8 Celebrity Offspring Who Refuse to Use Their Famous Last Name or Privilege to Advance Their Career

We might think that being the child of a Hollywood legend would help open doors for us, especially if we choose to pursue a career in the spotlight. And that might be true in many cases, but despite their famous parents, some young men and women are determined to make it in the industry without using their iconic parents’ last names and extra privilege. And by doing so, they remind us that success has an even sweeter flavor when we achieve it purely on our own merits and talent.

Louisa Jacobson, daughter of Meryl Streep

31-year-old Louisa is actress Meryl Streep’s and sculptor husband Don Gummer’s fourth and youngest child. The young woman has decided to follow in her famous mom’s career footsteps and has even landed one of the leading roles in the series The Gilded Age.

However, Louisa hasn’t taken the Streep name as a way to help advance her professional career, nor has she kept her dad’s. Instead, she uses her middle name as her professional surname in order to put some distance between herself and her famous family.

Grace Gummer, daughter of Meryl Streep

Grace, 36, is Meryl Streep and Don Gummer’s third child. Just like her younger sister, she has chosen a career in acting, and just like her also, she doesn’t rely on her famous mother’s name to open more doors.

In fact, Grace started her career at just 7 years old, but she was credited as Jane Grey in order to keep her true identity as Steep’s daughter private.

Micheál Richardson, son of Liam Neeson

Micheál, 27, is the oldest child of Liam Neeson and the late actress Natasha Richardson, whom he, unfortunately, lost in a ski accident in 2009 when he was just 13.

And despite his last name being so famous thanks to the blockbusters his dad has starred in, the young man, who is also forging a path in acting, has nevertheless decided to take his mom’s surname to honor her memory. His grandmother had explained his decision, saying, “That wasn’t because he wanted to avoid his father’s fame, which is enormous. He wanted to hold his mother close to him.”

Elle King, daughter of Rob Schneider

Elle’s mother is a former model, and her dad is non-other than famous comedian Rob Schneider. However, the 33-year-old singer, whose real name is Tanner Elle Schneider, has decided to go with her mom’s last name instead professionally.

She once explained, “I wanted to be myself. I am my own person.” Elle added, “I worked really hard, and I did everything myself, and I took my mother’s name [...] because I wanted to be myself.”

Mabel, daughter of Neneh Cherry

Mabel is a musician and singer, just like her famous mom Neneh Cherry. However, the 26-year-old has confessed that she didn’t want to be a musician at first because she wanted to prove everyone wrong who thought she wanted to follow in her mom’s footsteps. But her passion for music and her talent has finally won over, and the young woman is making a name for herself in the music industry.

Riley Keough, daughter of Lisa Marie Presley

With Elvis Presley as her grandad and Lisa Marie Presley as her mom, the artistic legacy of Riley’s family is unbeatable. Michael Jackson was even her stepdad at some point.

But the 33-year-old actress, singer, and model once noted, “I always wanted to have my own money — not my family’s money.” She even admitted that she had no interest in starring in the 2022 biopic about her iconic grandad. She explained, “It’s intense enough to watch, I don’t want to act in it.”

Billie Lourd, daughter of Carrie Fisher

As the daughter of the late Carrie Fisher and the granddaughter of Debbie Reynolds, Billie comes from Hollywood royalty. And just like the older generations in her family, the 30-year-old is pursuing acting. However, she has chosen to do it without taking her mom’s or grandma’s famous last names.

And after their deaths, the young actress explained that she was ready to completely step out of their shadows and forge her own path. She said, “I love being my mother’s daughter, and it’s something I always will be, but now I get to be just Billie.”

Sophie Von Haselberg, daughter of Bette Midler

Although she is the spitting image of her famous mom and the 2 have a close relationship, Sophie chose to make a name for herself in Hollywood without the help of her mom’s last name.

The 36-year-old revealed that Bette was against her pursuing a career in the film industry and insisted that she focus on her education. But even after majoring in Asian Studies and sociology at Yale University, Sophie’s passion for acting was stronger. And she decided to make it her career, leading her to make her theatrical debut in 2014.

What do you think of these celebrity offspring? Would you have chosen to rely on your parent’s fame to open some career doors for you if they were famous?