It's In The Genes
We're well aware that today's celebrities are known for their talents in terms of either acting or singing or maybe even modeling. Some of them are discovered in auditions, through social media, or by the influence of their family specifically, by their grandparents.
Grandchildren that are known to be a carbon copy of their generational fame are also known for their skill and talent. However, we don't realize that we have watched a lot of famous actors that we don't know their family backgrounds. Here are the top 17 celebrities you didn't know that have famous grandparents.
Ethan Peck
As a young actor, he had many television appearances. One of his play roles was a younger Michael Kelso in That '70s Show. At the age of 9, he co-starred as Jimmy Smit's son in Marshall Law, which was his first film. He also starred on the television series 10 Things I Hate About You on ABC Family from 2009 to 2010.
Peck is the son of Stephen Peck—a former actor, documentary filmmaker, and Vietnam veteran who is president and CEO of the U.S. VETS. However, it's Ethan's grandfather that earns him the title of his granpa's lookalike.
Gregory Peck
Yes, Ethan Peck's grandfather is the legendary Gregory Peck. He was one of the biggest names in Hollywood during his reign. The Oscar-winning actor was nominated four times before finally winning it with Robert Mulligan's To Kill a Mockingbird.
On top of a successful and illustrious acting career, Gregory Peck was also a vocal proponent of the US Democratic party in Hollywood. He even ran against then-future US President Ronald Raegan for California's Governor seat.
Micheál Richardson
After appearing in Vox Lux, 2018, he continues to audition. With his father, they starred films like Cold Pursuit and Made in Italy, and they both touch the script by James D’Arcy.
Richardson comes from a long line of actors. His parents are the actors Liam Neeson and Natasha Richardson. He is a member of the Redgrave acting family on his mother's side. This leads us to talk about the young actor's grandmother.
Vanessa Redgrave
Hollywood and British entertainment are no strangers to the Redgrave family name. A long line of actors and actresses have been produced by this talented bloodline. Micheál Richardson may be the offspring of Liam Neeson and Vanessa Richardson, but he looks like the male version of his nana, Vanessa Redgrave.
Best-known for her Oscar-winning supporting role in Julia, Redgrave was a darling of Hollywood. She's been up for an Academy Award five other times. She has churned out impressive performances in all phases of her career-from bombshell to a seasoned actress.
Zoë Kravitz
Kravitz made her acting debut in the romantic comedy film No Reservations (2007). In X-Men: First Class (2011), she made her breakthrough as Angel Salvadore and earned a Teen Choice Award and a Scream Award.
She is also seen as Christina in The Divergent Series (2014–16) and played Leta Lestrange in the Fantastic Beasts film series (2016–2018). Besides acting, she works as a fashion model and a musician as of 2017. She is the face of YSL Beauté and also starred in many brands. She comes from groundbreaking grandmothers on both sides of her family.
Roxie Roker
Zoe's parents are both of mixed African American and Ashkenazi Jewish descent, actress Lisa Bonet and musician Lenny Kravitz. Roxie Roker is her maternal grandmother and Allen Bonet is her maternal grandfather. Some of her grandmother's family is from the Bahamas.
Roxie Roker was a trailblazing actress who played Helen Willis on "The Jeffersons," where she was one-half of an interracial married couple. Kravitz has a full career ahead with more movies and shows as well as being an influencer and idol for young people!
Chris Pine
In The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement, he made his debut as Lord Devereaux. He is also known as James T. Kirk in the Star Trek reboot film series (2009–2016) and many more. He also voiced Jack Frost in Rise of the Guardians (2012).
His father, Robert Pine is an actor and his mother, Gwynne Gilford is a former actress and became a psychotherapist. Anne Gwynne, which is his grandmother, was a Hollywood actress, and Max Gilford, who is his grandfather, was an attorney who was elected president of the Hollywood Bar Association.
Anne Gwynne
Speaking of Chris Pine's famous lineage, his grandmother is Anne Gwynne. The model and actress was one of the prototypes for Hollywood's first scream queens. Gwynne was also one of the most popular pin-up models during the World War II era.
Gwynne is best known for her roles in '40s films like "House of Frankenstein," and "South of Dixie." While Pine isn't an exact carbon copy of his gorgeous grandmother, obviously, we can definitely see where his dazzling good looks and charm come from.
Alia Shawkat
Alia was known as Hannah Rayburn in State of Grace, and Maeby Fünke in the Fox/Netflix television sitcom Arrested Development (2003-2019). She also played in many comedy films. On Arrested Development, she played a member of the dysfunctional Bluth-Fünke family.
Her parents are Dina Shawkat (née Burke) and film producer Tony Shawkat and have 2 brothers. And her grandfather was actor Paul Burke.
Paul Burke
Shawkat's grandfather, Paul Burke was an Emmy-nominated actor during his heyday. With over a hundred credits to his name, Burke earned his Emmy nods while working on Naked City (1960-1963).
Burke was tall, dark, and handsome. Hollywood television loved every bit of him. Some of his other notable work are roles in Valley of Dolls (1967), and The Thomas Crown Affair (1968).
Jason Schwartzman
Jason is an American actor, producer, and musician. In Rushmore, Wes Anderson's 1998 film, he made his debut and appeared in five other Anderson films. He starred in the television series Bored to Death (2009–11) and was an executive producer on the Amazon Prime show Mozart in the Jungle (2014–18).
Being an artist also runs through their generation. He is the son of actress Talia Shire (née Coppola) and film producer Jack Schwartzman. In terms of Hollywood mileage though, it's the Coppola bloodline that's really of note.
Carmine Coppola
To be fair, we could've put several of Carmine Coppola's grandchildren on this list to make things easy for ourselves. Some of Carmine's other famous descendants are Nicholas Cage, and Sophia Coppola, along with Jason Schwartzman.
The composer is best known for his musical work on his sons, Francis Ford Coppola's films. We're talking about the The Godfather films, of course. It could be argued that Nick Cage might look more like their gramps, but we give it to Jason Instead.
Steven R. McQueen
Steven plays Jeremy Gilbert on The Vampire Diaries. On the TV series Everwood, he is best known for his role and starred in a film called Piranha 3-D as Jake Forester. He also starred as Jimmy Borelli in the NBC dramas Chicago Fire (2015-2016). Besides acting, he is also a former model.
He is the son of Stacey Toten and actor/producer Chad McQueen. Though, as you may have already guessed from his name, his paternal grandfather was actor Steve McQueen. He's really just an updated version of 'ol gramps.
Steven McQueen
From the chisled jawline to the trademark Steven McQueen beauty mark, both grandson and grandfather have it all. No wonder they were both Hollywood bound eventually. Steven sr., however, was a bonafied action star of his era.
Films like Bullit, The Great Escape, Papillion, and The Magnificent Seven are just a handful of action blockbusters that Steven McQueen was a part of. While his career was tragically cut short at the age fifty, McQeen left us a legacy of amazing films and a bright future in his grandson.
Dakota Johnson
She starred in Fifty Shades of Grey with her leading role as Anastasia "Ana" Steele, which give her a breakthrough role in her career. However, she made her film debut at age ten with a minor role in the dark comedy film Crazy in Alabama (1999) with her mother, Melanie Griffith.
Melanie Griffith is an amazing actress in her own right. Her union with fellow actor and television star Don Johnson brought forth their daughter, Dakota. But it's Griffith's superstar mother that brings Dakota to this list.
Tippi Hedren
Dakota's maternal grandmother is actess Tippi Hedren. She has been seen in films including Alfred Hitchcock's "The Birds" in 1963 and Charlie Chaplin's "A Countess from Hong Kong" in 1967.
Fun fact, when she was cast in Hitchcock's The Birds, Hedren won the Golden Globe for most-promising newcomer. While career is full of hits and misses, Hedren has carved respectable credit list 80-films long.
Riley Keough
Her parents were musicians, Lisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough and and that hint alone should be enough to tell you who her famous grandparent is. Riley isn't really a musician, she's an actress and then some.
Riley started her modeling career at the age of 15, including appearances at fashion shows for Dolce & Gabbana and Christian Dior, and appearing on the cover of Vogue. She has seen in lots of movies and her breakthrough role was in the first season of the anthology series The Girlfriend Experience in 2016. Keough's role was a law student-turned-escort.
The Presleys
Riley Keough is undoubtedly a beautiful actress and model. Upon closer inspection, we can't deny that she there are glimpses of her grandparents' looks in her. In some angles, you see the resemblance to the King of Rock 'n Roll, Elvis Presley.
In some ways, Riley is as beautiful as her grandmother, Pricilla Presley. No wonder she's been able to carve out a career for herself the way she has. Beauty and talent certainly run deep in the Presley family.
Drew Barrymore
She started her career at the age of 11 months when she appeared in a dog commercial, the Puppy Chow, which is her debut. At a very young age, she has seen potential with her acting skill, as Drew is a member of the Barrymore Family, that are family actors, and the granddaughter of John Barrymore.
Her breakout role in E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, quickly gave her to became one of the most recognized child actors in Hollywood, and now Drew has seen her in a lot of movies. Barrymore received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2004.
John Barrymore Sr.
Here's a quick history lesson for you. John Barrymore Jr., Drew's father, isn't the Barrymore that made started their family's Hollywood reign. John Sr., was a stage actor that transitioned to the screen in the early days of film.
During the silent film era, John Sr. earned the nickname of The Great Profile. His theater training also did him a service when sound was finally introduced to films. Three of his films have been inducted to the National Film Registry.
Billie Lourd
Billie built a career herself working on Ryan Murphy's projects and she appeared in Star Wars movies as Lieutenant Connix with her mother Carrie Fisher. She is also known for starring in some series such as Scream Queens (2015-2016), and American Horror Story.
Her maternal grandparents were among the famous stars of their time. Screen legend Debbie Reynolds is Billie's grandmother, and singer-actor Eddie Fisher is her grandfather.
Debbie Reynolds
While relatively younger audiences will be well-versed with the fact that Billie Lourd's mother is Princess Leia from Star Wars, they'll probably be surprised that her grandmother is also Debbie Reynolds from Singing in the Rain.
Reynolds is the epitome of a Golden Age Hollywood star. She did amazing things in both film and television. She could sing, dance, act and hold her own with the best of them. She earned herself the title role in her own tv show, The Debbie Reynolds show too.
Zoe Kazan
She is an American actress, playwright, and scriptwriter. Her acting debut was in Swordswallowers and Thin and later appeared in various films and also in several Broadway productions. She acted in and written movies.
Shortly, maybe she'll consider being a director like her parents, writer-directors Nicholas Kazan and Robin Swicord. Zoe's Hollywood roots run far deeper than that, however. She actually has an Oscar-winning grandfather.
Elia Kazan
Today, when we think of award-winning directors we think of George Lucas, James Cameron, and Martin Scorsese. If you asked film audiences from fifty years ago, they'd more likely name Elia Kazan among the list of their favorite directors.
Kazan was a multi-Oscar-winning director. While also trained as an actor, Elia Kazan gravitated to directing theater and later film. He was best known for films that had a societal issue as its base theme. Some of his best-known works are A Streetcar Named Desire, East of Eden, and America America.
Katie Cassidy
Katie is an American actress who does several minor television roles, which she is discovered as a scream queen in Horror films. She had her breakthrough in 2012 as Laurel Lance or Black Canary on the TV series, Arrow.
She is the child of actor and singer David Cassidy and fashion model Sherry Williams. Yes, that's David Cassidy of The Partridge Family. Katie also lays claim to having famous grandparents in Jack Cassidy. Performing runs through their family.
Jack Cassidy
Katie's grandfather, Jack Cassidy definitely fit the Hollywood stereotype of being talented and having a big personality. Jack made a name for himself being a musical performer on Broadway. His musical work earned him a couple of Tony Award nods, and even a Grammy nod later on.
Jack's prowess on stage and on screen definitely trickled down to his granddaughter. While he was never able to see Katie's career blossom to the impressive body of work it is now, he'd definitely be proud.
Abby Elliott
Being a comedian do runs through their generation. She is best known for her works as a cast member on Saturday Night Live from 2008 to 2012 and starred in many comedy films. Abby is the daughter of Chris Elliott who is also an actor/comedian.
Abby's comedic genes go further by another generation too! Her gramps, Bon Elliott, is actually a comedy legend you should might not know about.
Bob Elliot
One half of the legendary comedic duo, Bob and Ray, Bob Elliot was the source of gags, jokes, and uncontrollable laugher during his prime years. While touring the US with his partner, Bob made the occasional television appearances her and there.
Later in his life, Bob would play a handful of roles in his son, Chris Elliot's projects. They were the Touchstone film, Cabin Boy and sitcom Get A Life.
Desiree Anzalone
Ball's late-great-granddaughter, Desiree Anzalone, was the spitting image of her famous forebearer. She had Lucy's luscious lips and stunning eyes. Anzalone also shared in Lucy's creative nature, being an artist herself.
Sadly, on September 27th, 2020, Desiree Anzalone succumbed to her battle with a terminal illness. She was 31-years-old. Her mother, Lucille Ball's granddaughter, said that Desiree went peacefully in the night in her sleep.
Lucille Ball
Lucille Ball was one of the queens of Hollywood's Golden Age. After dazzling theater audiences in various films, Ball was immortalized by her television work. She was the title character in the timeless and much loved "I Love Lucy," and its succeeding spin-offs.
Throughout her career, Lucille Ball was a regular in award shows. Her body of work has been nominated for fourteen Primetime Emmy Awards, winning four. She also earned seven Golden Globe Award nods along with it. For this entry, it's Ball's great-grandchild who seems to have taken after her famous nana.
Oona Chaplin
Oona Castilla Chaplin is a Spanish-British actress. She plays Talisa Maegyr in the HBO TV series Game of Thrones, Kitty Trevelyan in the BBC drama The Crimson Field, and Zilpha Geary in the series Taboo. She's a three-time Golden Globe-nominated actress.
A member of Chaplin, her mother is Geraldine Chaplin and the granddaughter of the English filmmaker and actor Charlie Chaplin, as well as the great-granddaughter of the American playwright Eugene O'Neill.
Charlie Chaplin
The name says it all, no? Yes, Oona Chaplin is Charlie Chaplin's granddaughter. He's been hailed as a film genius, and one of the most influential filmmakers ever. His image and characters have long been immortalized.
Though some would say that Charlie struggled later on in his career, he was still able to assemble a list of films that are still being studied and analyzed decades since their release. We're glad to see that the Chaplin name is back in Hollywood.
Anjelica Huston
She is an American actress, director, producer, author, and former fashion model. After her big-screen debut in her father's A Walk with Love and Death (1969), she worked as a model in New York City by the 1970s. In the late 1980s, after actively pursuing acting, she had her breakthrough with her performance in Prizzi's Honor (1985).
In 1948, her father, director-screenwriter John Huston, and grandfather, actor-singer Walter Huston, won an Oscars "The Treasure of the Sierra Madre," making them the first father-son duo to win Academy Awards during the same year. Anjelica became the third generation of her family to receive an Academy Award following by numerous awards.
I Got It From My Grandma!
OUR mentioned celebrities above do not only inherit their family names and fame but also their talent that speaks throughout their career up to this day. Their career may pass through their granddaughter and who knows---will make a huge impact in the industry that they are in.
Do you have anyone else in mind? For sure there are many more celebrities who got it from their grandparents! Which grandparent and grandchild duo is your favorite?