Stories about our forefathers might sometimes motivate us to follow in their footsteps. And while striving to live up to their reputation is a difficult task, that shouldn’t stop you from trying. The same thing goes for celebrities. Despite their previous generation’s fame, these well-known people were able to build their reputations and shine in the film industry. In fact, if it weren’t for this list, you probably wouldn’t even realize some of them were linked!
These famous people, including royals, actors, and singers, all have surprising relatives who are also in the public eye. Most of us would have never guessed that these well-known duos were related to each other, despite the fact that some of them even shared the same last name. Keep reading for more details!
#1 Tippi Hedren and Dakota Johnson
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Dakota Johnson‘s famous parents, Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, may be the reason you know her. The star of Fifty Shades of Grey is really a third-generation Hollywood celebrity, something you might not be aware of. With roles in The Birds and Marnie, her grandmother Tippi Hedren was a favorite of Alfred Hitchcock’s.
#2 Peggy Lipton and Rashida Jones
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There is a model in this family. Prior to being a part of The Mod Squad in the late 1960s and early 1970s, Peggy Lipton ruled the catwalk. The 16-year marriage between the actress and the composer Quincy Jones had two kids. Rashida Jones, the youngest, is a well-known actress and producer who has been on On the Rocks, The Office, and Parks and Recreation.
#3 Elvis Presley and Riley Keough
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Actress Riley Keough has also become a famous figure like her late grandfather Elvis Presley despite not utilizing her renowned family name. The Mad Max: Fury actor was conceived after her mother, Lisa Marie Presley, wed musician Danny Keough in 1988, making her the eldest grandchild of the King of Rock ‘n Roll.
#4 Zsa Zsa Gabor and Paris Hilton
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Despite the fact that Zsa Zsa Gabor and Paris Hilton are only related by marriage, there is undoubtedly a family resemblance between the two. In 1942, the Old Hollywood celebrity of Hungarian descent wed Conrad Hilton Sr., the founder of the Hilton Hotel and Paris Hilton‘s great-grandfather. The couple welcomed Francesca Hilton, who would grow up to be Paris Hilton’s great-aunt, in 1947. That’s also really hot.
#5 Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli
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Liza Minnelli seems to have inherited Judy Garland‘s abilities in both acting and singing. Liza, Judy’s eldest child from her previous marriage to director Vincent Minnelli, is well-known for her Broadway performances and Academy Award-winning turn in Cabaret.
#6 Diana Ross and Tracee Ellis Ross
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Diana Ross started her career with The Supremes, the most well-known female singing group of the 1950s. Later on, she decided to pursue a solo career and appeared in movies like Mahogany. Ross brought her eldest child from her union with Robert Ellis Silberstein, Tracee Ellis Ross, into the world in 1972. With parts in shows like Black-ish and High Note, Tracee has established a successful acting career.
#7 Julio Iglesias and Enrique Iglesias
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Quite hot! Not only do Julio Iglesias and his son Enrique resemble one another almost exactly, but they also both have successful musical careers. Enrique is referred to be the King of Latin Pop, while Julio was one of the most well-known Latin American singers of the 1960s and 1970s.
#8 Anne Gwynne and Chris Pine
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We had no idea that Hollywood’s hottest star, Chris Pine, was a third-generation actor. One of Hollywood’s original “scream queens,” 1940s pinup Anne Gwynne was the maternal grandmother of the Star Trek actor. In the 1970s, his father, Robert Pine, was also a well-known actor.
#9 Minnie Riperton and Maya Rudolph
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This mother-daughter team is quite experienced when it comes to laughing and love. A well-known singer-songwriter, Minnie Riperton was noted for her whistle register, a high pitch that she used in songs like “Lovin’ You.” Together with fellow musician Richard Rudolph, she gave birth to a daughter, Maya Rudolph, in 1972. From her roles in Bridesmaids, Saturday Night Live, and numerous more comedies, fans are familiar with the entertaining Maya.
#10 Tony Curtis, Janet Leigh, and Jamie Lee Curtis
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Jamie Lee Curtis almost grew up in the spotlight. The actress is the offspring of Psycho actress Janet Leigh and 1950s heartthrob Tony Curtis, one of Old Hollywood’s most adored couples.
#11 Clint Eastwood and Scott Eastwood
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These genes are excellent. The youngest of Clint Eastwood‘s eight children, Scott Eastwood, has pursued a career in acting. Scott has made appearances in action movies including The Outpost, The Fate and the Furious, and Suicide Squad, continuing his father’s Dirty Harry lineage.
#12 Rosemary Clooney and George Clooney
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You could believe that George Clooney‘s success at the box office was the result of sheer chance, but family was also a significant factor in the actor’s rise to success. It comes out that Rosemary Clooney, a well-known 1950s singer and actress, was his aunt.
#13 Elizabeth Taylor and Michael Wilding Jr.
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The Hollywood royal family? Together with her second husband, Michael Wilding, Elizabeth Taylor gave birth to Michael Wilding Jr. The couple had two children when they were married from 1952 until 1957. Wilding Jr., who looks almost exactly like his well-known mother, followed acting and has appeared in films including The Guiding Light, Dallas, and Deadly Illusion.
#14 Nat King Cole and Natalie Cole
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Nat King Cole, a well-known jazz performer, is famous for tunes like “Unforgettable” and “L-O-V-E.” Singer Natalie Cole, his oldest child, has continued to perform those songs today.
#15 Kirk Douglas and Michael Douglas
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Michael Douglas continued his father’s legacy by winning two Academy Awards during the course of his career. Kirk Douglas, who played Spartacus, married Diana Douglas, and their oldest child is Michael.
#16 Jayne Mansfield and Mariska Hargitay
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Mariska Hargitay, the star of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, is no stranger to Old Hollywood. Her mother, Jayne Mansfield, was a popular actress and pinup in the 1950s, appearing in movies for 20th Century Fox such The Girl Can’t Help It. Sadly, Mariska, at 3 years old, was a passenger in the 1967 car crash that killed her mother.
#17 Gregory Peck and Ethan Peck
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Ethan Peck, the actor’s grandson, has carried on Gregory Peck‘s legacy through 2021. Stephen, Gregory’s sole child, has a son named Ethan who has made television appearances on Star Trek, Gossip Girl, and 10 Things I Hate About You.
#18 Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher, and Billie Lourd
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The famed singer Eddie Fisher and Hollywood’s girl next door Debbie Reynolds were married for four years, from 1955 to 1959, until Eddie notoriously dumped the actress for her friend, Elizabeth Taylor. They welcomed Carrie Fisher, their oldest child, in 1956. Carrie became a household name in Hollywood by playing Princess Leia in the movie Star Wars. In 1992, the late actress gave birth to Billie Lourd, who went on to feature in Scream Queens and American Horror Story and soon achieve success in the entertainment industry.
#19 Natalie Wood and Natasha Gregson Wagner
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The oldest child of Hollywood’s golden girl Natalie Wood is Natasha Gregson Wagner. During Wood’s second marriage to British film producer Richard Gregson, Natasha was born. Robert Wagner subsequently adopted her when her mother and them reunited in 1972. She is not just an accurate portrayal of her mother, who tragically drowned in 1981, but she has also been cast in movies like Lost Highway and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Natasha, who is married to the Seventh Heaven actor Barry Watson, most recently worked on the Natalie Wood: What Remains Behind documentary.
#20 John Barrymore and Drew Barrymore
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Talk about a famous person’s family. Drew Barrymore, a member of the famed Barrymore family, started acting at the age of 5, making her screen debut in the science fiction movie Altered States in the 1980s. Her grandfather, John Barrymore, was by far the most successful on-screen performer; her parents, paternal grandparents, and great-grandparents were also actors.