The secrets of Lourdes Leon’s unshakeable relationship with lookalike father Carlos

Turning 28 today, birthday girl Lourdes has started her own music label, Lolahol; released a range of songs, including debut single Lock&Key in August 2022; appeared on fashion runways worldwide; and even landed the prestigious Vogue front cover slot.

All this proves she‘s not your average nepo baby, yet her megastar mum can’t take all the credit. Unbeknownst to many, Lourdes maintains an extremely close relationship with her lookalike actor dad, Carlos Leon. This despite Carlos and Madonna splitting up when Lourdes was just a baby.

Yet while many children of broken marriages can end up hardly seeing their dads, thanks to Madonna and Carlos‘s amicable approach to co-parenting, Lourdes has always been able to see lots of hers, allowing for their unshakeable bond to form.

Here we look in more detail at just what makes this sweet father-daughter duo get along so famously.

Carlos Leon, 58, was a laid-back parent when Lourdes was young, the complete opposite of Madonna. The Big Lebowski actor told People in 2011 he was a “lenient father“ who struggled to “discipline” his daughter. Unsurprisingly, then, Carlos struggled when it came to imposing curfews on the young Lourdes. “We settle on a time, say around 10pm, and she’s like, ‘How about 10:30?‘ And it eventually becomes 10:15.“

The pair clearly enjoyed a good-natured to and fro from an early stage, and it has lasted. In 2021, Lourdes told Interview Magazine her Cuban born father was “too lazy“ to teach her any Spanish but still called him “amazing“.

After Madonna and Carlos parted ways, Lourdes adapted fast to being coparented and part of a blended family. Not all blended families meld together harmoniously but in 2016, Carlos told HELLO! that Lourdes is a great big sister to her half brother, Meeka, and that she is “very cool” about the family dynamic.

While Carlos was relaxed with Lourdes when she was a child, when she stepped into the dating pool, his previously laid-back approach melted away and he entered ‘protective father mode‘ to avert any Hollywood heartbreak. This included the old school tactic of talking firmly to any guy she brought home to ensure there was no messing about.

In theory one of these young men would have been her first boyfriend, the actor Timothée Chalamet, whom Lourdes dated when they were both students at LaGuardia. According to a Radar source, while Lourdes and Timothée were dating Carlos liked him but was wary of how “young boys can get carried away“.

He told People that his concerns came from his “overprotective“ nature towards Lourdes and his wish for her to “stay young forever“. Lourdes current boyfriend, Jonathan Puglia, clearly got the seal of approval!

After establishing her own modelling career, Lourdes is now frequently spotted at fashion events with her dad. She stepped out with Carlos during New York Fashion Week in 2024 where he made his modelling debut.

Lourdes‘ desire for her father to look good extends beyond the catwalk. She has become his personal fashion guru, and gives him a “hard time” on the clothes he wears.

“I wore a pair of jeans once, and they weren’t as skinny as I usually wear them, and she was like, ‘Oh my God, Dad, those pants are ugly. Please change your pants“.

As well as being dedicated followers of fashion, Carlos and Lourdes are dedicated followers of fitness, and swap tips and train together in order to get the ‘Hollywood glow‘.

Away from red carpets and fashion shows, the duo have a normal relationship. In 2023, the singer spent Father‘s Day with Carlos in New York City where they were spotted on a rare public outing.

Behind closed doors they like to indulge in movie marathons together and are fans of the Twilight and Harry Potter films. Carlos has named the Hogwarts saga as a “favourite of hers“ and something “we can watch that 100 times“.