Lionel and Nicole Richie, Joel Madden Gather Backstage at Memorial

Harrison Funk/WireImage

Lionel Richie shares a tender moment with family — his expectant daughter Nicole Richie and her boyfriend Joel Madden — backstage at the Staples Center during Monday’s Michael Jackson memorial.

Lionel, who performed the classic sermon “Jesus is Love,” later returned to the stage for an all-star performance of his 1985 hit “We Are the World,” which he cowrote with the King of Pop.

Nicole, who is due in late summer, had been Michael’s goddaughter.

Comments

What a nice picture. Life, although a little bit harder by each loss, goes on with new life.

- Hea on July 7th, 2009

Michael seems to have tons of godchildren

- Anon on July 7th, 2009

“Jesus is Love” is one of my favorites and it was so appropriate today.
Looking good, Mr. Richie. Mighty good.

- Amber on July 7th, 2009

does Nicole ever see her biological parents?.. did they meet Harlow? i wonder…

- blackrose on July 7th, 2009

It’s hard to see her belly in this picture but from what I see it looks similar to when she was pregnant with Harlow. I hope its a boy just because im curious to see what a boy from them would look like but could the world hurt to have another Harlow?!?!??! I really like her and joel as a couple and with Harlow i love them as a family!

- Lisa on July 7th, 2009

amazing how many criticized J. Hudson’s dresses but didnt address Nicole RIchie’s NIPPLE poking out….yall are truly something else

- Asheley on July 7th, 2009

Thats a nice and sweet image. It looks like her belly dropped some!

- Ashleigh on July 7th, 2009

lol it is a nice pic of them (just try not to notice the nipple lol)

- sara on July 7th, 2009

She looks radiant! She has come a long way from her party girl image. Such a beautiful family!

- Samantha on July 7th, 2009

Aw, it’s such a cute pic! I love how Joel is tenderly holding her belly!

- Krystal on July 7th, 2009

I had no idea they even knew each other. In fact, I spent most of the memorial saying “I had no idea they were friends.”

- Angie on July 8th, 2009

I totally forget michael was her godfather. She looks great pregnant, I think it’s a boy. Ncole hasn’t worked in years, I wonder if she will or just live off lionel’s money. I ask cause I loved her reality show,, but haven’t seen her done much after that.

- gianna on July 8th, 2009

Well she was never an actress. She’s doing that jewelry line now and I just read on here the other day that she’s doing a maternity line with Pea in the Pod. She’s definitely keeping busy but if she wants to be a stay at home mom I see no problem with it.

- April on July 8th, 2009

blackrose: there has been so much speculation about Nicole’s bio parents, but I remember reading an article on an unofficial fan site stating that Nicole does/has spoken with her bio mom, who is allegedly from the Dominican Republic and moved back there. But I can’t say that’s a fact because Nicole is (understandably) very vague about the subject of her biological parents.

Lionel did an awesome job today.

- Erica on July 8th, 2009

blackrose: it might just not be important for her to get in touch with her bio family. I mean my mom never had the desire to talk to her bio family. Lionel is her father bio or not, and I dont think that blood is everything. So I just don’t see the necessity.

- Micheley on July 8th, 2009

Asheley what do you mean: “amazing how many criticized J. Hudson’s dresses but didnt address Nicole RIchie’s NIPPLE poking out….yall are truly something else”

Im so confused by your comment… Her nipple isnt poking out here, and Jennifer Hudson has nothing to do with this post?

- iluvallbabies on July 8th, 2009

“We Are The World” and “Heal The World” made me cry. I never was a huge MJ fan, but that’s songs I grew up listening to and which are think are MJ’s best. Lionel could barely sing them.

And Nicole looks gorgeous

- Allie-Rose on July 8th, 2009

Nicole’s mother is not from the Dominican Republic, she is an Irish woman from L.A

- Eric M on July 8th, 2009

her bio father never claimed her and her bio mom gave her up when she was 3 years old.
Nicole was always said she is aware of being adopted so i doubt she has ever wondered who her bio mother is. with that being said as an adopted child, i will just like to say that its very annoying/disrespectful when people want to always focus on the bio parents. Her parents are the ones that love and provided for her growing up. I don’t want to start drama but, i am a mixed child (black and japanese) adopted by black parents. I personally feel the reason i am constantly quizzed about my bio parents is just a polite way for people to ask what my racial heritage is. same with nicole richie, same with Michael jackson kids.
My parents are the ones that show my constant love all my life, people need to respect that and bringing up biological parentage especially when it bring up unpleasant feelings is very insensitive to the child

- dean on July 8th, 2009

LOL Nicole said her bio mother is from and lives in Dominica. This is not rumour. check okay mag interview 2004.
You only have to look at harlow and know that she is a mixed child just like nicole is of mixed heritage. but its true the only reason people care is because they just HAVE to know nicole richie EXACT racial composition. She is black. the end!

@ercc m What you are saying is false regardless of you presumed level of authority!

- Nikky on July 8th, 2009

Where is her nipple poking out? Am I blind?

- Hea on July 8th, 2009

I wonder, if she has a boy, if they will in some way honor her godfather in his name at all. That would be so sweet. Regardless though, I love this family. They all seem so happy together.

- Shannon on July 8th, 2009

This a great picture. I think Nicole looks lovely, and I had no idea that Michael was her godfather. As far as her “nipple poking out” at least in this picture, you would have to be looking for it to see it. When I read the previous comment, I was like “what are they talking about.”

- CTBmom on July 8th, 2009

What an amazing job Lionel did. Never knew MJ was Nicole’s god dad. Nicole, Joel, and Lionel all look great in the picture

- Monique7 on July 8th, 2009

Asheley – I must ask, do you like duct tape your nipples when you put on a dress?

- Hea on July 8th, 2009

Nicole Richie said she considers herself African American on the simple life. One can be multiracial and still consider themselves black. I find it interesting that Harlow actually ‘looks’ more apparently black than her mom. She looks a lot like lionel biological daughter

- gaia's mommadukes on July 8th, 2009

Gianna, what an odd comment to make-I am pretty sure Nicole is not living off of her dad!!! LOL!!! She not only has her money but her boyfriend has his as well!!

- brook on July 8th, 2009

Up until a few years ago nicole richie was living off her dads money and was in and out of rehab. So don’t think the question is that far off. I’m sure she makes a good amount but if she lives beyond that(I do not know if she does) then the rest would have to come from somewhere. For example mj made half a billion dollars but he still had to take out a 24million dollar loan, tho he did not die a poor man by any means.

- gaia's mommadukes on July 8th, 2009

@gianna…are you serious?! She hasnt worked in years & is living off of lionels money…?

Sweetheart check your facts…jewlery line..clothing line..she is plenty busy working a ton & raising Harlow..I doubt she needs to live off anyones money but her own

- Daisy on July 8th, 2009

Yes, Nicole’s supposedly biological father is half African American and half Mexican, I don’t know the racial identity of her biological mom, but I don’t if she is from the Dominican Republic, in an interview she said that her mom was Irish.

- Ana on July 8th, 2009

There was an interview with Nicole in ask men magazine where she stated she was Irish, African-American and Mexican. She doesn’t mention her mother at all except to say she was born in L.A.

- Ana on July 8th, 2009

I think Harlow looks a lot like her African-American, paternal grandma Juanita Gardere. At least that is the woman many claim to be her grandma.

- Ana on July 8th, 2009

nicole was on a show on nbc a few months back forgot what its called she co starred with ben savage she palyed a bitchy spy and got into a fight scene she did good she ha sbeen working on and off plus her hous eof harlow line not to mention her charity

- deanna on July 8th, 2009

they look great..she looks gorgeous

- cas on July 9th, 2009

Ana- Joel’s mom is African-American? Cool! I had no idea that Joel is mixed race as well!

- CelebBabyLover on July 11th, 2009

This article says Nicole has reached out to her birth mother:
http://www.celebrity-gossip.net/celebrities/hollywood/nicole-richie-reaches-out-to-birth-mother-203406/

Here are photos of Nicole’s bio dad & grandfather.

http://www.pbjamm.org/photos.html

- BamaGirl on July 12th, 2009