By Iris Goldsztajn
6:17pm PST, Feb 23, 2026
—
Talent runs in the family — and in Hollywood, it often becomes a legacy. From dynasties that span generations to siblings who've shared the spotlight, these acting families have shaped film and television history with unforgettable performances and enduring star power.
Keep reading to find out 41 famous families with two or more members who are movie or TV stars…
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The Baldwins
While some Hollywood dynasties work vertically (from parent to child and so on), the Baldwins broke through horizontally — with all four brothers in the family working in the industry.
Alec Baldwin is by far the most successful, but
Daniel Baldwin,
Stephen Baldwin and
Billy Baldwin are
all actors, too.
The Arquettes
The Arquette family's acting success is actually
three generations strong! Not only are siblings
Patricia Arquette,
David Arquette,
Rosanna Arquette and the late
Alexis Arquette all actors, but their father,
Lewis Arquette, was too, while their grandfather
Cliff Arquette was a comedian!
The Hemsworths
There are three Hemsworth brothers of note:
Luke Hemsworth,
Chris Hemsworth and
Liam Hemsworth. And if you were wondering whether they ever get envious of one another's careers, "there's a great rivalry there — a very healthy one," the
Thor actor
once said.
The Coppolas
So, you know about
Francis Ford Coppola and
Sofia Coppola, but
there's also Francis' son
Roman Coppola (a director), Francis' dad,
Carmine Coppola (though he wasn't an actor, he composed for movies), and Francis' sister
Talia Shire née Coppola (also an actress).
Now for the real curveball: Did you know that
Nicolas Cage is actually a Coppola, too? He's Francis' nephew!
But wait, there's more!
Jason Schwartzman is Francis' nephew, too.
Now that's what we call a family tree.
The Barrymores
Though we're calling all of these famous families dynasties, most of them are only one or two generations deep. The Barrymores, though? Their acting goes back to — wait for it — the mid-1800s, per
People. The name itself was even chosen as a stage name, and it has stuck… all the way down through generations of actors to the people's princess
Drew Barrymore.
The Wilsons
Three brothers in one family being famous is a pretty common set-up, it seems. Yes,
Owen Wilson is Hollywood royalty, but his brother
Luke Wilson also
appears in gems like
Legally Blonde and
Bottle Rocket, while
Andrew Wilson is
known for Idiocracy and
Bottle Rocket. All three brothers notably appeared in
Wes Anderson's
The Royal Tenenbaums.
The Fondas
Henry Fonda was the smoldering actor who started it all in the 1940s, while his daughter
Jane Fonda is a legendary actress and activist.
Peter Fonda is her brother, also an actor though less high-profile than Jane.
Peter's daughter
Bridget Fonda and Jane's son
Troy Garity mark the third generation of actors in the family, per
Woman's World.
The Leigh-Curtises
It's hard to think of
Jamie Lee Curtis as a nepo baby, given everything she's done for cinema, but nepo baby she is. She's the daughter of
Oscar-winning actor
Tony Curtis and
Psycho star Janet Leigh.
The Cusacks
The Cusack siblings' father,
Richard Cusack, was also an actor, known for films like
The Fugitive and
While You Were Sleeping, according to
People. His children,
John Cusack (
Say Anything),
Joan Cusack (
School of Rock),
Ann Cusack (
A League of Their Own),
Bill Cusack (
The Fugitive) and
Susie Cusack (
High Fidelity), all went on to be actors as well.
The Voight-Jolies
Though they don't have the same name,
Midnight Cowboy star
Jon Voight is, in fact, A-lister
Angelina Jolie's dad. However, the two have had a pretty
complicated relationship over the years.
The Sandlers
While
Adam Sandler is obviously the big star of the bunch, he actually met his wife,
Jackie Sandler, ahead of filming
Big Daddy, when she played a small role. Since then, he's not only helped
cast her in a whole bunch of his movies, but their two daughters,
Sadie Sandler and
Sunny Sandler, too. Aw!
The Hustons
The Hustons have cinema in their blood. The original patriarch,
Walter Huston,
starred in classic movies of the '30s and '40s, including
The Treasure of the Sierra Madre and
Dodsworth. His son
John Huston was
best known for The Maltese Falcon and
Chinatown. Meanwhile, John's children,
Danny Huston and
Anjelica Huston, made their own names in Hollywood — John
with The Constant Gardener and
The Aviator, and
Anjelica with The Addams Family and
The Royal Tenenbaums.
The Eastwoods
Clint Eastwood is a living legend thanks to movies
such as The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and
Gran Torino. That said, his son
Scott Eastwood is also a successful actor who appeared in
Gran Torino,
The Longest Ride and
Stolen Girl.
The Zeta-Douglases
Kirk Douglas was a Hollywood legend,
known for Spartacus and
Paths of Glory. Though he passed away in 2020, his legacy lives on not only through his life's work but also through his descendants. Kirk's son,
Michael Douglas, is a huge star in his own right, having
filmed movies like
Wall Street and
Fatal Attraction. All three of Michael's children — including the two he shares with fellow film star
Catherine Zeta-Jones — have gone on to have acting careers as well. They are:
Cameron Douglas,
Dylan Douglas and
Carys Zeta Douglas.
The Howards
Ron Howard has been a huge actor for decades, with
roles in
The Andy Griffith Show,
Happy Days and
A Beautiful Mind. His daughter
Bryce Dallas Howard (not to be confused with her doppelgänger
Jessica Chastain) was clearly inspired by her dad's career, and has
been cast in blockbusters like the
Jurassic World franchise,
The Help and
Rocketman.
The Garland-Minnellis
Judy Garland was the child star who rose to fame as Dorothy in
The Wizard of Oz (1939) and went on to star in films
such as A Star Is Born (1954), as well as pursuing a more purely musical career. Her daughter, with the theater director
Vincente Minnelli,
Liza Minnelli, carries the torch to this day, with notable
roles in
Cabaret (1972) and
Arrested Development (2003-2019).
The Dern-Ladds
Rambling Rose actress
Diane Ladd and
Nebraska actor
Bruce Dern had two daughters. The eldest,
Diane Elizabeth Dern,
tragically died at 18 months old, but
Laura Dern grew up to be yet another Hollywood treasure —
known for Jurassic Park and
Jay Kelly.
The Hawn-Hudson-Russells
Goldie Hawn is an
actress known for
Overboard and
The First Wives Club. She was married to
musician and actor Bill Hudson for a few years and has been in a relationship with
The Thing actor
Kurt Russell since the 1980s. All three of her children from both of those partnerships have gone on to pursue acting careers.
Kate Hudson is the most famous, having starred in movies like
How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and
Bride Wars.
Oliver Hudson has
appeared in films including
A Merry Little Ex-Mas and shows including
Dawson's Creek. Lastly,
Wyatt Russell has
appeared in
22 Jump Street and
Thunderbolts*, among others.
The Deschanels
Zooey Deschanel probably has the most recognizable name thanks to
New Girl and
(500) Days of Summer, but she comes from a total Hollywood family. Her sister
Emily Deschanel is
best known for her role in
Bones. Meanwhile, their mother,
Mary Jo Deschanel, is an actress
known for Winter Passing and
Twin Peaks, and their father,
Caleb Deschanel, is a
cinematographer and director.
The Quaids
Dennis Quaid is a big star who has appeared in
The Parent Trap,
The Substance and
The Day After Tomorrow. His son
Jack Quaid is enjoying an equally fruitful career: He's
nabbed roles in
The Hunger Games,
Scream and
The Boys.
The Newton-Parkers
Thandiwe Newton is a beloved actress known for
her roles in
Mission: Impossible II and
Westworld. Meanwhile, her daughter,
Nico Parker, has had a ton of
high-profile roles, including in
How to Train Your Dragon,
Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy and
The Last of Us.
The MacDowell-Qualleys
This mother-daughter pairing may not have the same name, but they definitely have a ton in common. Did you know Andie MacDowell (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Groundhog Day) is the mother of Margaret Qualley (The Substance, Poor Things)?!
The Presley-Keoughs
You may not think of the Presley dynasty as being particularly actorly, but that's not the whole picture. Sure, patriarch
Elvis Presley was primarily known as a singer, and his Hollywood career wasn't stellar, but he did star in a whopping
31 movies back in the day.
Meanwhile, his ex-wife
Priscilla Presley has also
acted in a solid handful of movies. Their daughter,
Lisa Marie Presley, mainly pursued a career in music, but
acted in a few music videos. It's Elvis' granddaughter
Riley Keough, though, who is the most serious actor of the bunch: So far, she's
starred in movies and TV such as
Daisy Jones & The Six,
Mad Max: Fury Road and
American Honey.
The Levys
You know
Eugene Levy and his son,
Dan Levy. How could you not? The former has been famous since forever, with
roles in the
American Pie series and
New York Minute, while the latter created, starred in and cast his father in the hit show
Schitt's Creek. What may have escaped your attention, however, is that another major cast member from that show is also a Levy:
Sarah Levy, who played Twyla and is Dan's sister.
The Griffith-Johnsons
Mother-daughter actor pairings are fun because a lot of people don't know about them when they don't have the same last name. That's certainly the case with mother
Melanie Griffith (
Working Girl) and daughter
Dakota Johnson (
50 Shades of Grey).
The Wayans
There are so many famous Wayans, it's not even funny.
Keenen Ivory Wayans has a few acting roles to
his name, but is famous for writing movies, including
White Chicks. His siblings
Shawn Wayans (
White Chicks),
Marlon Wayans (
Little Man),
Damon Wayans (
My Wife and Kids) and
Kim Wayans (
In Living Color) are all actors as well. In the next generation down,
Damien Dante Wayans has had roles in
My Wife and Kids and
Dance Flick, while you know
Damon Wayans Jr. from
New Girl, plus a bunch of action and romance movies.
The Smiths
Will Smith and
Jada Pinkett Smith had a somewhat inauspicious beginning: They met while auditioning for
The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, for which Jada didn't get the part she was up for, AND while Will was still married to
Sheree Zampino, per
People. They both went on to act in huge projects, as we know, but that's not all: All three of Will's kids (two of whom he shares with Jada) have gone on to pursue acting as well.
Trey Smith only has
four credits to his name, while
Jaden Smith has
roles in
The Karate Kid,
The Pursuit of Happyness and
Skate Kitchen. Meanwhile,
Willow Smith has had
roles in
I Am Legend and
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, among others.
The Robertses
Julia Roberts is the big star of the lot, having featured in era-defining movies like
Pretty Woman,
Notting Hill and
Erin Brockovich. Julia's brother
Eric Roberts is
known for The Dark Knight and
Runaway Train. Julia's sister
Lisa Roberts Gillan has had
smaller roles in
Maid in Manhattan and
Eat Pray Love. And, of course, Julia's niece — and Eric's daughter —
Emma Roberts has made a name for herself in
Scream Queens and
We're The Millers.
The Skarsgårds
Stellan Skarsgård is the Skarsgård who started it all. Name any movie, he's probably
been in it —
Sentimental Value,
Good Will Hunting,
Mamma Mia!,
Pirates of the Caribbean… And SO many of his many children are also prominent actors.
Alexander Skarsgård is particularly
known for Big Little Lies and
Succession.
Bill Skarsgård has
had roles in the
It franchise,
Nosferatu and many other horror movies, while
Gustaf Skarsgård has
been in Vikings and
Oppenheimer. Meanwhile,
Valter Skarsgård is
known for Lord of Chaos and
Beck.
The Bonet-Kravitzes
Lisa Bonet stole hearts around America. The daughter she shares with Lenny Kravitz, Zoë Kravitz, has done her so proud. The actress has starred in Big Little Lies, The Batman, Blink Twice and many more.
The Danner-Paltrows
Gwyneth Paltrow is yet another nepo baby who's done an amazing job of making the world forget they had famous parents — simply by being super talented in their own right. But the
Marty Supreme actress and goop founder is actually the daughter of
Bruce Paltrow,
a TV director, and
Blythe Danner,
an actress known for the
Fockers franchise and
The Lucky One, among other things.
The Thurman-Hawkes
Maya Hawke made a name for herself in
Stranger Things, so much so that her über-famous dad,
Ethan Hawke, has even
been ignored when he's out and about with her. Oh, and her mom is
Uma Thurman.
The Brolins
James Brolin is a living legend
known for Westworld and
Capricorn One. His son
Josh Brolin is equally, if not more successful than his dad, having
starred in No Country for Old Men and the
Avengers franchise.
The Mann-Apatows
Judd Apatow, the iconic
producer-director responsible for projects like
Girls,
Knocked Up and
The 40-Year-Old Virgin, married
Leslie Mann, the actress
known for dozens of movies like
This Is 40,
Knocked Up,
How to Be Single, etc. We probably shouldn't be surprised, then, that their look-alike daughters,
Iris Apatow and
Maude Apatow, have both dipped their toes into the acting world.
The Hill-Feldsteins
Here's another one you'll only know if you're
really into cinema… or fun facts. While they don't hide their family connection, these two sibling actors don't go by the same last name as performers:
Booksmart actress Beanie Feldstein is
Superbad star
Jonah Hill's younger sister. His
birth name is Jonah Hill Feldstein.
The Fannings
We're suckers for a one-generation dynasty. Both
Dakota Fanning and her younger sister
Elle Fanning are total superstars — with the former
known for the
Twilight franchise and
War of the Worlds, and the latter
known for Sentimental Value and
A Complete Unknown.
The Mansfield-Hargitays
The emblematic actors
Jayne Mansfield (
Promises! Promises!,
The Girl Can't Help It) and
Mickey Hargitay (
Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?,
Bloody Pit of Horror) were married between 1958 and 1964. They later welcomed daughter
Mariska Hargitay, our
Law & Order queen.
The Dow-Anistons
Friends star
Jennifer Aniston didn't spring out of nowhere. Her parents were
John Aniston — an actor
best known for his role on the soap opera
Days of Our Lives — and
Nancy Dow — who appeared on
The Wild Wild West.
The Willis-Moores
In the '80s and '90s,
Die Hard star
Bruce Willis and
Ghost actress
Demi Moore were THE Hollywood power couple. So, is it any surprise that all three of their daughters —
Rumer Willis,
Scout LaRue Willis and
Tallulah Willis — are successful? Only Rumer pursued acting past the early 2000s, going on to
score roles in
Empire and
The House Bunny.
The Gyllenhaals
Jake Gyllenhaal and
Maggie Gyllenhaal are both successful in their own right — the actor appeared in
Nightcrawler,
Prisoners and
Brokeback Mountain. Some of Maggie's films include
Secretary (2002),
The Dark Knight (2008),
Crazy Heart (2009), and
The Kindergarten Teacher (2018).
