Fame runs in their blood
Sometimes, we come across the following actors on the big screen and we don't know them, but they seem familiar. Turns out, they are recognizable because they have famous parents! Here are some actors who have big shoes to fill.
Jack Quaid
Famous parents: Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan
After a minor role in The Hunger Games, Jack broke into popular consciousness with his role as Hughie Campbell in the acclaimed superhero series The Boys. Other roles include Scream and Oppenheimer, and Quaid has done voice work, notably voicing Superman in My Adventures with Superman.
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Emma Roberts
Famous parent: Eric Roberts
Emma began her acting career at the tender age of nine in the film Blow and appeared with her aunt Julia in America’s Sweethearts. She gained critical acclaim for the lead role in Gia Coppola’s Palo Alto and made a name for herself on television with roles in American Horror Story and Scream Queens.
Margaret Qualley
Famous parent: Andie McDowell
Margaret debuted in the film Palo Alto, adapted from James Franco’s short story collection. She gained acclaim through various subsequent roles, including an Emmy nomination for the role of Ann Reinking in Fosse/Verdon. Margaret also provided a voice in the Hideo Kojima video game Death Stranding.
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Wyatt Russell
Famous parents: Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn
After an injury cut short his hockey career in 2010, Wyatt followed in his parents’ footsteps in such films as Soldiers, Cowboys & Aliens and Goon: Last of the Enforcers. In 2021 he starred as the new Captain America in the Marvel Cinematic Universe series The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.
Featureflash Photo Agency, Shutterstock
Jessica Capshaw
Famous parent: Kate Capshaw and Steven Spielberg
Jessica is best known for her roles in the law drama The Practice and the medical series Grey’s Anatomy. She had a lead role in The Groomsmen. Capshaw’s role in Grey’s Anatomy provided important exposure for LGBTQIA+ characters on network television.
Walt Disney Television, Flickr
Angelina Jolie
Famous parent: Jon Voight
Considered one of the most influential actors in Hollywood, Angelina debuted alongside her father in Lookin’ to Get Out. Her Oscar-winning performance in Girl, Interrupted proved her abilities, and she became a household name after starring in the Lara Croft: Tomb Raider films, based on the famous video game series.
Zoey Deutch
Famous parent: Lea Thompson
After early roles on the Disney Channel and The CW, Zoey gained attention for her interest in independent film, including Before I Fall, Rebel in the Rye, and Zombieland: Double Tap. She received a British Independent Film Award nomination for her supporting role in the historical film The Outfit.
John David Washington
Famous parent: Denzel Washington
After a brief time as a professional football player, John began his acting career in the HBO series Ballers. After starring in BlacKkKlansman and Monsters and Men, director Christopher Nolan chose him to star in the sci-fi thriller Tenet. Washington acted on stage in The Piano Lesson, and will star in the film adaptation.
Philip Romano, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Maya Hawke
Famous parents Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman
Maya’s first role was Jo in the miniseries Little Women. Two years later she gained recognition for her role as Robin Buckley in Stranger Things, a role she reprised in later seasons. Hawke was also in Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, and provided a voice in Pixar’s Inside Out 2.
GabboT, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Billie Lourd
Famous Parent: Carrie Fisher
Like her famous mother, Billie began her career in the Star Wars franchise, even standing in for Fisher in a digitally-altered Princess Leia flashback. Lourd followed up her Star Wars role with the horror-comedy series Scream Queens and a role in the more serious horror series American Horror Story.
Colin Hanks
Famous parent: Tom Hanks
Colin’s acting career began with the teen sci-fi show Roswell and an appearance on The OC. He followed this with a role in the HBO war drama Band of Brothers. His first film was Orange County, alongside Jack Black, who he also worked with in King Kong and, briefly, Tenacious D and The Pick of Destiny.
watchwithkristin, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Maude Apatow
Famous parents: Judd Apatow and Leslie Mann
One of the originators of the term “nepo baby,” Maude began her acting career playing the daughter of her mom’s characters in her dad’s films. Despite this label, Apatow’s strong acting talents can be seen in the series Euphoria, as well as on stage in the musical Little Shop of Horrors.
Daniel Benavides, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Gwyneth Paltrow
Famous parent: Blythe Danner
One of Gwyneth’s earliest roles was Wendy Darling in the Robin Williams film Hook. She broke into mainstream success with the Jane Austen adaptation Emma, and has been working in film steadily ever since. Paltrow’s most recent major role was Pepper Potts in the Iron Man and Avengers blockbusters.
Red Carpet Report on Mingle Media TV, Flickr
Cazzie David
Famous parent: Larry David
One of Cazzie’s earliest roles was opposite Miley Cyrus in the Disney series Hannah Montana. David starred in, wrote, and directed the web series Eighty-Sixed, and had a role in the CollegeHumor Originals series. She also had a recurring role in the third season of the superhero series The Umbrella Academy.
Chris Pine
Famous parent: Robert Pine
After debuting on the medical drama ER, Pine played Anne Hathaway’s love interest in The Princess Diaries 2. Further roles led him to be cast as James Kirk in the Star Trek film franchise, a role that catapulted Pine into the mainstream. He also played love interest Steve Trevor opposite Gal Gadot in the Wonder Woman film series.
Sosie Bacon
Famous parents: Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick
Sosie got her start in Loverboy, a film directed by her father and starring her mother. She later acted in the Netflix series 13 Reasons Why, the MTV television series Scream, and acclaimed creator Alan Ball’s Here and Now. Bacon played the lead role in the 2022 horror film Smile.
Janey Feingold, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Lily-Rose Depp
Famous parents: Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis
Lily-Rose began her acting career in Kevin Smith’s Tusk, and reprised her minor role in the follow-up film Yoga Hosers. Depp continued acting in small roles while also pursuing a career in the modeling industry. She won Best Actress at the LA Film Awards in 2019 for her role in My Last Lullaby.
Tracee Ellis Ross
Famous parent: Diana Ross
Tracee made her acting debut in the film Far Harbor, then moved on to host The Dish and star in some made-for-TV movies and independent features. Her breakout role was the lead character Joan Carol Clayton on Girlfriends, and she received three NAACP awards for her work on the comedy series Black-ish.
Erik Melvin, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Alexander Skarsgård
Famous parent: Stellan Skarsgård
Alexander’s first American role was as one of Derek Zoolander’s male model friends in the comedy film Zoolander. Following a role in the HBO series Generation Kill, Skarsgård was cast as Eric Northman in the vampire series True Blood, a role that thrust him into the mainstream. He has since been in numerous critically acclaimed film and television projects.
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Zoe Kravitz
Famous parents: Lenny Kravitz and Lisa Bonet
Zoe began acting while in high school and has shown no signs of slowing down. She played Catwoman in both The Lego Batman Movie and the live-action The Batman, and Leta Lestrange in the Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them series. Kravitz is also an accomplished musician, writer, and director.
Siebbi, CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Dakota Johnson
Famous parents: Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith
Dakota made her acting debut alongside her half-sister and mother in a film directed by her ex-stepfather. Johnson made a name for herself starring in the controversial Fifty Shades film series. She has continued to star in numerous films, including Madame Web from Sony’s Spider-Man Universe series.
Nigel Horsley, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
O’Shea Jackson Jr.
Famous parent: Ice Cube
Already an aspiring rapper, O’Shea was cast to play his father in the biopic Straight Outta Compton. His few film roles have garnered him critical acclaim, including Ingrid Goes West and Just Mercy.
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Amelia Gray Hamlin
Famous parents: Lisa Rinna and Harry Hamlin
Amelia’s mother Lisa was well-known as a soap opera actor before gaining widespread fame as a reality television star. Amelia’s television career followed the reality path, rather than that of her actor father, with appearances in The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and Rachel & the TreeSchoolers.
Harley Quinn Smith
Famous parent: Kevin Smith
Harley started out very young, portraying her father’s character Silent Bob as a toddler in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. She appeared in many of her father’s films, including a convenience store clerk in Tusk. Smith appeared in Supergirl and had a small role in Tarantino’s Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.
Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Blake Lively
Famous parent: Ernie Lively
After appearing in her father’s film Sandman, Blake first came to prominence for her role in The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants and its sequel. On television, she is most famous for the role of Serena on Gossip Girl, a role that catapulted her into the mainstream. She is also married to actor Ryan Reynolds.
The Pop Culture Geek Network, FlickrRashida Jones
Famous parents: Quincy Jones and Peggy Lipton
A critically acclaimed actor and filmmaker, Rashida has starred in numerous television and film projects, starting with the miniseries The Last Don. Perhaps best known for her roles on The Office and Parks and Recreation, she also co-wrote Toy Story 4 and the comic book series Frenemy of the State.
Dylan Penn
Famous parents: Sean Penn and Robin Wright
Dylan began appearing in the public eye with a series of modeling gigs, including a risqué shoot for treats! magazine. Her first film was Condemned, a horror movie, followed up by Elvis & Nixon, and a number of independent features. Penn co-starred with her father Sean in the film Flag Day.
Nicole Richie
Famous parent: Lionel Richie
Nicole’s road to international recognition began with the reality show The Simple Life, co-starring her best friend Paris Hilton. The success of that show led to Richie being offered guest roles on many television series, including Six Feet Under, 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, and Chuck.
Lily Collins
Famous parent: Phil Collins
Lily began acting at the age of 2 on the sitcom Growing Pains. As she grew older, she dabbled in modeling while still taking on film roles, including The Blind Side and Abduction. Collins starred in The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, and was nominated for a Golden Globe for the film Rules Don’t Apply.
Laura Dern
Famous parents: Bruce Dern and Dianne Ladd
Laura began acting in 1980 with the film Foxes and hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down. She has collaborated with director David Lynch on a number of films, including Blue Velvet and Wild at Heart, and had a starring role in the original Jurassic Park, which she reprised in two of the sequels.
Julio Enriquez, CC BY 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Maya Rudolph
Famous parents: Composer Richard Rudolph and singer Minnie Riperton
Time with The Groundlings comedy troupe led to Maya gaining a prominent comedic role on Saturday Night Live. Her comedic talents led to numerous film and television roles, including a regular role on The Good Place and Rapunzel in Shrek the Third. Rudolph also co-runs a production company named Animal Pictures.
Georgia Tennant
Famous parents: Doctor Who’s Peter Davison and Sandra Dickinson
A screen and stage actor, Georgia’s first role was in the series Peak Practice at the age of 15. Tennant played the title character in the Doctor Who episode “The Doctor’s Daughter”, which is ironic as her father played the fifth Doctor. Tennant eventually married the tenth Doctor David Tennant.
Mick, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons
Sarah Sutherland
Famous parent: Kiefer Sutherland
Hailing from a distinguished Canadian acting family, Sarah has starred on both big and small screens. She had a regular role on the television series Veep, for which she shared a Screen Actors Guild Award for an ensemble. She has also acted on stage in her own one-woman play The Skin of a Grape.
Josefine S. (Protected by Pixsy), Flickr
Jennifer Aniston
Famous parents: John Aniston and Nancy Dow.
Best known as Rachel Green from the sitcom Friends, Jennifer got her start in guest roles on shows such as Quantum Leap and Herman’s Head. After television, Aniston transitioned to film. She is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as one of the highest-paid television actresses of all time.
Liv Tyler
Famous parents: Bebe Buell and Steven Tyler
An accomplished model by age 14, Liv moved to acting with roles in Heavy and Empire Records. After numerous roles through the 1990s, Tyler landed a starring role in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, forever cementing her as a Hollywood star. She continues to work successfully in both television and film.
Jamie Lee Curtis
Famous parents: Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh
Jamie Lee entered popular consciousness with her star turn in John Carpenter’s original Halloween. Curtis reprised her role in the franchise seven times over the space of almost 25 years. In that time she has also become a well-known and well-regarded television and film actor in many different genres.
Kaia Gerber
Famous parent: Cindy Crawford
Kaia divides her time between acting and following in her mother’s footsteps in the modeling world. She won Model of the Year at the 2018 British Fashion Awards. Her first acting roles were in the series American Horror Story, as well as the teen comedy Bottoms.
Hopper Penn
Famous parents: Sean Penn and Robin Wright
Hopper follows in his father’s footsteps in more than just acting, having run into trouble with paparazzo much as Sean did in his early career. Penn has appeared in a handful of films, including Puppy Love, Flag Day alongside his father and sister, and Billy Bob Thornton’s Devil’s Peak.
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