Happy Mother's Day: These are the most beloved maternal figures in film and television

May is undoubtedly the month of mothers since practically all countries honor mothers during these thirty-one days. There is no official agreement on the exact date to commemorate them. In Spain, Mother's Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of the month while in the United States it is commemorated today, on the second Sunday of May. Regardless of the specific date, Mother's Day is widely celebrated worldwide, much like Father's Day. Many television networks take advantage of this day to honor mothers with special programs and movies.

There is no shortage of material for these celebrations. Numerous TV shows and movies revolve around families, placing mothers at the heart of their storylines. Here are a few notable examples.

Mary Cooper ('Young Sheldon' and 'The Big Bang Theory')

Mary Cooper is arguably the mother beloved mother figure among fans of "The Big Bang Theory." She is the polar opposite of her son, Sheldon, Mary is a devout Christian and a dedicated mother who, despite not understanding Sheldon, will go to great lengths to try and understand him. She is always there for him and their interactions are, to say the least, interesting to watch.

Religion is a common point of contention between them, serving as the primary source of their conflicts. Nevertheless, Sheldon adores his mother as she is one of the few people who can get through to him, not to mention she is the only one capable of controlling him. Mary's role in Sheldon's life is particularly noteworthy, especially considering that Jim Parsons gained fame for his role in the series.

Mary was a character that viewers became very fond of and that we got to know even more in the spin-off of the popular sitcom, "Young Sheldon." This fiction is where we truly understand Mary, where we see her struggle to understand your gifted child while at the same time trying to be a good mother figure to Sheldon's siblings, Georgie and Missy, whom she also cares for and for whom she also worries as much or more than she can worry about Sheldon.

She embodies the quintessential Texas mother and that's why fans adore her. It is also interesting to note that the actress who played Mary in "The Big Bang Theory," Laurie Metcalf, is the mother of Zoe Perry, who plays the younger version of Mary in "Young Sheldon." In the end, it's a true family affair.

Lily Potter and Molly Weasley ('Harry Potter')

Any lover of the "Harry Potter" movies, based on the novels by JK Rowling, knows that the story of the young boy wizard is a story of a mother's love for her son.

Lily Potter makes the ultimate sacrifice and gives her life for Harry. Little does she know that her selfless act provides him with a powerful protection against Voldemort. This protection ultimately prevents Voldemort from killing Harry and instead leaves him with a lightning-bolt-shaped scar on his forehead. Harry wears this scar with pride, as it symbolizes the immense love and sacrifice of his mother, who gave everything to save him.

Lily isn't the only example of a great mother in "Harry Potter." Molly Weasley is also another great mother figure. The mother of the Weasley clan is not only there for her seven children, but also for all their friends. She takes in Harry and gives him all the love that his Aunt Petunia couldn't give him. She even knits him a sweater, which becomes the first Christmas gift that Harry has ever received and that he will keep forever.

Marge Simpson ('The Simpsons')

Marge Simpson is one of the most iconic mothers from the small screen. We have grown to love the star of "The Simpsons" and her family since 1989 and there doesn't seem to be an end in sight. We're not complaining, as screenwriter and executive producer Matt Groening always finds ways to entertain us with these beloved yellow characters.

Marge epitomizes the stereotypical American middle-class mother. While primarily a housewife, she's not afraid to take on various jobs to support her family financially, all while managing her duties as the matriarch of the family. She attends school meetings, as well as at every doctor's appointment for her children Bart, Lisa and Maggie. They are aware of the great sacrifice she makes for them, resulting in a much closer and more nurturing relationship than the one Homer has with his children.

Sandy ('Mother's Day')

Hollywood has always taken advantage of holidays. Valentine's Day, Christmas and Halloween are some of the important dates that usually make it on the big screen. Mother's Day was not going to be an exception.

In 2016, the movie "Mother's Day" was released. Marie Claire magazine described the movie as small interwoven stories starring some of the best-known names in Hollywood.

In it, Jennifer Aniston plays Sandy, a divorced mother who must learn to share the love of her children with her ex-husband's new partner. In the movie, we also meet Miranda, played by Julia Roberts. She is a single, successful, childless woman who ends up crossing paths with Sandy. Kate Hudson plays Jesse, a daughter who wants to improve her relationship with her estranged mother. We also meet Bradley, played by Jason Sudeikis, a widowed father trying to find his way after losing his wife, who left their two daughters in his care.

Rebecca Pearson ('This is Us')

A few years ago NBC released "This is Us," a series starring the Pearson family. It tells the story of Jack and Rebecca Pearson, a young couple and their marriage. The series begins with Rebecca giving birth to triplets. One of them doesn't make it and Rebecca, in love with the idea of a family of three, decides to adopt Randall, who was abandoned in the hospital. The series tells the story of the Pearson children, Randall, Kate and Kevin.

Rebecca is, without a doubt, the main character of the story. The series takes us through her childhood until practically the last moments of her life. She has to recover from the death of her husband, Jack, raise her three teenage children in the process, and still be able to find love again.

Her story is that of a mother who is always there for her children and even her grandchildren, to whom she isn't afraid to give advice, scold and especially love.

She is definitely the star of "This is Us." But she is not the only mother we meet. We can't forget about Kate, Beth and Sophie, the other mothers of the Pearson clan. They are also great examples of maternal figures who will turn to Rebecca when they need parenting advice.

Mildred Hayes ('Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri')

"Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri" is a movie about the resilience of mothers. Based on a true story, Mildred Hayes (played brilliantly by Francis McDormand) will have to face the murder and rape of her little girl, Angela. She decides to rent three billboards on the outskirts of the fictional city of Ebbing, Missouri, where she lives.

Her goal is to find her daughter's murderer. At the same time, she berates Police Chief Bill Willoughby as well as Officer Jason Dixon, who were unable to solve Angela's murder and who will take a dim view of Mildred's initiative to find out what happened to her little girl.

Gloria Pritchett and Claire Dunphy ('Modern Family')

If there is one television series that has introduced us to different types of mothers, it is "Modern Family." The three main families have three different mothers who are key characters in the series: Gloria, Claire and Haley.

Gloria Pritchett is played by Sofia Vergara who is an example of Latin American mothers. Gloria joins the Pritchett family after marrying Jay. Although Jay's daughter, Claire, does not approve of their marriage at first, she gradually grows fond of Gloria. She joins the family with her son, Manny, who is her child from another marriage. She adores him and often calls him "Papi."

Although she is the stereotypical young woman who everyone thinks got married for money, over time fans see that Gloria really loves Jay and doesn't care about what others think. Extremely worried about Manny and later about her other son, Joe, Gloria will do whatever it takes so that neither of her two children forget their Colombian roots.

Claire is, perhaps, the prototype of the modern American traditional mother. She puts aside her work side to raise her children. When they are older, she goes back to work for her father's company. At the same time, she has to deal with her husband, Phil, who decides to adopt the role of "cool father," leaving her to deal with the most serious issues. Her daughter, Haley, also becomes a mother by the end of the series to a little boy. However, her role as a mother did not get much screen time.

Elinor ('Brave')

Another mother-daughter story is the one Pixar told in "Brave," an animated movie set in Scotland. Queen Elinor is convinced that she has found the best man for her daughter, Merida. But she does not realize that her little girl does not want to become a married woman, she wants to go on adventures and become the leader of her clan on her own merits and not to achieve a profitable marriage for her people.

When Merida finally confesses her intentions to Elinor, she does not understand her. Merida accidentally turns her mother into a fearsome bear. Once the truth is discovered, the young princess will do whatever it takes to rescue her mother. This movie shows how a relationship between mother and daughter can change for the better despite the challenges.

Lorelai Gilmore ('Gilmore Girls')

This story stars a mother and daughter. "Gilmore Girls" tells the story of Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham), a woman who became pregnant at the age of 16 with her daughter, Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel). She finds herself in a position where she needs to ask her parents for help when she wants to enroll Rory in Chilton, a prestigious high school. Her wealthy parents agree to help her, but in exchange they must agree to have dinner together on Friday nights, so Lorelai's parents can be part of both of their lives.

Lorelai reluctantly agrees but makes it clear that she does not want the agreement to affect her relationship with Rory, whom she isn't just her daughter, but also her best friend. They both live in the town of Stars Hollow and throughout the series they grow up while addressing topics such as family, friendship, school and university, relationships between generations and, especially, the differences between social classes.

Donna Sheridan ('Mamma Mia!')

If there is a movie that perfectly represents the relationship between a mother and her daughter, it is "Mamma Mia!" The movie, based on the songs of the Swedish band ABBA, begins with Donna Sheridan (played by Meryl Streep) organizing the perfect wedding for her daughter, Sophie, played by Amanda Seyfried. Sophie decides to invite her three possible fathers, something that Donna does not find out about until it is too late.

Donna has to deal with her past while, at the same time, showing her daughter that her entire life, ever since she became pregnant, has revolved around being the best possible mother for her and giving her the best upbringing. This is also seen in the sequel "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again" when we learn about Donna's youth and how she reacted to finding out she was pregnant.

Both movies are perfect to watch with your mothers to celebrate Mother's Day.