Celebrities Share What They Learned From Their Moms

A new book features Ken Burns, Katie Couric, Cindy Crawford and others on what their mothers taught them

Donna Freydkin,

AARP

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Published May 07, 2026

a collage with photos of cindy crawford katie couric and henry louis gates junior

AARP (Getty Images, 6; Shutterstock)

Many of us could write entire books on what we learned from our mothers (how to walk and talk, to name a few little things). But some lessons feel more special than others.

That’s what Sherrie Rollins Westin and Jeffrey D. Dunn, the CEO and former CEO of Sesame Workshop, respectively, asked a range of well-known people to describe for their new book, What I Learned From Mom: 27 Celebrated Individuals on How Mother’s Wisdom Shaped Their Lives. It’s a loving homage to motherhood, full of bittersweet, moving and joyful reminiscences. All proceeds from the book’s sale support Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit behind Sesame Street.

Here are some highlights.

Ken Burns, 72: Be present for your children

Ken Burns’ mom died of cancer when the famed documentarian was just 11 years old. He says he once told his father-in-law, a psychiatrist, that he had never dealt with her death in his youth and subsequently always "seemed to be trying to keep my mother alive.”

His father-in-law pointed out that Burns’ career choice was revealing: “Look at what you do for a living. You wake the dead. You make Abraham Lincoln, Jackie Robinson and Louis Armstrong come alive. Who do you think you are really trying to wake up?”

jeffrey d dunn and sherrie rollins westin posing with cookie monster on the set of sesame street

Authors Jeffrey D. Dunn and Sherrie Rollins Westin

Courtesy of Sesame Workshop

That set Burns on a journey to process his grief, where he began to appreciate how his mother’s death may have transformed him in positive ways — not just as a filmmaker but as a parent determined to be fully present for his daughters in a way he was not able to enjoy with his mom. “This is my mother’s greatest gift,” Burns writes.

Chelsea Clinton, 46: Understand what really matters

The daughter of two powerful political figures — President Bill Clinton and future Senator and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton — was hard on herself as a kid. She sheepishly describes calling her mom, crying during her college years at Stanford, distraught because she’d received a B- on a chemistry test.

Hillary paused after listening to her daughter’s woes and said, “OK. So, you are not in danger, and you are physically OK?” She kindly calmed her daughter down and emphasized that she “should really think about what’s worth crying over.”

Chelsea, who has three children, says she’s taken to heart Hillary’s oft-repeated mantra: “Life is not about what happens to you. It’s about what you do with what happens to you.”

Katie Couric, 69: Love fiercely

Couric, whose quiet, beloved mother, Elinor, died in 2014, writes that her mom used to say to her four kids, “Everyone needs a cheerleader … and I’m yours.” For her, Couric adds, “family was everything…. To never question how much you are loved is a real gift.”

Cindy Crawford, 60: Tell the truth, even when it’s hard

Crawford, a supermodel and mother of two, credits her mom with instilling discipline, honesty and independence in her at an early age. Raised in a household where chores were nonnegotiable, she says her mother made clear she was “the mother, not our friend,” enforcing strict rules and consistency.

That structure, paired with unconditional love, shaped Crawford’s approach to parenting. She recalls her mother’s clear-eyed philosophy: “If you don’t lay the groundwork early, you can’t start parenting at 16.”

She also emphasizes the value of directness, something her mother never avoided: “If your parents won’t tell you the truth, who will?”

Tory Burch, 59: Tune out negativity

The fashion designer grew up on a Pennsylvania farm where her parents encouraged independence, curiosity and big thinking. Her mother, who later started her own business, exhibited resilience and optimism, even when facing setbacks.

When Burch began building her company, that guidance became essential. Her mother warned her to expect criticism and to stay focused on her instincts. The advice that stuck and still guides her: “Negativity is noise.”

Henry Louis Gates Jr., 75: Build self-worth early

The historian, Harvard scholar and host of the long-running PBS series Finding Your Roots, traces much of his intellectual foundation to time spent with his mother in front of the TV. They watched programs together and talked through what they saw. Those early conversations, he writes, were the start of his education. She nurtured his curiosity and confidence in equal measure, creating an environment where ideas mattered. Looking back, he sums up her influence in blunt terms: “She was a self-esteem machine.”

Kevin Nealon, 72: Stay present and move forward

The Saturday Night Live alum describes his mother as steady and pragmatic, someone who didn’t dwell on setbacks. When things went wrong, her response was simple and direct: “OK, all right. That happened. We survived, so let’s move on.”

That mindset stayed with him. As a father, he draws a straight line from her example to his own priorities, especially when it comes to showing up: “Be available. Be present in my son’s life.”

Téa Leoni, 60: Respect everyone

the cover of the book what i learned from mom

Courtesy Regalo Press

The actor and mother of two grew up with a clear message about how to treat others. Her mother, whom she describes as both tough and deeply principled, emphasized decency in everyday interactions.

Status, power or background didn’t matter. What counted was how you behaved. The lesson was simple and consistent: “You should have respect for everybody.”

Steve Guttenberg, 67: Prioritize happiness over status

The actor, best known for his roles in Diner, Police Academy and Three Men and a Baby, says his mother helped him keep perspective when his career took off. As he rose in an industry driven by fame and recognition, she redirected his focus to something more durable.

Success, she made clear, was not the goal. Fulfillment was. Her advice stayed with him: “Being a movie star wasn’t as important as being happy.”

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Donna Freydkin has spent 10-plus years interviewing celebrities for major publications, and has written for a variety of outlets such as USA Today, Allure, Yahoo! and CNN covering topics such as films, family and favorite meals.