Madonna Once Said She’s ‘Green With Envy’ Over Her Daughter, Lourdes Leon
Madonna is the proud mother of six children. Her oldest daughter, Lourdes Leon, is following in her mother’s footsteps by making her foray into the entertainment industry. Leon has found success as a model, but Madonna says her daughter is talented in most things she does. The famous musician explained why her daughter’s talent makes her “green with envy.”
Lourdes Leon says Madonna’s strict parenting taught her independence
Leon was born in 1996 to Madonna and Carlos Leon. She explained that her mother employed a very strict style of parenting when she was growing up.
“The list of things I wasn’t allowed to do is never-ending,” she told Interview Magazine.
Though she grew up with a famous parent and lived in privilege, Leon says Madonna wanted her to have a relatively normal childhood.
“We don’t get any handouts in my family,” she said. “Obviously, I grew up with extreme privilege. There’s no denying that. But I think my mom saw all these other kids of famous people, and she was like, ‘My kids are not going to be like this.’”
Leon added that she became completely financially independent when she graduated high school, not wanting to take money from her mother.
“I feel like if your parents pay for things, then it gives them leverage over you,” she said. “My mom is such a control freak, and she has controlled me my whole life. I needed to be completely independent from her as soon as I graduated high school.”
Madonna once said she’s envious of her daughter
As Leon navigates her way through the fashion industry, Madonna said she’s struck by her talent.
“[Leon] is insanely talented,” Madonna told Vogue. “I’m green with envy because she’s incredible at everything she does – she’s an incredible dancer, she’s a great actress, she plays the piano beautifully, she’s way better than me in the talent department.”
Still, Madonna feels that something is holding her daughter back.
“She doesn’t have the same drive, and again, I feel social media plagues her and makes her feel like, ‘People are going to give me things because I’m her daughter.’”
Madonna tries to offer her daughter advice to help her strike out on her own. She wants to see Leon succeed outside of associations with her mother. Instead, she wants people to take her seriously because of her talent. Leon detailed some of the advice her mother gave her.
“She was like, ‘Remember, this s— is not real. It’s not about the money or your face or how hot you look. It’s about what you’re bringing into the world and what you’re going to leave behind.’ That always shakes me awake when I get too caught up in everything.”
Lourdes Leon is making waves as a model
Leon’s recent career wins make it seem as though she’s taking her mother’s advice to heart. Per People, she’s collaborated with Adidas x Stella McCartney, Parade x Juicy Couture, Marc Jacobs, and Swarovski. She was also included in Vogue’s “Generation America: The Models Changing an Industry” feature.
