EW.com
More than a few celebrities have benefited from having famous mothers. Whether comfortable with the term “nepo baby” or not, it’s hard to deny that showbiz (or at least the public eye) has become a family business for some mothers and their children. Some of our favorite stars with famous moms, such as Liza Minnelli or Kate Hudson, have established successful careers to the point of stepping out of their mothers’ shadows. Others are still on their way to charting their own paths.
Here are our picks for the most notable stars with famous mothers.
Mamie Gummer, Grace Gummer, and Louisa Jacobson; Meryl Streep
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As one of the most celebrated actresses in history, Meryl Streep certainly had plenty of talent to pass on to her children — and all three of her daughters have gone into acting. Streep and Mamie Gummer have appeared in three films together, while Grace Gummer has been seen on shows like The Newsroom and American Horror Story. Louisa Jacobson made her TV debut on HBO’s The Gilded Age.
Tracee Ellis Ross and Diana Ross
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From hit records to hit television shows, these powerhouse women have made us all fall in love with them as they’ve continued to dominate Hollywood. Diana Ross is one of the most successful music artists of the 20th century, while daughter Tracee Ellis Ross has starred on multiple beloved sitcoms, including Girlfriends and Black-ish.
Jack Quaid and Meg Ryan
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When it comes to making a name for himself as an actor, Jack Quaid will have what his mom is having. While Meg Ryan will forever remain a rom-com queen (When Harry Met Sally, You’ve Got Mail), Jack, her son by Dennis Quaid, has carved himself a nice place in genre entertainment with his breakout role on superhero series The Boys and a prime role in 2022’s Scream.
Billie Lourd; Carrie Fisher; Debbie Reynolds
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You don’t get much more Hollywood royalty than the star of Singin’ in the Rain and Princess Leia, but the family talent has passed down through the generations to Billie Lourd, who even appeared in Star Wars films with her mom, Carrie Fisher. Lourd broke out on Ryan Murphy television projects Scream Queens and the American Horror Story franchise; she’s since gone on to notable turns in films like Booksmart.
Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt
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Descended from what was once the richest family in America, Gloria Vanderbilt and her son Anderson Cooper have been making headlines for generations. Vanderbilt, who died in 2019 at the age of 95, was a fashion designer, artist, and socialite, while Cooper has had an extensive career as a broadcast journalist for CNN.
Laura Dern and Diane Ladd
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Both legends in their own right (Diane Ladd in films like Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore; Laura Dern in well, everything, but notably for the David Lynch-verse and Jurassic Park), the formidable pair have lit up the screens playing mother and daughter in Wild at Heart (1990), Rambling Rose (1991), HBO’s Enlightened, and more. They even wrote a book together in 2023, Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk Life, Death, Love (and Banana Pudding).
Dakota Johnson; Melanie Griffith; Tippi Hedren
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While Melanie Griffith couldn’t be prouder of daughter Dakota Johnson’s success, don’t expect her to watch a Fifty Shades movie anytime soon. The Oscar-nominated actress (Working Girl) revealed that she would much prefer to support her daughter from afar. As for Johnson’s grandmother (and Griffith’s mother) Tippi Hedren? The former Alfred Hitchcock muse has said she’s interested in the flicks.
Eva Amurri and Miles Robbins; Susan Sarandon
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The acting genes are strong in Susan Sarandon‘s family. Her daughter, Eva Amurri, has appeared in numerous projects alongside Sarandon. Miles, Sarandon’s son by former longtime partner Tim Robbins, has embarked on an acting career as well, appearing in films like Blockers (2018) and Halloween (2018).
Gwyneth Paltrow and Blythe Danner
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Both accomplished actresses with major awards — an Oscar and an Emmy for Gwyneth Paltrow and a Tony and two Emmys for Blythe Danner — the pair are truly a golden duo, and not just because of their shared blonde locks. Danner still acts regularly, and when Paltrow isn’t running her wellness empire, Goop, she takes on an assortment of projects from Ryan Murphy shows to Marvel movies.
Eleanor Lambert and Diane Lane
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While Eleanor Lambert appeared alongside her mother, Diane Lane, in Paris Can Wait in 2016, she spends most of her time as a model and freelance journalist, writing for Vice and the Village Voice.
Ronan Farrow and Mia Farrow
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Both Mia Farrow and her son Ronan have impacted culture, though in very different ways. Mia became a movie star with Rosemary’s Baby (1968) and her various collaborations with Woody Allen, her former partner of 12 years. Her humanitarian work for UNICEF and other organizations may have inspired Ronan, a journalist whose investigation into the sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein won a Pulitzer Prize.
Zoë Kravitz and Lisa Bonet
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Zoë Kravitz is not only the spitting image of her mother, Lisa Bonet, she also inherited her mother’s love of acting, having starred in a string of critically acclaimed projects including Mad Max: Fury Road (2015), Big Little Lies, and The Batman (2022).
Rashida Jones and Peggy Lipton
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Mod Squad and Twin Peaks star Peggy Lipton was extremely close with her daughter, Rashida Jones. Jones first broke out on television in shows such as The Office and Parks and Recreation, but she’s since gone on to write, produce, and direct projects, too.
Maude Apatow and Iris Apatow; Leslie Mann
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It’s safe to say funny runs in the family. These hilarious ladies make acting a family affair, having starred in several comedies together, starting in 2007 with Knocked Up. Maude Apatow has since branched out from the family funny business into projects like The King of Staten Island (2020), Netflix’s Hollywood, and HBO’s Euphoria.
Jessica Capshaw and Kate Capshaw
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From action flicks to the ER, these leading ladies have both played impactful characters: Kate Capshaw as Willie Scott in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and daughter Jessica Capshaw as Dr. Arizona Robbins on Grey’s Anatomy.
Patrick Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver
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Eldest son of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Maria Shriver, Patrick Schwarzenegger has joined his parents in pursuing a life in the public eye. Taking a little something from each parent, he is mostly known as an actor with credits for such projects as Midnight Sun (2018), The Staircase, and Gen V, while also venturing into business with his mother, with whom he founded the brain wellness brand MOSH.
Lenny Kravitz and Roxie Roker
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Roxie Roker made history as Helen Willis on The Jeffersons, portraying half of the first interracial couple on American television. But she also produced a family with quite the Hollywood pedigree as mother of rock star-performer Lenny Kravitz, who himself is father to actress Zoë Kravitz.
Clementine Ford and Cybill Shepherd
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From impromptu dance sessions during interviews to starring on Showtime’s The L Word together, it seems this mother-daughter duo never has a dull moment.
Jason and Robert Schwartzman; Talia Shire
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Herself a member of Hollywood royalty as Adrian in Rocky, Connie Corleone in The Godfather series, and real-life sister to Francis Ford Coppola, Talia Shire also offered the world gifted offspring. Both Jason and Robert Schwartzman have made their mark on the big screen, with Robert best known for The Princess Diaries (2001) and Jason particularly beloved for his turns in Wes Anderson films. Both brothers have also appeared on screen with their mom in projects such as I Heart Huckabees (2004) and Palo Alto (2013).
Zoey Deutch and Lea Thompson
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One rom-com It Girl begets another. Lea Thompson was the darling ingenue of the 1980s with her turns in classics such as Back to the Future (1985) and Some Kind of Wonderful (1987). Zoey Deutch, her daughter with Some Kind of Wonderful director Howie Deutch, has also entered the family business. Zoey broke out in Netflix’s 2019 rom-com Set It Up and has continued to build an eclectic résumé with projects like The Politician and Not Okay (2022).
Jaden and Willow Smith; Jada Pinkett Smith
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The Smith family has talent in abundance, with mom Jada Pinkett Smith still making headlines with her own talk show and children Jaden and Willow making names for themselves everywhere from film to fashion to music.
Rumer Willis and Demi Moore
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Eldest daughter to Demi Moore and Bruce Willis, Rumer Willis has been an actor like her parents from a young age. Seen most prominently in films such as The House Bunny (2008) and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Rumer made her film debut in 1995’s Now and Then, playing the sister to the younger version of Moore’s character. She also won the 20th season of Dancing With the Stars in 2015.
Mariska Hargitay and Jayne Mansfield
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Mariska Hargitay has been entertaining us as Det. Olivia Benson on Law and Order: SVU since 1999, but it’s no surprise she knows how to hold an audience’s attention considering her mom, Jayne Mansfield, was also an actress and one of the most prominent sex symbols of the 1950s.
Kate Hudson, Oliver Hudson, and Wyatt Russell; Goldie Hawn
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The Hawn-Russell clan has no shortage of talent to offer the world. While Goldie Hawn continues to excel in her comedic sweet spot, all of her children have carved out a place for themselves in Hollywood. Kate Hudson rose to prominence as a rom-com star, much like her mom, and now balances her time between performing and athleisure line Fabletics. Brother Oliver Hudson has found his sweet spot on TV on shows such as Rules of Engagement, Nashville, and Scream Queens. And while half-brother Wyatt started as a hockey player, he’s since excelled on TV, starring in Lodge 49, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.
Jamie Lee Curtis and Janet Leigh
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Jamie Lee Curtis seemed destined to be a performer given her parents were Psycho star Janet Leigh and Some Like It Hot leading man Tony Curtis. Following in her mother’s scream queen footsteps, Jamie made her film debut in the original Halloween — and is still carrying the legacy of Laurie Strode in movies today. The two even appeared together in horror projects like The Fog (1980) prior to Leigh’s death. Jamie tearfully shouted out her famous parents in her 2023 Oscar speech.
Benedict Cumberbatch and Wanda Ventham
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While Benedict Cumberbatch has eclipsed his mother when it comes to global stardom thanks to Sherlock, the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and more, he still hails from an acting family. His mother, Wanda Ventham, is well-known in British film and television and would be most recognizable to audiences from guest appearances on Doctor Who. In a fun moment of art imitating life, Ventham and her husband — Cumberbatch’s father, actor Timothy Carlton — played Sherlock Holmes’ parents on the BBC series.
Liza Minnelli and Judy Garland
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There may never be a more iconic mother-daughter duo in Hollywood history than Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli. Garland passed on her star-making pipes to Minnelli, her daughter with director Vincente Minnelli. They both are best known for their turns in movie musicals (The Wizard of Oz, Meet Me in St. Louis, Cabaret). While Garland was alive, Liza performed with her numerous times both on stage and her TV variety program The Judy Garland Show.
Margaret and Rainey Qualley; Andie MacDowell
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Four Weddings and a Funeral star Andie MacDowell largely stepped back from acting to raise her children, but that didn’t stop her daughters from pursuing a career in the arts. While Rainey Qualley is best known for releasing music under the name Rainsford, Margaret Qualley is building herself a steady acting career in projects like Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Fosse/Verdon, Maid, and Drive-Away Dolls (2024).
Madison Spacek and Schuyler Fisk; Sissy Spacek
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The mother-daughter relationship in Sissy Spacek‘s hit film Carrie may have been a nightmare, but it’s clear she has positively inspired her real-life daughters. Following in her mother’s footsteps, you may recognize Schuyler Fisk as Kristy Thomas from the undeniable 1995 classic The Baby-Sitters Club. While Schuyler has continued to act, she also has a successful career as a musician. Younger sister Madison has made a career behind the camera.
Riley Keough; Lisa Marie Presley; Priscilla Presley
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The Presley family is a hunk of, hunk of burning talent. While Priscilla Presley — wife to the King of Rock & Roll himself — was an actress, her daughter with Elvis, Lisa Marie, built herself a successful music career. In turn, Lisa Marie’s daughter, Riley Keough, is steadily building her résumé as a model and actress. She notably played fictional 1970s rock goddess Daisy Jones in the television adaptation of the best-selling novel Daisy Jones and the Six, for which she earned an Emmy nomination.
Toby Stephens and Maggie Smith
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While Dame Maggie Smith needs no introduction, her son Toby Stephens also has quite the Hollywood résumé. He first rose to prominence on the British stage, following in the footsteps of his parents, but he’s had notable turns as a Bond villain in Die Another Day (2002) James McGraw/Flint on Starz’s Black Sails, and Poseidon on Percy Jones and the Olympians.
Maya Rudolph and Minnie Riperton
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Minnie Riperton was a singer-songwriter best known for her 1975 single “Lovin’ You,” but she also must have had something funny in her bones as mom to Saturday Night Live alum and all-around comedic legend Maya Rudolph. Sadly, Rudolph lost her mom as a child when Riperton died from cancer at the age of 31. But Rudolph carries on her mother’s legacy as an entertainer, often singing in her acting roles.
Annie Starke and Glenn Close
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While not as prolific as her frequently Oscar-nominated mother, Glenn Close, Annie Starke has appeared as a younger version of Close’s characters in Father Figures (2017) and The Wife (2018). She also had a notable recurring role as Lily on Netflix’s Ratched.
Dree Hemingway and Mariel Hemingway
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While Dree Hemingway is an established model, she has focused on acting, like her Oscar-nominated mom, Mariel Hemingway.
Isabella Rossellini and Ingrid Bergman
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One of the most striking stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, known for classics like Casablanca, Ingrid Bergman passed on her legendary beauty to Isabella Rossellini, her daughter by filmmaker Roberto Rossellini. Isabella has followed in her mother’s footsteps as an actress with memorable turns in films such as Blue Velvet (1986) and Death Becomes Her (1992).
Dylan Penn and Robin Wright
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Having inherited her mother’s natural beauty, Dylan Penn is an actress and model who has fronted campaigns for Ralph Lauren Denim Supply and Frye.
Kaia Gerber and Cindy Crawford
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Evidently, modeling runs in the Gerber-Crawford family. Through the ’80s and ’90s, Cindy Crawford was arguably one of the most recognized models in the world, while dabbling in occasional acting roles. Her daughter, Kaia Gerber, has taken a similar track, appearing on the cover of various magazines, particularly Vogue. She’s also appeared in the films Babylon (2022) and Bottoms (2023) and on the TV shows American Horror Story and Palm Royale.
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