Celebrity godparents: Tyler Perry revealed to be godfather to Harry and Meghan's daughter

Bearing in mind the saying "it's not what you know, it's who you know", it’s no wonder so many stars ask other celebrities to be godparents to their children.

In the recent Netflix docuseries Harry & Meghan, writer, actor and director Tyler Perry revealed that he is godfather to the royal couple's daughter, Lilibet Diana Mountbatten-Windsor.

Saying that Harry, 38, and Meghan, 41, "were pretty serious on the phone" when they called him, Perry recalled the conversation, saying: "I go, 'Okay, what's going on?' They said, 'Well, we'd like for you to be Lili's godfather.' I go, 'Whoa.' I had to take a minute to take that in. And I thought, 'I'd be honoured. I'd absolutely be honoured.'"

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Despite having never met Perry, the Sussexes stayed at the Gone Girl actor's Los Angeles estate when they moved to the US from Canada in 2020. In the docuseries Meghan says the director offered the family his home when she called him from Canada "crying and crying".

After being offered the role of godfather to Lilibet, Perry said: "I called them back and go, 'Uh, hold on a second — does this mean we gotta go over there [to the UK] and do all of that in church with them [the royal family] and figure all that out? 'Cause I don't wanna do that'.

"'Maybe we can do a little private ceremony here [in the US] and let that be that, and if you have to do it there, then that's OK.'"

Here are 20 more celebrities and their equally (if not more) famous godparents.

Jamie Lee Curtis and Jake Gyllenhaal

True Lies actress and Hollywood legend Jamie Lee Curtis is godmother to Jake Gyllenhaal. The Brokeback Mountain actor’s parents, director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, are long-time friends of Curtis.

David Beckham and Sailor Gardner

The footballer is godfather to Sailor, the son of actress Liv Tyler and Beckham’s best friend, Dave Gardner.

Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus

Country legend Dolly Parton is Miley Cyrus’s godmother. The Jolene singer became friends with Cyrus’s dad, Achy Breaky Heart star, Billy Ray Cyrus, back in the '90s, and he asked her to do the honours and become his famous daughter’s guardian.

Marisa Tomei and Zoe Kravitz

Oscar-winning actress Marisa Tomei is godmother to the A-list offspring of Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet.

Bonet and Tomei became friends when they appeared together in TV show A Different World. Tomei, who starred in My Cousin Vinny, is also godmother to Bonet’s two children with Jason Momoa, Lola Iolani Momoa and Nakoa-Wolf Momoa.

Jude Law and Lila Grace Hack

British actor Jude Law is godfather to supermodel Kate Moss’s daughter, Lila Grace Hack, along with his ex-wife, actress Sadie Frost as godmother. Moss, in turn, is godmother to Law and Frost’s daughter, Iris.

Elton John, Sean Lennon, Damian Hurley, and Romeo and Brooklyn Beckham

Elton John, and Brooklyn and Romeo Beckham, with their father David and brother, Cruz, front. AP; Getty Images

The Goodbye Yellow Brick Road singer is godfather to 10 children. Among the most famous are John Lennon’s son Sean, Elizabeth Hurley’s son Damian, and two of Victoria and David Beckham’s children, Brooklyn and Romeo.

Joan Collins and Cara Delevingne

Model-turned-actress Cara Delevingne is lucky enough to count a grand dame of entertainment as her godmother — Joan Collins. The Dynasty actress is a long-time friend of Delevingne’s aristocratic parents, Pandora and Charles Delevingne.

Bono, and Vivienne and Knox Jolie-Pitt

The U2 frontman is the godfather to Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s twins, Vivienne and Knox, as the singer is a long-time friend of Seven actor Pitt.

Leah Remini, and Max and Emme Anthony

When Jennifer Lopez welcomed her twins with singer Marc Anthony back in 2008, she turned to her best friend, King of Queens actress Leah Remini to be their guardian.

Hugh Grant and Damian Hurley

Elizabeth Hurley’s only child not only counts Elton John as his godfather, but also his mum’s ex-boyfriend, Notting Hill actor Hugh Grant, as one, too.

Sting, Trudie Styler and Rocco Ritchie

Sting and Trudie Styler, and Rocco Ritchie. Getty Images

Madonna and director Guy Ritchie chose the former Police frontman and his actress wife, Trudie Styler, to be godparents to their son, Rocco.

Simon Pegg and Apple Martin

As a close friend of Coldplay frontman, Chris Martin, Shaun of the Dead and Star Trek actor Simon Pegg was first choice to be godfather to his daughter with Gwyneth Paltrow.

Drew Barrymore and Frances Bean Cobain

Actress-turned-talk show host Drew Barrymore is godmother to Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love’s daughter, Frances. Love said the pair became friends after meeting in a bathroom when she was 18 and the ET actress was eight.

Lady Gaga and Zachary Furnish-John

The Oscar-winning actress and singer is godmother to Elton John’s son, Zachary, with Tiny Dancer singer John saying of the House of Gucci star: “She’s all about inclusiveness and tolerance.”

Henry Winkler and Bryce Dallas Howard

As the daughter of celebrated actor and director Ron Howard, Bryce Dallas Howard was always going to have a celebrity godparent. Ron chose his former Happy Days co-star Henry Winkler, who played The Fonz, to do the honours.

Steven Spielberg, Gwyneth Paltrow and Drew Barrymore

Steven Spielberg and Gwyneth Paltrow. AFP

The Oscar-winning director has a number of celebrity godchildren. Two of the most famous are Gwyneth Paltrow and Drew Barrymore.

Spielberg is a friend of Paltrow’s parents, her late father, Bruce and actress mother, Blythe Danner. As well as Spielberg, Barrymore also has a very famous godmother, legendary Italian actress Sofia Loren.

Jake Gyllenhaal and Matilda Ledger

Actor Gyllenhaal is godfather to Matilda, the daughter of Michelle Williams and his late Brokeback Mountain co-star Heath Ledger.

Matilda also has a famous godmother in Williams’ best friend, Cougar Town actress, Busy Philipps.

Johnny Depp and Billy-Ray Burton

Johnny Depp, and Billy-Ray and Nell Burton with their father, Tim Burton. Getty Images

The Pirates of the Caribbean star is godfather to Billy-Ray Burton, the son of his frequent collaborator, director Tim Burton, and Burton's actress ex-wife, Helena Bonham Carter.

Eva Longoria and Harper Beckham

The only girl in a family of three boys, Harper Beckham enjoys having actress and producer, Eva Longoria, as her A-list godmother.

Cameron Diaz and Frankie Kopelman

Although they stared together on Charlie’s Angels, Cameron Diaz and Drew Barrymore have been friends since Barrymore was 16. She turned to Diaz to be godmother to her daughter Frankie who was born in 2014.

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Updated: December 16, 2022, 9:46 AM