Mum & Dad Know Best: Celebs Managed By Their Parents
Lots of stars are managed by their mums and other family members - but mixing business and relatives doesn't always work
Rex FeaturesBeyonce
Beyoncé’s father Matthew Knowles kick-started her career by training the original three members of Destiny’s Child to sing. He managed the group from the beginning until they split up, as well as Beyoncé’s solo career. On Monday 28th March 2011 – over a decade after Matthew first made himself her manager – Beyoncé released a statement to say that the pair had gone their separate ways. In June 2010, stories emerged suggesting that her relationship with her father had become strained after it was reported that he had fathered a love child with a women 20 years his junior – while he was still married to Beyoncé’s mother Tina.
Rex FeaturesThe Kardashians
Long before the Kardashians took over reality TV, Kris Jenner managed her three daughters, Kim, Kourtney and Khloe. Dubbed “momager” by Kim, Kris also executive produces their TV show, Keeping Up With The Kardashians.
Rex FeaturesHilary Duff
Hilary Duff shot to fame at the tender age of nine, after being encouraged by her mother, Susan, to take up acting classes. After Hilary’s breakthrough on Disney’s Lizzie Maguire, her mum took over as her manager, meaning she regularly released statements about Hilary’s romantic relationships... awkward?
Rex FeaturesUsher
Talk about complicated: r’n’b star Usher hired, then fired, then re-hired his mother. Jonetta Patton started out as Usher’s manager in the early 90s, but parted (professional) ways with her son in 2007, around the same time he got engaged to then-girlfriend Tameka Foster. Close to the end of his relationship with Tameka, Jonetta was re-hired...coincidence?
PA PhotosLindsay Lohan
Dina Lohan is a celebrity mom who’s in the spotlight almost as much as her daughter, Lindsay. Dina has starred in and executive produced her own reality TV show, walked many a red carpet, and given interviews during her LiLo’s jail and rehab stints.
Rex FeaturesHayden Panettiere
Hayden Panettiere started acting when she was only five years old; her mother Lesley, a former soap opera actress, managed her from the start. Like Dina Lohan, Lesley has often been criticised for being a bit of a ‘stage mom’, often dressing closer to her daughter’s age than her own.
Rex FeaturesKirsten Dunst
Kirsten starred in a cereal commercial at the age of three, and her mum, Inez, went on to organise many of her early auditions, including her first big Hollywood role in Interview With A Vampire. Kirsten has said in interviews that she used to resent her mother for not letting her enjoy a ‘normal’ childhood.
Rex FeaturesKatherine Heigl
Making sure that her agent always has her best interests at heart, Katherine Heigl employed her mother, Nancy, as just that. Her mum is also her main business consultant, and has executive produced two of her daughter’s films, The Ugly Truth and Life as We Know It.
Rex FeaturesTom Cruise
Tom Cruise is one of many celebrities who has gone through the awkward process of hiring and then firing a family member. His sister Lee Anne DeVette started working as his rep in 2004; one year later, shortly after the Oprah-Winfrey-couch-jumping incident and amidst high media scrutiny, Tom demoted Le Anne to work as the main representative for his charitable work, instead hiring high-profile publicist Paul Bloch.
Rex FeaturesMiley Cyrus
Not only has Tish produced three of daughter Miley’s films, she also works as her co-manager. That’s right, Miss Miley is managed by more than one person, but it was Tish, who was responsible for choosing each representative for every aspect of her daughter’s career (TV, film, music etc). It’s safe to say she chose successfully...
Bigpicturesphoto.comBritney Spears
After Britney Spears’ unfortunate mental breakdown three years ago, her father, Jamie, was given conservatorship of his daughter, meaning he could control every part of her personal life, as well as overseeing her business interests, her music career and marketing, worth millions of pounds.
Rex FeaturesJessica and Ashlee Simpson
Joe Simpson managed both of his daughters’, Jessica and Ashlee’s careers. Joe is known to be a bit pushy and, at times, inappropriate, making comments about his daughters’ romantic relationships and even commenting on Jessica’s (rather large) breasts…
Rex FeaturesHeidi Klum
Gunther Klum sure hit one hell of a jackpot with daughter Heidi. Not only is she a world famous supermodel, she’s also a bit of a mogul. Her dad is CEO of the Heidi Klum GmbH, and takes care of everything that comes under the Heidi Klum brand - that includes sweets, shower gels, shoes and perfumes. Phew!
WennNick and Aaron Carter
Jane Carter managed son Aaron’s career from the start and co-managed Nick during the later stages of his career. Sadly, their relationship turned sour when Aaron accused his mother of stealing more than $100k from his personal bank account. He sought legal emancipation from her in 2004 and both brothers ended their professional and personal relationships with their mum.
PA PhotosJewel
Folk and country artist Jewel was managed by her mother Lenedra Carroll from the beginning of her career. As well as this and co-heading a charity with her, Lenedra also works as a singer, performer, artist, author and businesswoman - wherever does she find the time?
Rex FeaturesBrandy and Ray J
On top of managing both Brandy and Ray J’s careers, their mother Sonja Bates-Norwood has also worked as a programme consultant on Brandy’s hit TV show, Moesha, co-created, starred in and executive produced their new reality TV series Brandy & Ray J: A Family Business, and is the CEO of Norwood & Norwood Inc., an entertainment management company.
Rex FeaturesMacaulay Culkin
Macaulay’s father Kit was, as so many other celebrities’ parents, an actor himself (playing an uncredited extra in Westside Story) before taking charge of his son’s careers, from the late 80s to the mid 90s. Kit famously commented on Michael Jackson’s behaviour around children, saying that he had no problem with son Macaulay’s sleepovers at the Neverland Ranch and trusted Michael completely.
Bigpicturesphoto.comBrooke Shields
Brooke Shields and her mother Teri went through a strained period in their relationship for many years. Teri is known as an infamous stage mom, booking acting and modelling gigs for her daughter from just 11 months old. She worked as Brooke’s manager throughout the early stages of her career, and was often criticised for letting her then-12-year-old play a prostitute in Pretty Baby. In 1995, Brooke finally fired her, but their relationship has improved in recent years.
PA PhotosJustin Timberlake
When a guy chooses to take his mother along as his date to the Academy Awards and not his girlfriend (sorry, Jessica Biel), you know they have a tight relationship. Justin’s mother Lynn became his manager after he left N’SYNC, alongside executive producing some of Justin’s TV performance specials.
PA PhotosAshanti
Turning a mother into a momager can have side effects that aren’t all positive, as r’n’b star Ashanti has found out. The star has often commented on her mother breaking up romantic moments for her, or showing up at after show parties wearing her clothes. But, given that it was Tina who sent out demo tapes of Ashanti after overhearing her singing, we’d say her daughter has a lot to be thankful for.
