Top 10 Celeb Kids Who Are Famous Than Their Parents

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’ll be counting down our picks for the Top 10 Celeb Kids Who Are More Famous Than Their Parents.



For this list, we’ll be taking a look at the children of celebrities who have since surpassed their parents in terms of fame. To determine this, we will be comparing them at their respective high points.

Josh Brolin has been a Hollywood mainstay for decades thanks to iconic roles in films like “The Goonies” and “No Country for Old Men.” However, he saw his star rise considerably in 2018 after he played anti-hero Cable in “Deadpool 2” and big bad Thanos in “Avengers: Infinity War.” And yet, had it not been for his father James Brolin, there’s a chance he never would have stepped onto a film set. James Brolin’s film career stretches all the way back to the 60s and includes appearances in everything from the original “Batman” series to “Community.” While it’s clear his son is now the Brolin people are talking about, it goes without saying that Josh owes his father a debt of gratitude!

With roles in big budget blockbusters like the “Star Trek” franchise and “Wonder Woman,” musicals like “Into the Woods,” and Oscar darlings like “Hell or High Water,” Chris Pine has shown that he is one of Hollywood’s most versatile leading men. Perhaps he learned a thing or two from his father Robert Pine, who portrayed Sergeant Joseph Getraer on “CHiPs” for six seasons in the 70s and 80s. That proved to be the high point of the elder Pine’s career, as in the years since he’s only had small supporting roles to go along with some video game voiceover work. We doubt he had much trouble passing the torch to his son.

We know what you’re thinking. How dare we pretend that Emma Roberts is more famous than Julia Roberts! News flash people: Julia is her aunt! Emma is the daughter of actor Eric Roberts. With that being said, we have no problem proclaiming her the most famous Roberts from that branch of the family tree. Eric flirted with A-lister status in the 80s thanks to roles in films like “Star 80” and “Runaway Train,” the latter of which earned him an Oscar nomination. However, despite his massive filmography of 500+ films and TV shows, Emma is clearly the family’s new star thanks to her massive social media presence and starring roles in shows like “American Horror Story.”

The son of comedy performers Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, Ben Stiller has risen through the ranks and established himself as one of Hollywood’s most successful – not to mention bankable – funny men. However, in the 60s it was his parents who were making waves in the entertainment industry as the comedy duo Stiller and Meara. Jerry would go on to appear in a handful of sitcoms, including “Seinfeld,” while wife Anne would take home a Writers Guild Award for her work on the TV movie “The Other Woman.” Suffice it to say, their prodigy has overtaken them fame-wise… Blue Steel anyone?

We’re not pointing fingers, but we think it’s safe to say that Gwyneth Paltrow had a leg up on the competition thanks to her famous parents. Her father, Bruce Paltrow, worked in Hollywood for years as a director and producer and her mother, Blythe Danner, has appeared in over 100 film, television, and stage productions. However, whereas they had their time to shine, Gwyneth continues to make waves in multiple industries thanks to her skills as an Oscar-winning actress and business owner. Since 2008, she’s played Pepper Potts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and her lifestyle company Goop, ensures she remains in the news year-round – if not always for the right reasons.

It would appear that slowly growing more famous than the people who raised you is a bit of a tradition in the Kravitz clan. First there was Roxie Roker, who played Helen Willis on “The Jeffersons” for show’s eleven-season run. She gave birth to Lenny in 1964 and by the 90s he was selling out stadiums and winning Grammys. While Lenny is still one of the most famous rock n’ rollers on the planet, there’s no denying that his daughter Zoë is on the cusp of overtaking him when it comes to which Kravitz the world knows best. It’s only a matter of before Zoë does to Lenny what Lenny did to Roxie.

Jennifer Aniston’s father is none other than John Aniston, a regular on the long-running NBC soap “Days of Our Lives.” And when we say long-running, we mean the show has been airing for over 50 years, with Aniston playing the notorious Victor Kiriakis since 1985. Despite a career that’s spanned over five decades, John doesn’t even come close to eclipsing the fame his daughter has accrued. Jen’s time on “Friends” turned her into a household name, inspired a hairstyle, and ensured she’d have roles for years to come. She’s an award-winning actress, producer, and businesswoman who’s seemingly in the news every couple of mouths. Hard to top that!

Miley Cyrus’s career has been a bit of a roller coaster ride; going from Disney Channel darling, to pop princess, to full-fledged sex symbol in less than a decade. However, long before “Wrecking Ball” was making the rounds on YouTube, her dad was dominating the airwaves with his crossover country hit “Achy Breaky Heart.” Billy Ray Cyrus’ time in the sun came in the early 90s and while while he blew up again in 2019 with his feature on Lil Nas X’s super smash hit “Old Town Road”, there’s no denying that his daughter has eclipsed him. Frankly speaking, you know your daughter is more famous than you when people start referring to you as “Miley Cyrus’ dad.” Sorry, Billy boy.

If you ever wondered where Whitney Houston got her legendary singing ability from, look no further than her mother Cissy. A two-time Grammy winner who once sang backup for icons like Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin, Cissy had a lengthy career in the music industry as a soul and gospel singer. However, she can’t hold a nickel up to the success of her daughter, who is widely regarded as one of the best-selling and most awarded female artists in history. Cissy Houston may have outlived her superstar daughter, but she will always play second fiddle to her in the fame department.

Jolie’s father is none other than Oscar winner Jon Voight. And while there’s no denying that Voight was once a full-fledged Hollywood A-lister, helming classics like “Midnight Cowboy,” “Coming Home,” and “Mission: Impossible,” his star has dimmed in recent years whereas Angelina’s continues to get brighter. A Hollywood legend just like her dad, Angelina continues to shine thanks to her work in front of and behind the camera, her humanitarian efforts as a Special Envoy to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, as well as her continued connection to ex-husband and cinematic royalty Brad Pitt. As one of the most recognizable actors on the planet, Angelina has definitely supplanted her father in terms of fame.