EW.com
For some families, multiple relatives can claim to be “the famous one.” While there are plenty of notable nepo babies that most people know — Gwyneth Paltrow, Jane Fonda, Jamie Lee Curtis, etc. — some celebrity relations come as a surprise even to the most devoted pop culture enthusiast.
Here are some of the most prominent celebrity pairs you may not have known are related; at least a few will surely throw you for a loop.
Larry David and Bernie Sanders
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In a twist that sounds straight out of a Curb Your Enthusiasm episode, Larry David is actually “like a third cousin or something” to Senator Bernie Sanders, whom he impersonated several times on Saturday Night Live during Sanders’ 2016 and 2020 presidential campaigns. The Seinfeld creator discovered the connection in an episode of PBS’ Finding Your Roots and said he was quite pleased to learn about their shared DNA. “I was very happy about that,” he said during TV Critics’ Association summer press tour. “I thought there must have been some connection. I love Bernie.”
Elle King and Rob Schneider
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“Ex’s & Oh’s” singer Elle King is the daughter of comedy star Rob Schneider. The SNL alum shares the rising star with his ex-wife, former model London King. “I took on my mom’s last name because she raised me, and I wanted to be my own person,” Elle said in a 2015 interview with Billboard.
Rip Torn and Sissy Spacek
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Actors Rip Torn and Sissy Spacek are cousins. Torn, who died in 2019, reportedly got his younger relative into acting, and she credited him with part of her stardom. “My cousin, Rip Torn, persuaded me not to change my name,” Spacek reportedly said in a 1970s interview with Photoplay magazine. “You shouldn’t change what you are in search of success.”
Abby Elliott and Chris Elliott
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Humor runs in the family for Abby Elliott and Chris Elliott. Abby followed in her famous father’s footsteps to nab a gig on Saturday Night Live. They both went on to star on critically acclaimed, Emmy-winning comedies: Chris played Roland Schitt on Schitt’s Creek while Abby is Carmy’s sister — Natalie “Sugar” Berzatto — on The Bear.
Jenny McCarthy and Melissa McCarthy
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Growing up near each other in Illinois, Jenny McCarthy helped her cousin, Melissa McCarthy, land her first TV role in an episode of her NBC sitcom Jenny. Jenny has gone on to be a panelist for The Masked Singer while Melissa is a two-time Oscar nominee for her performances in Bridesmaids and Can You Ever Forgive Me?.
Julia Roberts and Emma Roberts
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Emma Roberts grew up visiting her famous aunt on set, and the two both appeared in the 2010 rom-com Valentine’s Day. Emma also paid homage to Julia one Halloween, when she dressed up as Vivian from Pretty Woman.
Nicolas Cage, Sofia Coppola, and Jason Schwartzman
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Cousins Nicolas Cage, Sofia Coppola, and Jason Schwartzman are all members of the Coppola family tree, which includes a number of famous filmmakers (director Francis Ford Coppola is Sofia’s dad), actors, and musicians.
Beanie Feldstein and Jonah Hill
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Jonah Hill and Beanie Feldstein have both led strong careers primarily in comedy, but that isn’t the only thing they have in common: Hill is Feldstein’s older brother.
Kyra Sedgwick and Edie Sedgwick
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The Summer I Turned Pretty star Kyra Sedgwick never actually met her cousin, the iconic model Edie Sedgwick, but they share an ancestral middle name: Minturn.
Jason Sudeikis and George Wendt
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The Ted Lasso star’s uncle is best known for playing Norm on Cheers.
Snoop Dogg, Brandy, and Ray J
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It’s no secret that Ray J and Brandy are siblings, but they also have a famous first cousin: Snoop Dogg. Snoop and Brandy even collaborated on the rapper’s song “Special.”
Ira Glass and Philip Glass
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The NPR host and the composer are cousins who have collaborated on musical performances and This American Life episodes.
Lea Thompson and Zoey Deutch
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Acting certainly runs in the family for ’80s icon Lea Thompson and her daughter Zoey Deutch, who has starred in such films as Everybody Wants Some!! (2016), Set It Up (2018), and Not Okay (2021).
Shirley MacLaine and Warren Beatty
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The siblings changed their last name (Beaty) when they became actors, and both have won an Oscar — Shirley MacLaine for Best Actress (Terms of Endearment) and Warren Beatty for Best Director (Reds).
Tom Cruise and William Mapother
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Tom Cruise‘s cousin William Mapother is best known for his role of Others surgeon Ethan Rom on Lost, but the two have also appeared together in several films, including Mission: Impossible 2, Minority Report, and Born on the Fourth of July.
RuPaul and Cory Booker
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Emmy-winning legend RuPaul found out on an episode of Finding Your Roots that he and New Jersey Senator Cory Booker are cousins. RuPaul invited Booker on an episode of RuPaul’s Drag Race in 2021 where the latter referred to the former as “cousin.”
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