A portmanteau of mom and manager, momager is one of the most difficult jobs in showbiz. Balancing how to best guide your client’s career while also fulfilling your duties as a mother can be a high wire act, but some momagers have excelled at it.
Check out some of the most influential celebrity momagers, from a few who preferred to keep a low public profile, to those who became almost as famous as their clients. Find out which moms played a big part in their children’s careers.
Pattie Mallette – Justin Bieber’s Momager
After giving birth to Justin Bieber as a teenager, Pattie Mallette played an instrumental role in jumpstarting his career. She promoted her son on YouTube and helped him land his first recording contract.
While she took a backseat in later years, she kept traveling with him on tour, claiming that “my biggest concern is keeping him grounded.”
Kris Jenner – The Kardashian and Jenner Family’s Momager
After Kim Kardashian’s sex tape made her a celebrity, Kris Jenner became one of the most influential celebrity momagers, turning her entire family into reality TV royalty. After helping turn Kim into a fashion icon and younger daughters Kendall and Kylie into sought after models, she set her sights on Selena Gomez, even though she didn’t sign a contract with the singer.
Nancy Heigl – Katherine Heigl’s Momager
The actress started her career in 1993 and her mom has been on her side ever since. Katherine Heigl managed to transition from TV’s “Grey’s Anatomy” to rom-coms, and her return to the small screen in “State of Affairs” also involved her mother. Nancy Heigl doesn’t just manage her daughter, she’s also an executive producer on her projects, including the NBC series.
Tish Cyrus – Miley Cyrus’ Momager
While Miley got plenty of career tips from her father Billy Ray Cyrus, her mother Tish has also helped her transition from Disney star to international pop star. Tish Cyrus is one of the most influential celebrity momagers, even if she decide to also share the job with Jason Morey and later Larry Rudolph.
Mandy Teefey – Selena Gomez’s Momager
After her big break in “Wizards of Waverly Place”, Selena Gomez counted on her mother to represent her business interests. However, in 2020 she decided that mixing business and family was not the best way to go forward and she fired her mom, who learned from the press that the singer and actress was looking for a new manager. Despite Kris Jenner trying to fill in, Gomez instead hired Aleen Keshishian, who has also managed Katy Perry.
Jonetta Patton – Usher’s Momager
Usher got his first record deal at the age of 14. The singer already had his mom Jonetta Patton working as his manager for a year before she helped him land his first record contract. She’s the one of the most influential celebrity momagers even if she stepped back twice. Patton represented Usher until 2020, then from 2020 to 2020 before retiring for good.
Dina Lohan – Ali and Lindsay Lohan’s Momager
While many have criticized Dina Lohan for the way she managed Lindsay Lohan, Dina also stepped up as her younger daughter’s manager. Dina gave up her own career in order to manage Lindsay and Ali, but she may have been more preoccupied with becoming a celebrity herself than with her daughters.
Tina Douglas – Ashanti’s Momager
Unlike most momagers, Tina Douglas managed to keep things tight on every end. She’s one of the most influential celebrity momagers because she helped guide her daughter’s career, and giving up everything for her daughters. Ashanti thinks Tina is the “strongest, most loving selfless mother ever made.”
Lesley Vogel – Hayden Panettiere’s Momager
Having a mother with first hand experience in showbiz helped Hayden Panettiere in the long run. Her career is run by Lesley Vogel, who pushed Hayden ever since she was a baby.
Jada Pinkett Smith – Willow Smith’s Momager
Even though she’s still very much into her own career, Jada Pinkett Smith also helped her daughter Willow get her first hit. She’s definitely one of the most influential celebrity momagers, while she’s still shining as a star on “Gotham”.
