sound-sensitive creatures, Evelyn Abbott (Emily Blunt) strives to protect her family in silence. Her fierce determination and sacrifices underscore the primal instincts of motherhood in the face of unimaginable threats. 10. 'Mother' (2009) Directed by Oscar winner Bong Joon-ho, this thriller follows a devoted mother (Kim Hye-ja) whose intellectually disabled son, Do-joon (Won Bin), is accused of murdering a young girl. Convinced of his innocence, she embarks on a relentless quest to uncover the truth. The film explores the depths of maternal devotion, questioning the lengths a mother will go to protect her child. See more: Bong Joon-Ho confirms 2 sequels to his Oscar-winning movie, Parasite 11. 'Terms of Endearment' (1983) Aurora Greenway (Shirley MacLaine) is a widowed, sharp-tongued mother whose love for her daughter Emma (Debra Winger) is as intense as it is meddlesome. Spanning 30 years, their relationship is a whirlwind of bickering, reconciliation and razor-sharp affection, tracking Emma's life choices and Aurora's reluctant growth into vulnerability. MacLaine and Winger's chemistry makes this not just a tearjerker, but a sharply observed portrait of a mother who can't help but smother. Let's not forget the daughter who both resents and needs it. 12. 'Mother India' (1957) An epic portrayal of maternal strength, this classic film features Radha (Nargis Dutt), a woman who endures immense hardships to raise her sons after her husband's departure. Facing poverty and societal challenges, Radha's unwavering moral compass and sacrifices epitomise the archetype of the selfless mother. 13. 'The Babadook' (2014) Amelia Vanek (Essie Davis) is a grieving widow and single mother whose son, Samuel (Noah Wiseman), is spiralling into fear and paranoia over a mysterious storybook monster. But as the Babadook's presence grows more menacing, the film reveals itself as a chilling allegory for depression, trauma and the isolating intensity of motherhood. Amelia's exhaustion is palpable and her patience thin, but her fight is relentless. The Babadook doesn't just terrify—it lays bare the raw, unspoken truths of maternal despair and the herculean task of showing up for your child even when your world is falling apart. 14. 'Pieces of a Woman' (2020) Martha Weiss (Vanessa Kirby) is a woman whose world shatters after the loss of her newborn during a home birth. What follows is a slow, aching unravelling of her identity as a mother, partner and daughter, made even more complex by her domineering mother (Ellen Burstyn). The film is less about resolution and more about the quiet, unbearable persistence of grief and the fractured, imperfect ways women try to hold each other (and themselves) together. Don't miss: 8 fantastic fashion moments from Vanessa Kirby
Forbes
19-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
20 Great Movies Based On Books
"The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring" is one of the best books adapted into a movie of ... More all time. Movies based on books are some of the most popular films of all time. Turning books into movies gives the screenwriters and directors a vibrant blueprint to draw from, with characters already fleshed out and plotlines already proven. The best movies based on books are almost guaranteed to be successful because they were preceded by a bestseller. And the best books turned into movies bring with them a dedicated fan base excited to see their favorite scenes come to life on the big screen, just as they'd imagined them. This list of best movies based on novels and memoirs includes some of the most popular series in history as well as a few you may not have realized started out as books. It is very common for books to be made into movies and has been since the early days of Hollywood. Movies are occasionally made into books, called novelizations. This list includes movies based on fantasy, sci-fi, nonfiction and other book genres. It is based on critical acclaim, box office success, star power and long-term appeal. Based on Frank Herbert's 1965 sci fi novel, Dune follows a young man trying to protect his people as he drops onto a new planet where a precious and lacking resource has thrown everything into chaos. Paul is chosen for greatness, but can he live up to the prophecies? The film, starring Timothee Chalamet, Josh Brolin and Zendaya and directed by Denis Villeneuve, won six Academy Awards, grossed over $400 million and spawned a successful sequel. While it does leave out a few characters from the book, the 2021 Dune is considered more faithful to the original than the 1984 adaptation, and critics praised the visuals for mirroring the book. Here's where you can stream Dune. Based on Amy Tan's bestselling 1989 novel about four Chinese American families, The Joy Luck Club follows the lives of two generations of women in the families. As the daughters learn more about their mothers, they begin to bridge the gaps between them and find common ground through mahjong. Director Wayne Wang faced several challenges in adapting the book, which has multiple narrators and pings from past to present. He added a party scene and a voiceover not in the book to help clarify the storytelling. The movie, starring Ming-Na Wen, Kieu Chinh and Rosalind Chao, did solidly at the box office and received warm reviews. It was selected for preservation by the Library of Congress in 2020. Here's where you can stream The Joy Luck Club. Based on Mario Puzo's 1969 novel about a Mafia family, The Godfather is one of the few movies to own a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes. It follows Michael (Al Pacino), the youngest son of Don Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), as he gets involved with the family business while trying to maintain a normal life. The first in a trio of critically acclaimed Godfather films directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the original was a box office and critical hit that won three Oscars, including Best Picture. The top organized crime movie, which Puzo helped write, leaves out several subplots and characters from the book, and it focuses more on the family elements than the book. Here's where you can stream The Godfather. Based on the 2016 nonfiction book by Margot Lee Shetterly, Hidden Figures tells the story of the often-ignored Black women instrumental to the space race and success of NASA. It focuses on three gifted mathematicians, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, who faced discrimination and segregation despite their vital skills. The film, directed by Theodore Melfi, takes a narrower focus than the book, which also includes some other women who don't make it into the movie, and doesn't give as much of the larger historical context of segregation. The film was praised by critics, especially the performances of stars Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monáe. It earned a Best Picture Oscar nod, too. Here's where you can stream Hidden Figures. Based on the 1954 horror classic by Richard Matheson, I Am Legend follows a scientist named Robert (Will Smith), who is the only survivor of a plague that he alone seems immune to. He searches for other survivors while trying to create a cure for the zombie disease. The biggest change between the book and movie is the ending, which is completely different in the film. Director Francis Lawrence's film made $585 million worldwide at the box office and has a sequel in the works. Here's where you can stream I Am Legend. Based on Phillip K. Dick's 1968 sci fi novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, Blade Runner follows replicant hunter Deckard (Harrison Ford), who unfortunately has fallen in love with a replicant played by Sean Young. His mission raises questions about the ethics of artificial intelligence. Despite that deep overarching theme, this top sci-fi movie explores fewer of the philosophical and religious themes raised in the book, which also uses some different terminology (like andies instead of replicants). Director Ridley Scott's film became a cult classic and spawned a sequel, Blade Runner 2049. Here's where you can stream Blade Runner. Harrison Ford in a scene from the movie "Blade Runner," one of the best films based on a book. Based on the first in J.K. Rowling's beloved book series, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone follows young Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) as he learns that he's a wizard and is taken to a school where he learns to use his magical powers and confronts an unfathomable evil that will continue to haunt him. The Harry Potter movies are remarkably similar to the books, which began publishing in 1997, though a few minor subplots are dropped in the interest of time. Chris Columbus directed the first film, which was a huge box office success. Here's where you can stream Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. Based on Thomas Harris's 1998 psychological thriller, The Silence of the Lambs follows FBI recruit Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster), who is tasked with interviewing serial killer Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins) to gain insights on a case. Their give and take does eventually help finder the killer, but at what price? The movie omits some details from the book, most notably any mention of Will Graham. The Silence of the Lambs was actually a sequel to Harris's Red Dragon, which detailed Graham's dealings with Lecter. Director Jonathan Demme's movie was a critical and box office success that became the third movie ever to sweep Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress and Best Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars. Here's where you can stream The Silence of the Lambs. Based on the 1986 novel by Winston Groom, Forrest Gump follows the adventures of a man (Tom Hanks) with a knack for turning up at the right place at the right time, whether it's playing on the national ping-pong team or saving soldiers in Vietnam. But he struggles to help his true love, Jenny (Robin Wright). There are many small differences with the book, including a gentler Forrest on-screen and a later start to the pivotal friendship between Forrest and Bubba. The movie was a phenomenal success, winning Oscars for Hanks, director Robert Zemeckis and Best Picture and grossing over $300 million domestically. Here's where you can stream Forrest Gump. Based on Angie Thomas's bestselling 2017 novel, The Hate U Give follows Starr Carter, who lives in a poor Black neighborhood but attends a posh private school. Those worlds collide after police shoot one of her close childhood friends, who did nothing to deserve it. Devastated, she becomes an unlikely community leader. Several key characters in the book, including DeVante and Nana, are either eliminated or play small roles in the film, which also opens with a different scene than the novel. The film, directed by George Tillman Jr., was a critical hit and earned strong reviews for actors Amandla Stenberg and Russell Hornsby. Here's where you can stream The Hate U Give. Author Angie Thomas presents her book, "The Hate U Give" during the Massachusetts Conference For ... More Women 2019 at Boston Convention Center. It was adapted into a movie. Based on the unauthorized biography of John Nash published by Sylvia Nasar in 1998, A Beautiful Mind tells the story of the brilliant but troubled Nobel Prize-winning economist and mathematician, who developed mental illness while working on code-breaking projects. It is also a love story between Nash (Russell Crowe) and wife Alicia (Jennifer Connelly). The box office hit directed by Ron Howard earned more than $300 million and earned Oscars for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director and Best Supporting Actress. The movie simplifies a lot of events, eliminates some characters and doesn't address the Nashes' divorce. Here's where you can stream A Beautiful Mind. Based on the 1982 novel Schindler's Ark by Australian author Thomas Keneally, Schindler's List is a fictionalized version of the real-life person Oskar Schindler (Liam Neeson), a Nazi Party member who nonetheless saved more than 1,000 Polish Jews during World War II by offering them work in his factories. The film, directed by Steven Spielberg and also starring Ralph Fiennes and Ben Kingsley, does not offer the backstory on Schindler's early years and combines some events to make the plot lines more manageable. The movie was a critical and box office smash, winning seven Oscars, including Best Director and Best Picture. Here's where you can stream Schindler's List. Based on Alice Walker's 1982 epistolary novel that won the Pulitzer Prize, The Color Purple tells the story of the resilient Celie (Whoopi Goldberg), who is abused first by her father and then by her husband. She survives by finding companionship with Shug and dreaming of being reunited with her sister in Africa. The film received 11 Academy Award nominations and marked the first film role for Oprah Winfrey. Director Steven Spielberg's film shies away from the lesbian relationship between Celie and Shug that is more clearly depicted in the book. Here's where you can stream The Color Purple. Based on Kevin Kwan's 2014 book, one of this century's best satirical romance novels, Crazy Rich Asians is about Rachel Wu (Constance Wu), an economics professor who accompanies her boyfriend, Nick (Henry Golding), back to Singapore for his best friend's wedding. Turns out Nick's family is crazy rich, and they don't approve of Rachel. The movie makes several minor changes from the book, including making Astrid a lesser character while simplifying her issues with Michael and creating a new character, Princess Intan. The film from director Jon M. Chu was one of the highest-grossing romantic movies of the 2010s, bringing in almost $240 million and earning two Golden Globe nominations. Here's where you can stream Crazy Rich Asians. Based on the first in Suzanne Collins' bestselling young adult series, The Hunger Games follows Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) as she competes in the sadistic nationally televised battle called the Hunger Games, in which every district sends a teenage tribute to battle to the death. The dystopian tale weaves romance into the fight for survival. The movie is fairly accurate to the book, but the latter was told from Katniss's perspective and didn't include some scenes in the film featuring President Snow (Donald Sutherland) and Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Gary Ross directed the film, which made almost $700 million worldwide. Here's where you can stream The Hunger Games. Based on the 2003 novel by Lauren Weisberger, The Devil Wears Prada shows Andy (Anne Hathaway), a young wannabe 'serious' journalist who lands a job with a famous fashion magazine working for infamous editor Miranda Priestley (a perfectly cast Meryl Streep). Miranda proves a tough taskmaster, but Andy learns a lot. The Andy character has a harder edge in the book, which also had a subplot about Andy's friend Lily being an alcoholic that didn't make it into the movie. Her boyfriend's name also changes from Alex to Nate in the film, which was directed by David Frankel. The film ranked as the 12th biggest hit of 2006 and drew raves for Streep's performance. Here's where you can stream The Devil Wears Prada. Actors Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci and Anne Hathaway attend the premiere of the film "Devil Wears ... More Prada" during the ninth day of the 63rd Venice Film Festival on September 7, 2006. Based on William Goldman's 1973 fantasy romance, The Princess Bride follows the romance between Princess Buttercup (Robin Wright) and farmhand-turned-pirate Westley (Cary Elwes). Buttercup becomes betrothed to another when Westley appears to perish, and many hilarious shenanigans ensue, including some sword duels and a Billy Crystal-Carol Kane bit. While the basic plot of the movie and book match, the characters in the book are different from the film. The Rob Reiner-directed top family movie has a cult following and was chosen for preservation by the Library of Congress. Here's where you can stream The Princess Bride. Based on Frank L. Baum's 1900 children's book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, The Wizard of Oz follows Kansas farm girl Dorothy (Judy Garland) on a trip over the rainbow, where she meets the Scarecrow, Tinman and Cowardly Lion. Together, they journey to see the wizard, defeat the Wicked Witch and get Dorothy home. The movie has become one of the most beloved films of all time, winning three Oscars and becoming the most-seen movie ever, according to the Library of Congress. The Victor Fleming-directed film spawned the famous quotes 'We're not in Kansas anymore' and 'I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too.' The movie introduces new characters in Kansas and, most famously, changes the color of Dorothy's magical slippers from silver to ruby. Here's where you can stream The Wizard of Oz. Based on the 1982 novella Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King, The Shawshank Redemption is Andy's story. Despite protesting his innocence, Andy (Tim Robbins) is convicted of murdering his wife and her lover and sent to Shawshank State Penitentiary, where he forms a deep friendship with fellow inmate Red (Morgan Freeman). Two significant differences between the novella and the movie are the fates of young prisoner Tommy and the warden. While it didn't have great box office results, the film has become a staple on cable and boasts a strong 89% Rotten Tomatoes rating. It also earned seven Oscar nods. Here's where you can stream The Shawshank Redemption. Based on the first book in the Lord of the Rings series by J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring sets up the epic journey undertaken by Frodo Baggins (Elijah Wood), his hobbit friends and a legion of protectors after Frodo unwittingly inherits the One Ring. Alas, evil forces also want the ring. You can't go wrong with any of the LOTR movies, which won a slew of Oscars and grossed more than $3 billion worldwide at the box office. Director Peter Jackson's movie simplifies much of the book, dropping subplots and combining or removing several characters. Here's where you can stream The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. Bottom Line Some of the best books ever written have inspired some of the best films to ever make it to the big screen. From rich fantasies to edge-of-your-seat action to romantic comedies, book-to-movie adaptations offer every genre you can think of to suit any mood. Try watching one of these great films today.
