56 celebrities you probably didn't realize were related

56 celebrities you probably didn't realize were related
  • Many celebrities are related, but not all of their connections are obvious.

  • Meryl Streep and Mark Ronson are in-laws and presented at the Grammy Awards together.

  • From step-parents to cousins, keep reading to see the stars you might not have realized are related.

You likely already know about the Olsen twins and their younger sister Elizabeth, as well as Dave and James Franco or Luke and Owen Wilson. And you've already learned about all the celebrity pairs that are best friends.

But there are quite a few famous faces that you probably didn't know were all in the same family.

Keep reading to see celebrities you probably never knew were related.

Amy Daire and Kim Renfro contributed to an earlier version of this article.

Mark Ronson's mother-in-law is Meryl Streep.

Meryl Streep and Mark Ronson present the award for Record of the Year at The 66th Annual Grammy Awards, airing live from Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, Sunday, Feb. 4 (8:00-11:30 PM, live ET/5:00-8:30 PM, live PT) on the CBS Television Network.
Meryl Streep and Mark Ronson.Sonja Flemming/CBS/Getty Images

Record producer Ronson, who co-wrote and co-produced "I'm Just Ken," married Streep's daughter Grace Gummer in 2021. Ronson's sister Annabelle Dexter-Jones confirmed to People that the couple welcomed a daughter in 2023.

Ronson and Streep had a sweet in-laws moment at the 2024 Grammys when they presented the award for record of the year. During their presentation, Streep feigned confusion at the difference between record of the year, album of the year, and song of the year.

"My Chemical Romance" lead singer Gerard Way and podcaster/host Joe Rogan are cousins.

Gerard Way Joe Rogan celebrities who are related Getty Images WMG Reprise records
Gerard Way from "My Chemical Romance" and Joe Rogan.WMG/Reprise Records and Getty Images

As reported by The Cut, Way and Rogan share the same maternal grandmother, and are therefore cousins.

But on Rogan's podcast, "The Joe Rogan Experience," he told actor Kevin Smith that they don't actually know each other.

In addition to being the front man of "My Chemical Romance," Way wrote the comic book series "The Umbrella Academy" (now a hit Netflix series).

New York Senator Chuck Schumer is cousins with Amy Schumer.

Sen. Chuck Schumer And Amy Schumer Hold Joint Press Conf. On Combating Gun Violence Getty Images
Chuck (left) and Amy Schumer (right).Andrew Burton/Getty Images

Senator Schumer is a first cousin to Amy Schumer's father, making them first cousins once removed. They don't make many appearances together, but they do use their joint star power every now and again.

The two Schumers spoke at a joint press conference for gun reform in 2015 after a fatal shooting that happened during a screening of Amy's movie "Trainwreck."

Then, in 2017, Amy publicly defended Senator Schumer on Instagram after President Donald Trump called him "Fake Tears Chuck Schumer" in a tweet, Vanity Fair reported.

Emily Blunt is Stanley Tucci's sister-in-law, which means John Krasinski is Tucci's brother-in-law.

Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci brother in law Getty Images
Emily Blunt (left) and Stanley Tucci (right).Jason Merritt/Getty Images

Emily Blunt inadvertently played matchmaker when her "Devil Wears Prada" costar Stanley Tucci met her sister, Felicity, at Emily Blunt and John Krasinski's wedding in 2010.

Tucci married Felicity Blunt two years later, and the happy couple have two children together. All four siblings-in-law walked the red carpet during the premiere of Krasinski and Emily Blunt's movie "A Quiet Place."

Ray J and Brandy are siblings, but they are also cousins with Snoop Dogg.

ray j barndy and snoop
Siblings Ray J (left) and Brandy (center), and their cousin Snoop Dogg (right).Jemal Countess/Getty Images and Jag Gundu/Getty Images

Singers and siblings Brandy and Ray J have made their typical brother-sister relationship pretty public. Like most siblings, they post pictures of one another to their social media accounts, walk the red carpets together, and sometimes they even talk or argue over Twitter.

Meanwhile, the pair are also close with their cousin Snoop Dogg. Snoop has collaborated with Brandy and used her in a music video, and he had Ray J as a guest on his YouTube show where he introduced him as "my cousin, my family, my familia."

Lily Allen and Alfie Allen are brother and sister.

lily allen and alfie allen siblings
Siblings Lily (left) and Alfie Allen (right) in 2007.Claire Greenway/Getty Images

Talent clearly runs in the family seeing as she's a famous singer and he made waves as Theon Greyjoy on "Game of Thrones." Like most siblings, they seem to have a love-hate relationship.

The singer once wrote a song about her brother needing to get a job and several years later slammed "Game of Thrones" during a Reddit AMA saying that she was offered an incestuous cameo to play his sister on screen. Alfie then denied that fact.

"The only thing I'm going to say on that is that it's not true," he said to Vulture. "And also that Gemma Whalen was always their first choice for the part. And she's fantastic. And that's the one thing I'm going to say about that."

Since then he's "banned" her from discussing the show at all, according to IB Times.

Jason Momoa was the stepfather of Zoë Kravitz for five years.

Jason Momoa, Lisa Bonet, and Zoë Kravitz attend The 2020 InStyle And Warner Bros. 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards Post-Party at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 05, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California.
Jason Momoa, Lisa Bonet, and Zoë Kravitz.Lester Cohen/Getty Images for InStyle

Momoa was married to Lisa Bonet, Kravitz's mother, for five years, from 2017 to 2022, although the two were together for over 16 years. While Bonet and Momoa were together, Kravitz called Momoa "papa bear."

While he is not with Bonet anymore, Kravitz will always be connected to him, since her mother had two kids with Momoa, Nakoa-Wolf and Lola.

People reported in November 2023 that Momoa was "happy" for Kravitz and Channing Tatum, who got engaged the month prior.

"The engagement was happy news for Jason. He loves both Channing and Zoë. He thinks they are a great couple," the source says. "Jason is their biggest supporter," a source told People.

Speaking of the Kravitz family, Al Roker and Lenny Kravitz are distant cousins.

Lenny Kravitz shares a laugh with his uncle, Today Show host Al Roker, when Lenny Kravitz performs on NBC's "Today" at Rockefeller Plaza on September 2, 2011
Al Roker and Lenny Kravitz.Al Pereira/WireImage/Getty Images

On an episode of "Today," Roker and Kravitz discussed how they both have the Roker genes in them. This led Roker to do some investigating, and he later revealed that their grandfathers were actually cousins. They have quite a few people between them as far as the family tree goes, but blood is blood.

"All I know is I'm going with it," Roker said on the show. "Kids think it's cool."

The Coppolas and Schwartzmans are all related to Nicolas Cage.

francis ford coppola jason schwartzman nicolas cage
Francis Ford Coppola (right), Jason Schwartzman (center), and Nicolas Cage (left).Getty Images

This is one famous family.

Francis Ford Coppola, who directed "The Godfather" among other films, is the uncle of the Schwartzmans. Jason Schwartzman earned his fame in movies like "Rushmore" and "Moonrise Kingdom," but his younger brother is also recognizable. Robert Schwartzman was in "The Princess Diaries," though he's since given up acting (for the most part).

Francis is also the father to Sofia Coppola, who directed "Lost in Translation" and "The Bling Ring."

All of these people are also related to actor Nicolas Cage, who changed his name from Coppola to avoid any nepotism in the industry. Francis is Cage's uncle, making the Schwartzmans his cousins.

Jenny and Melissa McCarthy are cousins.

jenny and melissa mccarthy
Cousins Jenny (left) and Melissa McCarthy (right).Jason Merritt/Getty Images and Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

The famous actors may share a last name, but many never made the connection. Jenny has even shared a throwback picture of the two of them on X (formerly known as Twitter) when they were children.

The actresses might be in the same business, but their careers haven't overlapped and the two don't seem to be very close. Melissa, for example, didn't attend Jenny's wedding back in 2014, ET reported.

Joan and John Cusack are siblings.

joan cusack john cusack
John Cusack and Joan Cusack.Timothy Hiatt/Getty Images

John and Joan Cusack have both made names for themselves in the movie industry and have been in 10 movies together. Yet many don't realize that they're brother and sister.

Joan gives credit to her brother for encouraging her throughout her career in the hectic industry.

"I think it helps to know another person in the business, because everything is such an illusion, so it's great to be able to go, 'Oh, my God! This is how it really is!' or 'This is how it happens there!'" she told AV Club in 2008. "You know, 'cause nobody knows any of it. People know more now in general, I think. So I think it was helpful to have each other."

Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine are siblings as well.

Warren Beatty Shirley Maclaine
Warren Beatty (left) and Shirley MacLaine (right).Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

These actors don't share a last name because Shirley uses her middle name, MacLaine. The two also don't share any movie credits and MacLaine said in 2016 that they likely never will.

"Oh, I don't think we'd be a good team," she told Closer at the TMA Heller Awards.

As for Beatty? He doesn't think so poorly of the idea.

"Not a bad idea," he said in 2016 on "CBS Sunday Morning," with one exception: "I think we shouldn't play man and wife."

 

Jessica Capshaw is Steven Spielberg's stepdaughter.

jessica capshaw and steven spielberg
Jessica Capshaw (left) and Steven Spielberg (right).Michael Buckner/Getty Images

The "Grey's Anatomy" actress didn't exactly grow up with Steven Spielberg, but since her mother married him in 1991, they've gotten close.

With such a big name in the industry, you'd think that he was to thank for her start, but according to her, it wasn't so easy.

"In a lot of ways it was actually not helpful to have famous parents because there is definitely a very human feeling of, 'Well, when you come from all that, who wants to see that girl succeed.' You want to see the underdog succeed, the girl who spent her last two dollars on the bus ticket," she said in an interview with USA Today in 2010.

Hallie and Jesse Eisenberg are brother and sister.

jesse and hallie eisenberg
Hallie (left) and Jesse Eisenberg (right).Andrew H. Walker/Getty Images and Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Hallie Eisenberg had one of the most recognizable faces in the world in the late '90s. She was practically the face of Pepsi, not to mention she landed leading roles in movies like "Bicentennial Man" and "The Miracle Worker."

She's taken a leave from acting since then, but her older brother is still making the family name known in Hollywood. He's Oscar-nominated, and famous for roles in movies like "Batman v Superman" and "The Social Network."

Jesse revealed on "The Tonight Show" that they were living together back in 2016. Jimmy Fallon asked him about his sister's boyfriend Owen Danoff, who was fighting for fame on season 11 of "The Voice," and Jesse told him that they're all roommates.

"He is my sister's boyfriend, but also my roommates, 'cause, I mean, they live with me," he explained. "We have separate rooms but essentially he's a roommate."

Martin Sheen is the father of Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez.

charlie and martin sheen with emilio esteves
Emilio Estevez (left), Charlie Sheen (center), and Martin Sheen (right) in 1996.Getty Images

It's known pretty far and wide that Charlie Sheen is Martin Sheen's son. After all, they share a name and a striking resemblance. However, some people might not know that Martin Sheen has another famous son, Emilio Esteves.

The trio of Sheens have had their ups and downs, but their dad is proud of them both.

"This morning, as I watched him alone, reveal his deepest, darkest secret, I couldn't believe the level of courage I was witnessing, and that it was my son," Martin Sheen said in 2015 after Charlie revealed he was HIV-positive to Matt Lauer, according to E! News. "I left him a message, and I said that if I had that much courage, I would change the world."

He also worked side-by-side with Emilio on 2012's "The Way," and claims that there's no one better to work with.

"From my point of view there's nothing better," he said in an interview with The Guardian. "I'd work with him for the rest of my life, frankly."

 

Stellan Skarsgård is the father of Bill, Alexander, and Gustaf Skarsgård.

,Alexander Skarsgard, Bill Skarsgard and Gustaf Skarsgard, Stellan Skarsgard
Alexander, Bill, and Gustaf Skarsgård, and Stellan Skarsgård.Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic/Getty Images; George Pimentel/WireImage/Getty Images

Stellan Skarsgård has several credits under his belt. He's been in "Good Will Hunting" and "Mamma Mia!" as well as Marvel's "Thor" and "Avengers" films.

His son Alexander is just as successful, though. He hit fame with his steamy role in "True Blood," and has since been Emmy-nominated for his performance on "Succession."

Stellan and Alexander went head-to-head on Fourth of July weekend in 2016 when Stellan's movie "Our Kind of Traitor" opened against Alexander's "The Legend of Tarzan."

According to the Los Angeles Daily News, Stellan was pretty thrilled about the competition. "I think he's got more backing and more screens," he said in the interview. "Still, it's fun."

In the end, Alexander got the bragging rights, as reported by Box Office Mojo.

Then Alexander's younger brother, Bill, had a breakout role in 2017's reboot of "It" where he played Pennywise the Clown. The movie became one of the highest-grossing horror films of all time.

Their older brother, Gustaf, appeared in "Oppenheimer" last year.

Blake and Robyn Lively are half-sisters.

blake lively and robin lively
Blake (left) and Robin Lively (right) at the 2017 People's Choice Awards.Christopher Polk/Getty Images

Serena van der Woodsen and the Teen Witch herself are truly sister goals. They're often seen together at award shows and fashion shows, and Robyn is the godmother to Blake's kids, she revealed to E! News.

Robyn and Blake even joke about whose kids are whose.

"She has my children and I have her children, [and] we're like, 'No, those are my children!' She's like, 'No, your children are my children.' We always argue about it. She's the best," Blake told ET.

Katherine Waterston is the daughter of Sam Waterston.

Katherine Waterston and actor Sam Waterston
Katherine Waterston (left) and her father, Sam Waterston (right).Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

You probably recognize Sam from his roles in hit shows like "Law & Order" and "The Newsroom."

His daughter became an actor, too, but she's usually seen on the big screen. She played Tina Goldstein in the "Harry Potter" spin-off "Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them."

Despite this huge success, her acting career wasn't as easy as you'd think it would be for the daughter of a famous actor.

"When you are the kid of an actor, it's always a very inviting world," Waterston said in a 2016 interview with The Sydney Morning Herald.

"Everyone is nice to you, the hair and make-up people braid your hair and play with you, and the costume department makes outfits for your teddy bears. It's really misleading, because then when you actually go to pursue a career in acting, you realize that people aren't so friendly," she said.

Tom Cruise and "Lost" actor William Mapother are cousins.

tom cruise and william mapother
Cousins Tom Cruise (left) and William Mapother (right).Michael Loccisano/Getty Images and Ken Ishii/Getty Images

Tom Cruise is one of the biggest international movie stars, but he's not the only actor in the family. His cousin William Mapother has starred in shows like "The Mentalist" and "Lost." Mapother has also had cameos in three of Cruise's movies and small roles in two others.

However, Mapother doesn't discuss his cousin very often.

"I'm not answering any questions about him because I've learned that unfortunately, nearly anything I write/say about him gets taken out of context," he wrote in a Reddit AMA nine years ago. "So it's easier and safer to say nothing."

Antonio Banderas used to be Dakota Johnson's stepfather.

antonio banderas and dakota johnson
Dakota Johnson (left) with Antonio Banderas (right) and their family as he was honored on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.Stephen Shugerman/Getty Images

The "Madame Web" actress is no newbie in the film industry. She grew up with Antonio Banderas after he married her mother, actress Melanie Griffith, when she was just a child (her dad is actor Don Johnson).

With a family like that, it's almost impossible not to get into acting.

Griffith and Banderas were together until 2015, but despite the split, he has nothing but kind words and admiration for his former stepdaughter and her career.

"Dakota didn't want our help. Every time that she was called for a movie [she said] 'I don't want you guys to be there, I don't want them to know that you are my mother' or who [is] her real father, her biological father Don. She didn't want help. She has been very honest in that aspect," he said during a guest appearance on ITV's "Loose Women" in 2015.

Christian Bale also had a famous stepparent — he used to be feminist icon Gloria Steinem's stepson.

Christian Bale and Gloria Steinem attend Netflix's The Pale Blue Eye New York Tastemaker Screening at The Metrograph on November 29, 2022 in New York City. (
Christian Bale and Gloria Steinem.Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images for Netflix

Steinem married Bale's father, David, when Christian was in his 20s. They were married for three years before David died in 2003.

Steinem still thinks of Bale affectionately, though.

"He is a very good person, a great lover of animals, and an immensely talented actor. He's married with two children and lives in California," she said in a piece for Daily Life. "I don't see him that often, but we're in touch from time to time."

Julia Roberts is Emma Roberts' aunt.

julia roberts and emma roberts
Julia Roberts (left) and Emma Roberts (right).Kevin Winter/Getty Image

These leading ladies have been very public about their familial ties. They speak about each other in interviews, post heartwarming pictures of each other, and according to Julia, spend lots of time together.

"She's so lovely," Julia said during a 2015 interview with Allure. "We spend a lot of time together. Emma is a remarkable girl."

Even though they spend so much time together, there's one thing Julia will never do: take a part in or watch Emma on "American Horror Story."

"I can't even get through the commercials," Julia once said to E! News. "I am the most fitful scaredy cat."

Bryce Dallas Howard is Ron Howard's daughter.

bryce dallas howard and ron howard
Bryce Dallas Howard (left) with Ron Howard.Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images

Ron's face might not be quite as recognizable as his daughter's these days, but only because he spends his time behind the camera rather than in front of it. After acting in "The Andy Griffith Show" and "Happy Days," Ron switched over to directing.

His work includes "Apollo 13," the Oscar-winning "A Beautiful Mind," and "The Da Vinci Code."

His daughter stayed in the family business but initially took a different route. She's acted in "The Village," "Jurassic World," and "Argylle." However, she's recently gotten into directing, and she was behind the camera of some of the best episodes of "The Mandalorian."

"He's a dad, but also this extremely impressive individual. I really look up to him," she said during an interview with UK's Express. "It was a wonderful gift, growing up having a beautiful relationship with my dad."

Liev and Pablo Schreiber are half-brothers.

Pablo Schreiber and liev Schreiber
Liev (left) and Pablo Schreiber (right).Brad Barket/Getty Images

Pablo Schreiber is easier to place if you imagine him with a big mustache. He played Mendez on Netflix's "Orange Is the New Black" and he's the half-brother of Liev Schreiber, who's starred in "Spotlight," "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," and "Ray Donovan."

They've only acted in one movie together, but they spend time together off-screen. Liev posted a picture of one of their family outings on X in 2015.

Josh Brolin is the stepson of music legend Barbra Streisand.

Josh Brolin Barbra Streisand related Getty Images
Josh Brolin's father, actor James Brolin, married Streisand.Getty Images

Streisand married Josh Brolin's father, James, in 1998 and they have been a close family ever since.

Brolin, who starred in "Avengers: Infinity War" and "Deadpool 2," welcomed his first child with wife Kathryn Boyd in 2018, and Streisand was a thrilled grandma-to-be. They've since had a second child in 2020.

"My wife got her a bracelet that said 'Grandma' on it and she started crying," Brolin told People. "She is really into it and I love that she is into it. I mean, it's like very typical Jewish grandmother who is saturated by this event. It's awesome."

Jonah Hill is big brother to Beanie Feldstein.

Actors Beanie Feldstein (L) and Jonah Hill (R) attend the LA special screening of "Booksmart" at Ace Hotel on May 13, 2019
Beanie Feldstein and Jonah Hill.Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic/Getty Images

"Superbad" and "Moneyball" star Jonah Hill was a supportive older sibling as Beanie Feldstein entered the mainstream spotlight. Hill even got a tattoo reading "Hello, Beanie" to celebrate her announced role as Minnie Faye in Broadway's "Hello, Dolly" stage production, People reported.

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