Top 30 Celebrities You Didn't Know Are Related

From 1988 to 1990, Rob Schneider was married to model London King. While the marriage didn’t last very long, it was long enough for the two to have a child. Born Tanner Elle Schneider, the child grew up to be a singer, who you’ll know better under the stage name Elle King. King took her mom’s maiden name in order to make it in the industry on her own merits and boy, has she ever. A top 10 hit single and 4 Grammy nominations are nothing to scoff at. If you’re looking for more connection between the two, check out King’s acting debut as the girl scout in her dad’s 1999 movie, “Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo”.

Some of you might be aware that George Clooney’s aunt was famous American singer Rosemary Clooney. What you might not remember is who she was married to. Rosemary tied the knot not once, but twice with Puerto Rican movie star José Ferrer. During their first marriage they had five kids, one of whom was Miguel Ferrer. Yes, that Miguel Ferrer - the one who got his break as Bob Morton in 1987’s “RoboCop” and played NCIS Assistant Director Owen Granger on “NCIS: Los Angeles” from 2012 until his passing in 2017. George Clooney and Miguel Ferrer: first cousins!

While the name Sam Lloyd may not ring any bells - the name Ted Buckland will bring smiles of recognition to “Scrubs” fans everywhere. Lloyd played the awkwardly endearing lawyer on the hit sitcom over a course of 95 episodes. And speaking of awkwardly endearing, let’s talk about his uncle, maybe the most famous Lloyd of the ‘70s and ‘80s. Before his nephew could legally consume alcohol, Christopher Lloyd had already won two Emmys for his role as Jim Ignatowski on “Taxi”. He then went on to cement his place in movie history as Dr. Emmett “Doc” Brown in the “Back to the Future” series.

While her last name “Curtis” gives away her paternal relationship to actor Tony Curtis, there are those who might not be aware that Jamie Lee Curtis also has her mother’s name in there as well. Or at least a version of it. You see, the “Lee” in her name is actually just an alternative spelling of her mother’s maiden name: none other than actress Janet Leigh. That’s right, the “Psycho” scream queen birthed the “Halloween” screen queen. This mother and daughter even paired up to do some screaming in a couple of films, including “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later”.

How many people can say they’re related to the T-1000? Well, we know at least one person. And that would be Richard Patrick. A former touring guitarist with Nine Inch Nails and frontman of the band Filter actually grew up with actor Robert Patrick, the iconic antagonist of “Terminator 2: Judgment Day”. It’s pretty cool the two of them both ventured into the arts, albeit in different scenes. In one instance, their aptitudes would actually overlap when they came together to help compose the score for the 2017 film “Last Rampage”.

Fans may know Rip Torn best as Artie on the “The Larry Sanders Show” or maybe coach Patches O’Houlihan in “Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story”. To Sissy Spacek, however, he was best known as a cousin. Torn’s mother was the older sister of Spacek’s father, which makes him and the Oscar-winning actress first cousins. While Spacek is still acting, Torn sadly passed away in 2019 at the age of 88 due to complications from Alzheimer’s disease. It was actually Torn who helped Spacek get into Lee Strasberg’s Actors Studio as well as the Lee Strasberg Institute further down the line.

Actress Yara Shahidi was a child actor, but it was in her teen years that she saw her popularity grow with her role as the eldest daughter, Zoey Johnson, in “Black-ish” and its spin-off series “Grown-ish”. While her TV family made her famous, Shahidi also has some pretty famous actual members of her extended family. Most notably, Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones - who the world knows as Nas. The rapper and Shahidi are cousins and it would appear that they are pretty close, as she was the flower girl at Nas’ wedding.

It would appear that screaming runs in the Farmiga family. At least when it comes to sisters Vera and Taissa. Although born 21 years apart, Vera and the younger Taissa both found their way to acting. Both sisters found success in different genres - and Vera was even nominated for a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in “​​Up in the Air”. However, it’s their work in horror that they are probably both best known for, with each sister earning “scream queen” credentials. Vera is a mainstay of the “Conjuring” film universe while Taissa made her horror bones in four seasons of “American Horror Story”.

Could you imagine if MC Hammer was your uncle and Gabrielle Union was your cousin? No, we couldn’t either. But you know who doesn’t have to imagine it? Saweetie. Born Diamonté Quiava Valentin Harper, Saweetie has made some major waves in the music industry in the 2020s - three decades after her uncle told us we couldn’t touch this. As for her connection to Union - Saweetie’s father and the actress are 1st cousins. Saweetie’s grandmother and Union’s aunt is also the person Union based her character Eva on from the 2003 rom-com “Deliver Us From Eva”.

Jason Patric grew up in an acting household. His father was actor and playwright Jason Miller and his mother was actress Linda Miller. For our purposes here, what is even more interesting to note is Linda Miller’s maiden name: Gleason. It’s a name that has a special place in television history as her father was the one and only Jackie Gleason, best known as the creator and star of “The Honeymooners”. Let’s do the family tree math here… if Jackie Gleason was Linda Miller’s father then that of course makes him Jason Patric’s grandfather!

Tomei and Moore both attended Boston University, both starred in the film, “Crazy, Stupid, Love”, and have both won acting Oscars. But they also share something even more unique. On a 2019 episode of the PBS show, “Finding Your Roots” Tomei learned that she shares an “identical stretch of DNA along (their) X-chromosome” with Moore. For all the non-genealogists in the audience, that means Marisa and Julianne are genetic cousins (insert your own “My Cousin Vinny” joke here). The news made Tomei very happy and Moore later expressed her excitement on Instagram, saying, “I KNEW WE WERE ALIKE! @marisatomei is my COUSIN!! OMG I’m so excited.”

Hollywood history is filled with stories of couples meeting on the set of a film and falling in love. But there are many fewer stories that involve actors meeting on set, one of those actors introducing the other one to her sister, and then those two fall in love. However, that is how Tucci and Blunt became inlaws. Stanley worked with Emily on the film “The Devil Wears Prada” and they became friends. Then, at Emily’s 2010 wedding to John Krasinski, she introduced Tucci to her sister Felicity. Two years later Stanley and Felicity were married.

It is well known that actress Kyra Sedgwick is connected to Kevin Bacon matrimonially as the two have been married since 1988. But what about her connection to one of the most iconic artists of the 20th century, Andy Warhol? Well, she was never married to the Campbell soup-loving pop artist, but her 1st cousin once removed was none other than actress Edie Sedgwick. And Edie Sedgwick, as you may, or may not know, was an “it girl” who appeared in a number of Warhol’s short films back in the 1960s.

Jonah and Beanie are actually brother and sister. No, they aren’t step-siblings. They have the same mother and father. This would probably make more sense if you knew that Jonah Hill’s real name is Jonah Hill Feldstein. While Hill has become a pretty big deal in Hollywood over the last decade, his younger sister Beanie, whose real name is Elizabeth, has recently been gaining some recognition as well. She was part of the Screen Actors Guild nominated cast of “Lady Bird” and in 2019 she starred in “Booksmart”, earning a Golden Globe nomination for her performance.

Morrow was an actor for over two decades in Hollywood from the 1950s through the 1970s. He appeared on TV in the show “Combat!” in the 60s and in a number of films, including “The Bad News Bears” in 1976. Sadly, he was one of three people killed when a stunt helicopter crashed on the set of “Twilight Zone: The Movie” back in 1982. In case you hadn’t guessed, Jennifer Jason Leigh is his daughter. She was born Jennifer Leigh Morrow, but early on in her career changed her name and added the “Jason” as a tribute to family friend, actor Jason Robards.

The story of how Liev and Pablo Schreiber became half-brothers sounds like a movie. “Ray Donovan” star Liev was born in San Francisco and the family moved to British Columbia when he was just a year old. Liev’s mother was hospitalized multiple times as the result of a bad LSD trip from years prior. Liev’s father threatened to put her in a mental institution, so she took Liev and ran away. His father was finally able to track them down when Liev was three years old. His parents divorced a few years later, and his mother got custody. His dad went back to BC, remarried and had another son, Pablo. Who recently appeared in Apple TV’s “Defending Jacob.”

This familial relationship takes us all the way from the Korova Milkbar to outer space. Malcolm McDowell has had a great acting career dating back over 50 years, but is still maybe best known for playing Alex in “A Clockwork Orange.” What most people don’t know is that his older sister Gloria, who passed away in 2001, was the mother of “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” actor, Alexander Siddig. You might also know him as Doran Martell on “Game of Thrones.” In case you’re still trying to figure out the exact relationship here, Malcolm is Alexander’s Uncle. Like Ned Stark and Jon Snow, just much less confusing.

Ed Sheeran isn’t the only one who thinks that Zoey is “Perfect.” We are going to assume her mother, Lea Thompson feels the same way. Lea and her husband, director Howard Deutch, welcomed daughter Zoey into the world on November 10th, 1994. This was four years after the release of the third “Back to the Future” movie. The film series was Thompson’s big break and she rolled that fame into a starring role in “Caroline in the City,” which was “must see tv” from 1995-1999. Her daughter Zoey is perhaps best known for her roles in “Everybody Wants Some!!”, “Set It Up”, and “The Politician”, and it looks like she’s on the road to superstardom. Where she is going, they still need roads.

Once again we have the PBS show, “Finding Your Roots” to thank for this familial discovery. RuPaul appeared on an episode of the series last year and it was during that recording that he was told that he and Senator Cory Booker are cousins. Once you know this, it’s hard to look at them and not see the resemblance. RuPaul claimed to have seen it even before getting the DNA results, saying, “every time I’ve ever seen him, he reminds me of my cousin Yula.” Both the “Drag Race” host and the Senator from New Jersey had only good things to say about each other.

It isn’t a requirement on SNL to be related to a person you do an impersonation of. In fact, that is pretty much never the case. As far as we know, Dana Carvey isn’t related to George Bush, Tina Fey isn’t related to Sarah Palin, and Alec Baldwin has no familial connection to Donald Trump. And in fact, when Larry David was doing his Bernie Sanders impression on the show back in 2016 he didn’t know that they were related. But in 2017, thanks yet again to the show, “Finding Your Roots,” both men learned that they were cousins. We can definitely see it!

These women are actresses, comedians … and cousins! These two gals hail from opposite ends of the spectrum: Melissa’s best known for her funny characters, and Jenny made a name for herself as a Playboy model and TV host. Today, the cousins both maintain steady careers in Hollywood, though their circles rarely overlap. Jenny has co-hosted Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve since 2010, and appears on “Wahlburgers” and “Donnie Loves Jenny” with husband Donnie Wahlberg. Melissa, meanwhile, won an Emmy for her role on “Mike and Molly,” and earned Oscar nominations for “Bridesmaids” and “Can You Ever Forgive Me?”. The cousins’ career paths may’ve diverged over the years, but they’re cut from the same cloth.

Not only did both of these esteemed Scottish actors appear in “Star Wars” films; they’re also uncle and nephew! To give you a refresher on that galaxy far far away, Lawson starred as Wedge Antilles in the original trilogy, while McGregor played Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequels. Lawson actually inspired his nephew to get into acting, and both their careers have spanned the big and small screens, as well as the stage. In fact, Lawson once directed a play starring McGregor! Neither’s a stranger to accolades, either, as Lawson won the 1983 Olivier Award for his role in the stage musical “Mr. Cinders,” and McGregor has received Golden Globe nominations and is an Officer of the Order of the British Empire. These charming gentlemen are always fun to watch.

What could a Grammy-winning rocker and a famous weather forecaster have in common? They happen to be cousins! Kravitz’s late mother Roxie Roker, famous for her role on “The Jeffersons,” was Roker’s first cousin, which makes the men first cousins once removed. Roker’s weathercasting career began in 1974, and he’s since become a household name through “The Today Show.” He didn’t stop there, though, as he’s made TV and movie cameos, co-wrote a series of murder mystery novels, and holds the Guinness World Record for “the longest uninterrupted live weather report.” On the other side of things, Kravitz is not only a successful musician, but also a seasoned actor, appearing in critical and commercial successes like “Precious” and “The Hunger Games.” Talent runs in the family.

Along with their director cousin Sofia, these cousins are part of the famous Coppola family. Cage is a critically acclaimed actor, whose performance in “Leaving Las Vegas” earned him an Oscar, a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award. He’s also ventured into producing and comic book collecting. Schwartzman is best known for his work with Wes Anderson, and has additionally had notable roles in “Marie Antoinette,” “Saving Mr. Banks” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” Like his younger brother Robert – who you might know from “The Princess Diaries” – Schwartzman is also a musician: he was the drummer for Phantom Planet and is behind the indie pop project Coconut Records. It’s pretty obvious that Cage and Schwartzman aren’t just Hollywood royalty, but also gifted performers in their own right.

These two are a couple of Hollywood’s most acclaimed actors, and are actually brother and sister. Over six decades, Beatty and MacLaine have appeared in such iconic films as “Bonnie and Clyde,” “Terms of Endearment,” and “Bugsy.” With 20 Academy Award nominations between them, and almost as many Golden Globe nods, both siblings received Kennedy Center Honors, the Cecil B. DeMille Award and the AFI Life Achievement Award for their outstanding careers. But perhaps most admirable is the pair’s lasting friendship. Only three years apart in age, they’ve always inspired and encouraged each other, and this close bond helped them achieve success. Far from a sibling rivalry, MacLaine and Beatty are a testament to the power of supportive family.

This action star and prominent Scientologist may be one of Hollywood’s biggest names, but there’s another actor in the family. Cruise’s first cousin William Mapother has often starred in thrillers and horror movies, including “In the Bedroom” and “The Grudge.” On the small screen, he’s best known for playing evil doctor Ethan Rom on “Lost.” Mapother and Cruise have also appeared in five movies together, with Mapother’s roles ranging from cameos like in “Minority Report,” to small roles in “Mission: Impossible II” and “Magnolia.” Whether they’re kicking butt or scaring us silly, these cousins sure know how to keep us entertained.

This outspoken English singer and actor are brother and sister - who’d a thunk it? Lily shot to fame in 2006 with the release of her debut album, “Alright, Still,” while Alfie is best known for playing Theon Greyjoy on “Game of Thrones.” The siblings are so close, Lily even wrote a song about Alfie, delivering lines only a sister could. Lily has been known for her controversial remarks and feuds, but she’s now much more focused on her family and charity work. Besides “Game of Thrones,” Alfie has starred in films like “John Wick” and “Pandemic.” Lily and Alfie have both received recognition for their work, including Grammy and Screen Actors Guild nominations respectively. Now that’s something to smile about! Lily also has a famous cousin – “Stay With Me” singer Sam Smith.

At first glance, the sketch comedy star and the host of “Unsolved Mysteries” might seem like completely different people. And yet, Taran Killam’s great-uncle was, in fact, the one and only Robert Stack. Stack’s acting career lasted over sixty years, and he won an Emmy for his role as Agent Eliot Ness on the TV series, “The Untouchables.” Killam shot to fame as the youngest-ever cast member on “MADtv,” and is one of only four “SNL” stars to do over a hundred impressions. Like his great-uncle, Killam has also taken to films, landing roles in “Big Fat Liar,” “The Heat,” and “12 Years a Slave.” Stack passed away in 2003, but his talent lives on through his great-nephew.

For these funny men, comedy is hereditary. Wendt is Sudeikis’ maternal uncle, and you may know him for playing Norm Peterson on “Cheers.” The two are tight-knit, and Wendt inspired his nephew to pursue an acting career. Wendt received six Emmy nominations for his iconic role, and even played Norm outside of “Cheers.” He also played Chicago Superfan Bob Swerski on SNL. Sudeikis was a long-time “SNL” star as well, and has since appeared in dozens of shows and movies, including “30 Rock,” “Son of Zorn,” and “Horrible Bosses.” Wendt has dabbled in theatre as Edna Turnblad in “Hairspray,” and continues to act on the small screen. So it’s safe to say that with these two, there’s never a dull moment!

We all know how much Snoop Dogg loves Gin and Juice - but he is also quite fond of Brandy. Brandy Norwood that is. Although they did collab on Snoop’s 2009 song, “Special”, the affection he has for her isn’t strictly artist appreciation. Despite Norwood’s dubiousness, Snoop himself as well as many outlets have reported that the two are cousins. Snoop has made the same connection to Ray J, who is Brandy’s brother. And speaking of Snoop’s cousins, another famous Dogg cousin is AEW wrestler Mercedes Moné, formerly Sasha Banks of the WWE.

Which of these family ties shocked you the most? Let us know in the comments.