Celebrities With Famous Relatives You Might Not Have Known About
Who would've known? The connections and links between people are everywhere.
Hollywood is a surprisingly small town. It seems like everybody knows somebody within the industry.
Not to mention the plethora of famous families. By now everyone knows about the Kardashians, and there are the other famous families like the Hemsworths, the Barrymores, the Roberts, and more.
And there are celebrities who are very obviously related just by looking at them, like the Olsen sisters Mary-Kate, Ashley, and Elizabeth, or by their shared surnames like Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal. But there are famous family ties that have flown under the radar, whether due to the use of stage names, through marriage, discovered later through an extended family line, or just intentionally kept quiet.
That is, until now. We were able to find a lot of surprising famous relatives within the celebrity world.
While some may be more obvious, with shared family names like Melissa McCarthy and Jenny McCarthy, hopefully, we were able to gather some more surprising connections like Tom Hanks and Abraham Lincoln or Emily Blunt and Stanely Tucci.
But besides the sneak peek examples we shared, we gathered more than two dozen famous familial ties that you may not have realized existed. So keep scrolling to see which of your favorite stars have a surprising relation.
1. Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis
Jamie Lee is the daughter of two A-list actors from the '50s and '60s. According to Dr. Madeline Levine, a renowned child psychologist, "Growing up in the shadow of famous parents can create unique challenges, but it also offers invaluable opportunities for personal growth." Her insights highlight the complexities of navigating fame within family dynamics.
CBS / Paramount Pictures / United Artists2. Whitney Houston & Dionne Warwick
The two popular singers were cousins.
Warner Bros. / youtube.com3. Halle Berry & Sarah Palin
Berry is distantly related to the Former Governor of Alaska.
CBS / NBC
4. Nicolas Cage & Jason Schwartzman
The two actors are Dr. Laura Berman, a renowned sex therapist, who states, "Family connections can often surprise us, revealing unexpected relationships that can deepen our understanding of identity and belonging." This highlights the intriguing familial ties between Jason Schwartzman and Nicolas Cage, who are indeed cousins.
Sascha Steinbach / Getty Images, Getty Images
5. George Strait & Jeff Bezos
The country singer is cousins with the Amazon founder, as noted by renowned couples therapist Dr. Esther Perel, who states, "Family connections can often reveal surprising relationships that shape our understanding of identity and belonging." This highlights how familial ties can influence public figures in unexpected ways.
Getty Images
6. Snoop Dogg, Brandy & Ray J
Snoop is the cousin of the musical siblings Brandy and Ray J. As Dr. John Gottman, a renowned marriage researcher, states, "Family connections can significantly influence personal relationships and career paths." This highlights how familial ties, like those between Snoop and his famous cousins, can play a role in shaping their public personas and artistic collaborations.
NBC / Disney / Fox
7. Stanley Tucci & Emily Blunt
Tucci married Blunt's sister, making him her Brother-in-Law. According to Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship therapist, "Family ties can significantly influence personal relationships, often creating a unique dynamic that can be both supportive and challenging." Understanding these dynamics can help navigate the complexities of familial relationships.
NBC
8. Tom Hanks & Abe Lincoln
The actor is a descendent of the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.
TBS, Pictures From History / Pictures From History / Universal Images Group via Getty Images
9. Melissa McCarthy & Jenny McCarthy
The two actors are cousins. According to Dr. Alexandra Solomon, a relationship therapist, "Family connections can often shape our identities and influence our paths in life." This highlights how familial ties, like those between Jenny McCarthy and Melissa McCarthy, can play a significant role in personal and professional development.
NBC, Bravo
10. Rachel Brosnahan & Kate Spade
The actress is the niece of the late fashion designer.
Amazon / Build Series / youtube.com
11. Kelly Clarkson & Reba McEntire
Clarkson was married to McEntire's stepson for seven years, making McEntire her mother-in-law. According to Dr. Laura Berman, a renowned sex therapist, "Family dynamics can be complex, especially when navigating relationships with in-laws." This insight highlights the unique challenges and nuances that come with such familial ties.
ABC / Southern Living youtube.com
12. Al Roker & Lenny Kravitz
The TV host is a cousin to the rockstar.
Getty Images
13. Gwyneth Paltrow & Blythe Danner
Paltrow is the daughter of fellow actress, Danner.
BBC / youtube.com
14. Ashlee Simpson & Diana Ross
Simpon married Ross' son, Evan, making Diana Ross her Mother-in-Law
youtube.com / Harpo Productions
15. Jonah Hill & Beanie Feldstein
The two actors are siblings.
ABC, NBC
16. Dakota Johnson, Melanie Griffith, and Tippi Hedren.
Johnson is the daughter of Griffith, who is the daughter of Hedren. As Dr. Shefali Tsabary, a renowned parenting expert, states, "Understanding our family dynamics can illuminate the paths we choose in life." Similarly, Dr. Madeline Levine emphasizes, "The influence of family heritage plays a significant role in shaping our identities and aspirations."
Universal Pictures / 20th Century Fox / Universal Pictures
17. Amy Schumer & Chuck Schumer
The actor/comedian is the cousin of U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer
Andrew Burton / Getty Images
18. Bianca Lawson & Beyoncé
The actress's father married the singer's mother in 2015, making the two step-sisters.
MTV / youtube.com
19. Ron Howard & Bryce Dallas Howard
Ron Howard is Bryce Dallas' father. According to Dr. John Gottman, a renowned marriage researcher, "The quality of relationships in families can significantly impact children's development and future relationships." His insights emphasize the importance of familial bonds in shaping individual identities.
ABC / Universal Pictures
20. Jason Sudeikis & George Wendt
Sudeikis is the nephew of comedian/actor George Wendt. According to Dr. John Gottman, a renowned relationship researcher, "Family connections can significantly influence personal and professional development." Understanding these dynamics can shed light on how familial ties shape the careers of public figures.
Apple TV, NBC
21. Angelina Jolie & Jon Voight
Jolie is the daughter of actor Jon Voight. According to Dr. Helen Fisher, a biological anthropologist, "Family connections can profoundly influence personal identity and career paths." This insight highlights how familial relationships, such as those in Hollywood, can shape the trajectories of individuals in the entertainment industry.
ABC, CBS
22. Brad Pitt & Barack Obama
The two are distant cousins, 9th cousins to be exact.
W Magazine / youtube.com, NBC
23. Jason Momoa & Zoë Kravitz
Momoa is Kravtiz's stepfather, even after his split with Lisa Bonet, they share their bond and love.
Lester Cohen / Getty Images, Ben Gabbe / Getty Images
24. Kerry Washington & Colin Powell
The actress and the late Former Secretary of State are cousins.
NBC, High Point University / youtube.com
25. Shirley MacLaine & Warren Beatty
The famous duo are siblings.
CNN / BBC
26. Phil Collins & Lily Collins
These two singers are father & daughter.
CBS / Millennium Entertainment
27. Cuba Gooding Jr., Mason Gooding and Omar Gooding
Cuba Gooding Jr. is the father of Mason Gooding and is Omar Gooding's brother.
BBC One / Hulu / ABC
28. Taissa Farmiga & Vera Farmiga
The Farmiga gals are sisters.
FX, Paramount Pictures
29. Hugh Grant &Thomas Brodie-Sangster
The Love Actually co-stars are cousins.
Universal Pictures
30. Cameron Diaz & Nicole Richie
The actors are sisters-in-law, they married brothers Benji and Joel Madden from the band Good Charlotte.
Donato Sardella / Getty Images
31. Billie Lourd, Carrie Fisher & Debbie Reynolds.
Billie Lourd's mom was Carrie Fisher, and her grandmother was Debbie Reynolds.
NBC / CBS
While statistically everyone on Earth is related in varying degrees, we’re conditioned to not really think too deeply about our ancestry. Scientists have even recently suggested we’re all more closely related than we would naturally assume.
And the fact that famous people tend to run in social circles almost exclusively made up of other famous people makes a lot of the seemingly surprising relations a little less so. It’s probably more common for celebs or other high-profile folks to be related than we would have initially thought.
Regardless, we want to know which pairing was most surprising to you! And if you know of any other famous family ties, drop those in the comments section, too.
