Although I really enjoy the work of several of these people, there's a lot of nepotism babies in this list. I feel like it had to be extremely helpful to have their parents influence as they entered into the world of acting, even with some of the talent that they possessed, the doors surely opened more quickly for them to be heard and seen than a an outsider off the street.
19 Celebrities Who We May Not Realize Have Extremely Famous Parents
People
year ago
Having famous and successful parents doesn’t always mean you’ll necessarily choose a job that is under the spotlight. But sometimes it just happens, and we don’t necessarily know from the beginning who someone’s parents are. Maybe this is because these stars don’t shout it from the rooftops at first and want to be known for their talent instead of their famous parents.
1. Rooney and Kate Mara’s parents own 2 NFL teams and are worth a total of $3 billion.
![](https://wl-brightside.cf.tsp.li/resize/728x/jpg/d4d/032/97c35c5c7eb5fffaafad271db0.jpg)
Gregory Pace / BEImages/EAST NEWS
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2. Stranger Things star Maya Hawke is the daughter of famous actors Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman.
![](https://wl-brightside.cf.tsp.li/resize/728x/jpg/661/fd4/c11a235c76af1fdee177b03d1b.jpg)
Invision/Invision/East News
![](https://wl-static.cf.tsp.li/avatars/icons_wl/8.png)
3. Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s father was a businessman and a billionaire.
![](https://wl-brightside.cf.tsp.li/resize/728x/jpg/053/418/5020a65247aa7ff93a2da7b032.jpg)
Matt Baron/BEImages/EAST NEWS
![](https://wl-static.cf.tsp.li/avatars/icons_wl/8.png)
4. Talented actor John David Washington seems like he has acting in his genes thanks to his dad, Denzel Washington.
![](https://wl-brightside.cf.tsp.li/resize/728x/jpg/490/523/ec66915309911cff97262f4e2f.jpg)
Evan Agostini/Invision/East News
![](https://wl-static.cf.tsp.li/avatars/icons_wl/8.png)
5. Laura Dern’s parents are Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. They have both been nominated for Academy Awards.
![](https://wl-brightside.cf.tsp.li/resize/728x/jpg/64c/541/e3cb555e2bb519d960d09e3d86.jpg)
LISA O'CONNOR/AFP/East News
![](https://wl-static.cf.tsp.li/avatars/icons_wl/8.png)
6. Jack Quaid, who became worldwide famous through Scream (2022), has famous parents. His dad is Dennis Quaid and his mom is Meg Ryan.
![](https://wl-brightside.cf.tsp.li/resize/728x/jpg/59d/59c/27376d525e84a05e943cfd3f50.jpg)
Invision/Invision/East News
![](https://wl-static.cf.tsp.li/avatars/icons_wl/8.png)
7. Gwyneth Paltrow’s mother is celebrated actress Blythe Danner who has won many awards for her acting.
8. Grace Gummer’s mother doesn’t need any introduction, as she is actress Meryl Streep.
![](https://wl-brightside.cf.tsp.li/resize/728x/jpg/640/a40/de6c6457b5bfd6e4d533a2d4f8.jpg)
AXELLE/Bauergriffin.com/East News
![](https://wl-static.cf.tsp.li/avatars/icons_wl/8.png)
9. Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis are Jamie Lee Curtis’s parents. Her mother was the star of Psycho, and her father is most famous for his role in Some Like It Hot.
10. Mariska Hargitay is the daughter of the late actress from the golden era of Hollywood, Jayne Mansfield.
11. Eve Hewson, who is an Irish actress, is the daughter of U2 singer Bono.
12. Margaret Qualley has been on many great shows and movies so far, and she happens to have a famous mother, Andie MacDowell.
![](https://wl-brightside.cf.tsp.li/resize/728x/jpg/3dd/773/381d615136b9d738660fba1589.jpg)
Piotr WYGODA/East News
![](https://wl-static.cf.tsp.li/avatars/icons_wl/8.png)
13. Jessica Capshaw, who is mostly known for being on Grey’s Anatomy, is Steven Spielberg’s step-daughter.
![](https://wl-brightside.cf.tsp.li/resize/728x/jpg/223/6f0/12bfc653b697d8fdabdf2a4fcc.jpg)
0000554/Reporter/East News
![](https://wl-static.cf.tsp.li/avatars/icons_wl/8.png)
14. Rashida Jones has never hidden her love and appreciation for her dad, celebrated musician Quincy Jones.
![](https://wl-brightside.cf.tsp.li/resize/728x/jpg/1b0/b39/223ce25c1094688b0c69de634d.jpg)
AXELLE WOUSSEN/Bauer Griffin/East News
![](https://wl-static.cf.tsp.li/avatars/icons_wl/8.png)
15. Zosia Mamet’s dad is David Mamet, one of the most respected American playwrights that has even won a Pulitzer prize.
16. Zoe Kazan is the granddaughter of Elia Kazan, who was one of the most influential directors in the history of Hollywood.
![](https://wl-brightside.cf.tsp.li/resize/728x/jpg/183/2d8/184e3c57bbbf82920fbbc9c669.jpg)
Jordan Strauss/Invision/East News
![](https://wl-static.cf.tsp.li/avatars/icons_wl/8.png)
17. Maya Rudolph’s mom, Minnie Riperton, was known as the “Queen of the Whistle Register,” with a magnificent vocal range.
18. Actress Tracee Ellis Ross is the daughter of singer Diana Ross.
![](https://wl-brightside.cf.tsp.li/resize/728x/jpg/c29/e93/66ca7751b09485f55bd4de5fd0.jpg)
Gilbert Flores /Broadimage/Broad Image/East News
![](https://wl-static.cf.tsp.li/avatars/icons_wl/8.png)
19. Allison Williams, who we met on the HBO series, Girls, is the daughter of famous broadcaster Brian Williams.
![](https://wl-brightside.cf.tsp.li/resize/728x/jpg/923/ba3/b8b5cb52938ea1005622c7398e.jpg)
MICHAEL TRAN/AFP/East News
![](https://wl-static.cf.tsp.li/avatars/icons_wl/8.png)
Were you aware that all these celebrities came from well-known or very wealthy parents? Whose background surprised you the most?
Preview photo credit Matt Baron/BEImages/EAST NEWS, Evan Agostini/Invision/East News
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