12 Actors Who Secretly Shared the Screen With Their Kids

Hollywood is full of surprises, and sometimes the best ones happen on screen without us even noticing. From hidden cameos to flashback roles, these 12 actors shared the screen with their own children in ways most fans completely missed.

1. Vivienne Jolie-Pitt and Angelina Jolie in Maleficent

Vivienne Jolie-Pitt ended up playing young Princess Aurora in Maleficent because Angelina Jolie said the other children on set were too scared of her costume: “The other 3- and 4-year-old [performers] wouldn’t come near me. It had to be a child that liked me and wasn’t afraid of my horns and my eyes and my claws. So it had to be Viv.”

2. Melissa McCarthy’s daughter Vivian Falcone in Thunder Force

Melissa McCarthy’s daughter, Vivian Falcone, once appeared on the same set — playing young Lydia in Thunder Force.

3. Alice Richmond and Tina Fey in 30 Rock

At age 7, Tina Fey’s daughter Alice played young Liz Lemon in 30 Rock, appearing in a flashback about Liz’s first wedding experience.

4. Mamie Gummer and Meryl Streep in Evening

In the 2007 film Evening, Meryl Streep and her daughter Mamie Gummer shared the screen, with Mamie playing young Lila Wittenborn and Streep portraying the character in the present day.

5. Mark Sheppard and William Morgan Sheppard in Doctor Who

Mark Sheppard played the younger version of his father, William Morgan Sheppard, three times — in Doctor Who, NCIS, and Mysterious Island.

6. Atandwa and John Kani in Black Panther

In Black Panther, John Kani played King T’Chaka, while his son Atandwa portrayed the younger version of the character.

7. Annie Starke and Glenn Close in The Wife

In 2018’s The Wife, Glenn Close played Joan Castleman, the wife of a Nobel Prize winner. Flashbacks featured the younger Joan, portrayed by Close’s daughter, Annie Starke.

8. Eva Amurri Martino and Susan Sarandon in Dead Man Walking

Eva Amurri Martino, daughter of Susan Sarandon, had one of her first big breaks playing young Sister Helen Prejean — her mother’s character — in Dead Man Walking.

9. Domhnall and Brendan Gleeson in the Harry Potter series

Brendan Gleeson is well known for playing Alastor Moody in Harry Potter — but many didn’t realize his son, Domhnall Gleeson, appeared alongside him.

10. Lily-Rose Melody Depp and Johnny Depp in Yoga Hosers

Johnny Depp shared the screen with his daughter, Lily-Rose Melody Depp, in the comic-book film Yoga Hosers when she was 15.

11. Carrie Fisher and Billie Lourd

Billie Lourd, best known from Scream Queens, made her feature film debut alongside her mother, the late Carrie Fisher, in 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Lourd played Lieutenant Connix of the Resistance, serving under General Leia Organa, played by Fisher.

In a 2019 essay for TIME, Lourd recalled their moments on set, including the first time she wore Princess Leia’s iconic double buns:

“Even though she complained for years about how the iconic Leia buns further widened my already wide face,’ she desperately wanted me to carry on the face-widening family tradition! Some people carry on their family name, some people carry on holiday traditions — I was going to carry on the family hairstyle.”

12. Uma Thurman and Maya Hawke

Maya Hawke is no stranger to sharing the screen with her famous parents, including 2023’s The Kill Room with her mother, Uma Thurman. In an interview with Variety, Maya said: “I’m so excited for people to get to see my mom be funny. In the last couple of years, she’s done independent comedies that, for whatever reason, haven’t seen the light of day. She’s the funniest person I know.”

Which kid-parent duo is your favorite? Who is more talented as an actor than their famous parents, in your opinion?

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