15 Actors Who Secretly Worked With Family Members in Their Movies

year ago

It’s no secret that actors often involve their family members in their projects, but some go as far as casting them in their movies. And surprisingly, many of these family members shine just as brightly on the big screen as their famous relatives. But there are many cases when we weren’t aware that our favorite celebs were cast together with their family member in the same movie or TV show.

1. Tom Felton and his grandfather Nigel Anstey in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

Tom Felton surprised his fans by posting a screenshot from the first Harry Potter film and tagging his grandfather. “This is Lee Jordan....and my grandpa, my real actual grandpa (on the left),” the actor shared. Nigel Astney — a British geophysicist well-known in scientific circles, played the role of one of the Hogwarts professors.

2. Brendan Gleeson and his son Domhnall in the Harry Potter franchise

Mad-Eye Moody and Bill Weasley from the Harry Potter Universe are united not only by the desire for justice and the willingness to fight evil. The actors, it turns out, are father and son in real life.

3. Ben Stiller and his father Jerry in Zoolander

Ben Stiller’s parents were a popular comedy duo more than half a century ago. Their son Ben followed in their footsteps. Jerry and Ben starred together in several movies including Zoolander.

4. Miley Cyrus and her dad Billy Ray in Hannah Montana

Miley and her dad brought the father-daughter relationship to the screen. Billy Ray Cyrus is a country singer and actor who released 16 albums and numerous singles. His most famous song is called Achy Breaky Heart.

5. Bruce Willis and his oldest daughter Rumer in Hostage

Bruce Willis had a strong desire to teach his daughter to achieve everything by herself. When Rumer mentioned she wanted to be in Hostage, he sent her to an audition. “I insisted that Rumer come in and audition for this part. I said, ’I’m not going to give you this part, you have to earn it.’ So she came in and auditioned and won the part,” Willis shared.

6. Hilary Duff and her sister Haylie in Material Girls

Hillary and Hayley played sisters in a movie about rich heiresses who have to face difficult choices and make decisions for the first time in their lives.

7. Meryl Streep and her daughter Mamie Gummer in Ricki and the Flash

Mamie Gummer, an actress known for her striking resemblance to her mother Meryl Streep, has played both a younger version of Streep and her daughter. In the movie Evening, they appeared together for the first time. In Ricki and the Flash, Gummer portrayed Streep’s abandoned daughter who confronts her mother.

8. Michael Douglas, his father Kirk, and his son Cameron in It Runs in the Family

The Douglases always opt for family values. 3 generations of the family starred together in a comedy-drama movie about family disagreements and attempts to reconcile.

9. Angelina Jolie and her daughter Vivienne in Maleficent

The role of the little princess Aurora in Maleficent went to Vivienne, the daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. This happened mostly because Vivienne was not afraid of the terrible makeup of the sorceress, since she recognized Angelina as her mother. This simplified the filming process, as the other child actors would get scared.

10. Benedict Cumberbatch and his parents Timothy Carlton and Wanda Ventham in Sherlock

Benedict Cumberbatch’s real-life parents made a short cameo appearance in the roles of Sherlock’s and Mycroft’s mother and father. They are both professional actors who have had numerous roles on TV.

11. Matthew Perry and his father John Bennett Perry in Fools Rush In

John Bennett Perry and Matthew Perry played father and son in the romantic comedy about love and the collision of cultures.

12. Brad Pitt and his daughter Shiloh in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

In the movie The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt makes a very brief appearance as Caroline, the daughter of Brad Pitt’s character.

13. Paul Bettany and his wife Jennifer Connelly in Creation

The couple played the roles of the world-famous naturalist, geologist, and biologist Charles Darwin and his wife Emma.

14. Kevin Smith and his daughter Harley Quinn in Jay and Silent Bob Reboot

The father-daughter duo had fun starring in the latest part of the Jay and Silent Bob saga. Kevin Smith, who traditionally wrote and directed the film, could not do without his trademark jokes and sharp plot twists. Harley Quinn, who could’ve played the daughter of his character, Silent Bob, stars as the daughter of his best friend, Jay.

15. Ewan McGregor and his daughter Esther in Obi-Wan Kenobi

Ewan McGregor revealed that his daughter Esther appeared in a cameo in the recent Obi-Wan Kenobi TV series, but not because her dad starred in the title role. The proud father said that Esther auditioned on her own: “Deb, the brilliant director said to me ’I found this great girl but she turns out to be your daughter. Are you happy with that?’ I said that would be amazing.”

Want to see more touching stories of relationships between celebrities and their family members? Check out these Bright Side articles:

Preview photo credit Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire / Warner Bros. and co-producers, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 / Warner Bros. and co-producers