Andie MacDowell Reveals the Sweet Name That Her Grandchildren ‘Adamantly’ Call Her (Exclusive)

Andie MacDowell had one requirement when it came to the name her grandchildren call her.

Speaking with PEOPLE for this year’s World’s Most Beautiful issue alongside her daughter, Rainey Qualley, The Way Home actress, 67, admitted her first granddaughter, Cozette, whose parents are the actress’ son Justin Qualley and his wife Nicolette, came up with a sweet moniker for her.

“They came to stay with me, [Cozette] called me Gaga,” she shares. “So, that’s fine with me. We’ll see how it all pans out if she continues to call me Gaga. But she couldn’t really say anything else, but she was adamantly calling me Gaga, so I was okay with that.”

“Whatever they want to call me, they can call me,” she adds. “As long as they don’t call me granny. That’s the only thing I said, ‘Don’t call me granny. I’m sorry that one’s out.’”

Rainey, who will release her single “Horse” on May 16 with her debut album Before Blue to follow in August, welcomed her first child, Bluebell Coyote Wilson, with partner Anthony Wilson in December 2024.

“12/10/24 at 2:21am ✨ one week in the world,” Rainey announced at the time on Instagram.

MacDowell says it’s been “so sweet” to watch Rainey step into motherhood, adding, “She’s a great mother.” 

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The Hallmark star, who is also mom to daughter Margaret Qualley, says Rainey is “the softest one in the family.” 

“We would all agree on that,” she shares. “She was born to be a mother. She’s a fantastic mother. She’s a nurturer. She’s kind and gentle and loving and soft. And this baby is so lucky. She came into the best family.” 

She also has nothing but praise for Wilson, whom she calls “fantastic.” She shares, “They’re both creative, just nurturing creative souls. So, sweet little Bluebell, just so lucky. She’s got great parents.”

The Maid actress says she now has “the best time is just being with them and the baby and hanging out and looking at Bluebell, just staring at her.”

The mother-daughter duo enjoy going “on hikes” in Los Angeles or walking “by the beach” in MacDowell’s home state of South Carolina, Rainey says. “That’s always fun. Now, we get to do it with the baby,” she adds.

MacDowell has felt an immediate connection with Cozette. Back in 2023, she told Al Roker on Today that she “spent Christmas” with her new granddaughter.

“I’ve never had somebody look into me and see my soul like that. It was definitely a soul-to-soul connection,” MacDowell said with a smile.

At the time, MacDowell was undecided what she wanted to be called as a grandparent, saying, “I haven’t decided, she can’t speak yet. I’m gonna give her time.”

“I’m thinking Nana or Grandma,” she added. “Not Granny. It’s up to her.”