Nepotism — the practice of those in power favoring their relatives or friends over other qualified people — can be a frustrating dynamic to observe. It’s certainly present in the world of celebrities, with many of today’s most famous celebs having equally famous parents .
While we’re not saying nepotism isn’t a factor in Hollywood, there are many cases where both parents and children are talented on their own merits.
Maya Hawke
While she made her acting debut in 2017’s Little Women , most will remember Maya Hawke for her role in Stranger Things . Her parents, of course, are two of the biggest stars of the ’90s: Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman.
Kiefer Sutherland
Sutherland, whose full name is deep breath Kiefer William Frederick Dempsey George Rufus Sutherland, will forever be synonymous with Jack Bauer from the TV series 24 . His parents, Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas, were successful actors in their own right.
Daniel Day-Lewis
Daniel Day-Lewis is probably the most method actor Hollywood has ever seen, showing a commitment to his roles that comes off as fanatical. Perhaps he got his creative streak from his father, Cecil Day-Lewis , who was Britain’s Poet Laureate until his death in 1972.
Laura Dern
Whether you know her best for Jurassic Park or her more recent work, Laura Dern is an instantly recognizable Hollywood mainstay. Success was never in doubt for Dern, as she inherited strong acting genes from her parents Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern.
Duncan Jones
Jones isn’t particularly recognizable at first, but that’s because he spends most of his time behind the camera, directing films like Moon , Warcraft, and Source Code . As much success as Jones might see, he’ll likely never be as well known as his famous dad, music legend David Bowie.
Margaret Qualley
Qualley is a rising star in Hollywood, garnering critical acclaim for her roles in films like The Nice Guys and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood . Her mother, Andie MacDowell, has had a pretty successful film career of her own.
Toby Stephens
He might not be a household name, but odds are pretty good you’ll recognize this venerable English actor from something, whether it’s playing the villain in Bond flick Die Another Day or playing a pirate captain in Black Sails . His parents are English acting legends Dame Maggie Smith and Sir Robert Stephens.
Ben Stiller
Stiller is well known for his many comedic and dramatic roles, but in recent years he’s spent more time behind the camera as a director. His father, of course, is comedic legend Jerry Stiller, who played the unforgettable Frank Costanza on Seinfeld .
Carrie Fisher
The late Carrie Fisher will forever be remembered not just for her iconic portrayal of Princess Leia, but also for her wit and her writing career. Her parents were both successful singers in the mid-20th century: Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds.
Liza Minnelli
Minnelli hit her peak as an actress, singer and choreographer in the ’70s, and younger audiences probably remember her for playing Lucille (2) in Arrested Development . Her mother, Judy Garland , will forever be remembered for playing Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz .
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Alfie Allen
Allen, who first rose to prominence as Theon Greyjoy in Game of Thrones , comes from a successful family. His sister Lily is a pop star, his brother Kevin is an actor, and his parents — Allison Owen and Keith Allen — are a film producer and actor respectively.
Jamie Lee Curtis
A scream queen thanks to her role in Halloween , Jamie Lee Curtis has dozens of other successful movies under her belt as well. She was born to a pair of Hollywood stars at the height of their fame: Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh, who many of us will remember from Psycho .
Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez
It’s easy to forget because of their different names, but Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez are brothers. Their dad, Martin Sheen , is of course well known for his starring role in The West Wing . Even though he’s now in his 80s, he continues to act in the Netflix series Grace and Frankie .
Sean Astin
We first saw Sean Astin as a child star in the ’80s, and he carried that success forward with roles in Rudy , The Lord of the Rings trilogy, and Stranger Things . Astin’s mother, Patty Duke, and adoptive father, John Astin, were both successful actors as well.
Jack Quaid
The 30-year-old Quaid made his debut in The Hunger Games and saw his first big success in the superhero series The Boys . He comes from an acting family, as his parents are Dennis Quaid and Meg Ryan, while his uncle is Randy Quaid.
Jeff and Beau Bridges
The Bridges brothers are screen legends in their own right — but their father, Lloyd Bridges , was the first member of the family to break into Hollywood. Lloyd had a prolific career spanning the 1930s all the way up to the late ’90s.
Wyatt Russell
Wyatt Russell is a rising star in Hollywood after an excellent role in Under the Banner of Heaven . He has yet to eclipse the star power of his parents, though, as Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn are two of the most prolific stars of the ’80s and ’90s.
Josh Brolin
Brolin’s dad, James Brolin , has been working in Hollywood since 1960 and continues to get film and voiceover work to this day. Josh might have even eclipsed his father, with a long career starting alongside Sean Astin in The Goonies , to his recent turn as Thanos in the MCU.
Jared Harris
Many of us know Harris from him roles in Chernobyl and Mad Men , but his father is Irish acting legend Richard Harris. The elder Harris, who passed away back in 2002, was so revered that he was listed at number 3 on The Irish Times list of Ireland’s greatest film actors.
Michael Douglas
We don’t see as much of the 77-year-old Douglas as we used to, but he was a bonafide leading man in the ’80s and ’90s. His full name, Michael Kirk Douglas, gives a clue as to his parentage, as his dad was Kirk Douglas, one of the biggest stars of the 20th century.
