Some celebrities who happen to be family members are pretty obvious: the Olsen twins, Venus and Serena Williams, the Hanson brothers (yes, remember Hanson?).
But there are other famous folks with equally famous relatives you may not even believe are related. Keep reading to find out some surprising combinations of celebs who happen to be kin.
Halle Berry And Sarah Palin
OK, we may have already lost you but stick with us. In a 2012 interview with “Extra,” the Academy Award-winning actress said that, somehow, she and the politician are related.
“You want to know who I’m related to? Sarah Palin!” Berry told “Extra.” “In some twisted way. Somebody sent me this information that she was my distant [relative].”
We are mildly skeptical that this is entirely accurate, given Berry’s proof of relation is “somebody sent me this information,” although if you look closely you can kind of see a resemblance, can’t you? Even with the connection, Berry tweeted that Palin “ain’t invited to the cookout.”
Zooey Deschanel And Emily Deschanel
Zooey Deschanel and her older sister, Emily, have both found separate fame in acting and you might not have even realized they are sisters. Each sister has starred in separate hit TV shows: Zooey in “New Girl,” and Emily in “Bones.”
The Deschanel sisters grew up in L.A., and both of their parents worked in show business. In addition to acting, Zooey is a singer and was the co-founder of the media site HelloGiggles. Emily is married to David Hornsby from “It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia” and they have two kids. Zooey, meanwhile, is dating Jonathan Scott of HGTV’s “Property Brothers.”
Kate Middleton And Elle & Dakota Fanning
In 2014, genealogy site Ancestry.com revealed that the Duchess of Cambridge and the Fanning sisters are distant relatives of King Edward I who reigned in the 13th century. Who knew Dakota, the little girl the world fell in love with in “I Am Sam” and “Charlotte’s Web” and Elle, who has also made her name as a serious actor, had ties to modern-day royalty?
Fun fact: Elle actually played the younger version of Dakota’s character, Lucy, in “I Am Sam.” Dakota was just 7 during filming, and Elle was 3.
Kate Hudson And Goldie Hawn
OK, fine, you probably already knew this dynamic mother-daughter duo were related but it’s still kind of mind-blowing to us.
Kate and her older brother, Oliver, consider their mom’s longtime life partner, Kurt Russell to be their father. Their biological father, Bill Hudson, wasn’t active in their lives after he and Hawn split up (Kate was just 18 months old when they divorced).
Diana Ross And Evan Ross
Actor and singer Evan Ross is the son of the iconic Diana Ross. He’s been open about how he and his mom share a close bond (so close she evidently was there when Ashlee Simpson gave birth to her granddaughter!). How cute!
Melissa McCarthy And Jenny McCarthy
Jenny McCarthy got her start as an actress and reportedly helped Melissa McCarthy, who happens to be her cousin, break into the industry. We’re all thankful she did!
Francis Ford Coppola And Nicolas Cage
Nicolas Cage may have made a name for himself without the help of his family, but he has some very important ties. He’s the nephew of Francis Ford Coppola, who directed a little film you may have heard of called “The Godfather.” That also makes Cage a relative of Coppola’s daughter, acclaimed filmmaker Sofia Coppola.
Melanie Griffith, Don Johnson and Dakota Johnson
Dakota Johnson became well-known for her role in the “Fifty Shades of Grey” movies, but she comes from a famous family, too. Her mom is Melanie Griffith, and her dad is Don Johnson.
Alec Baldwin And Hailey Baldwin
Model Hailey Baldwin, who also happens to be the wife of Justin Bieber, is actually the niece of Alec Baldwin. Her dad, Stephen Baldwin, is no stranger to the big screen either, of course. That makes Bieber a member of the ever-expanding Baldwin family!
Rashida Jones And Quincy Jones
OK, chances are you already knew this one, too, but it’s worth pointing out. The “Parks and Recreation” star is the daughter of music legend Quincy Jones and actress Peggy Lipton.
Elizabeth Olsen And Mary-Kate & Ashley Olsen
Twins Mary-Kate and Ashely Olsen got their acting debut as children and found a home on the iconic sitcom “Full House,” but their little sister, Elizabeth Olsen has gone on to arguably eclipse her famous sibs. The younger Olsen is best known as Scarlet Witch in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Miley Cyrus And Noah Cyrus
You definitely know Miley is the daughter of Mr. Achy Breaky Heart, Billy Ray Cyrus. But did you know about her little sister, Noah? A singer and voice actress, the younger Cyrus sister was named one of Time magazine’s 30 most influential teens of 2017 and earned a Grammy nomination in 2019.
Zoe Kravitz And Lisa Bonet
It’s not hard at all to tell that Zoe Kravitz and Lisa Bonet are related. They look so much alike that they look like sisters, but they’re actually mother and daughter. Bonet and Lenny Kravitz are Zoe’s parents, which you also may not have realized — but when you see them all together, it’s clear that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree.
Magic Johnson and E.J. Johnson
The NBA basketball legend is the father to E.J. Johnson, who became popular after appearing on “Rich Kids of Beverly Hills.” The younger Johnson has also worked as a voice actor in “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.”
Snoop Dogg, Brandy and Sasha Banks
Singer Brandy happens to have ties to one of the most well-known rappers. None other than Snoop Dogg is her first cousin. Snoop is also cousins with WWE wrestler Sasha Banks, making that a pretty talented family tree!
Alexander Skarsgard, Stellan Skarsgard and Bill Skarsgard
Stellan Skarsgard is thefather to eight children, four of whom are actors. So, if you hear the Skarsgard last name, you can bet that they’re probably part of his lineage.
You may know his son, Alexander, from the HBO series “True Blood” or “Big Little Lies,” and Bill famously played the role of the creepy clown, Pennywise, in 2017’s “It” and its sequel.
Lily Allen And Alfie Allen
Well-known British singer Lily Allen is actually the sister of “Game of Thrones” actor Alfie Allen. (In case you don’t recognize him in this photo, Alfie played Theon Greyjoy, aka “Reek,” on the HBO show.
Tom Cruise And William Mapother
Tom Cruise isn’t the only famous one in the Mapother family (Cruise’s given last name)! His first cousin, William Mapother, is also in the industry. He’s probably most well-known for his role as Ethan in “Lost.”
Martin Sheen And Emilio Estevez
It’s pretty well known that Martin Sheen is the father to Charlie Sheen, but don’t forget that he’s also the dad to “Breakfast Club” and “Mighty Ducks” star Emilio Estevez. The latter member of the family is the only one of the trio that uses the clan’s actual last name!
Blake Lively And Robyn Lively
Actresses Blake Lively and Robyn Lively, who starred in “Gossip Girl” and “Teen Witch,” respectively, are half-sisters who share the same mother.
Katherine Waterson And Sam Waterson
You may recognize Katherine Waterson from “Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them,” but did you know she’s the daughter of Sam Waterson? Perhaps best-known for his lead role in “Law & Order,” he recently resumed his longtime role on that iconic show in NBC’s reboot.
Elle King and Rob Schneider
Singer Elle King has opened up about changing her name so that she could pursue her career and make a name for herself without help from her famous dad, Rob Schneider.
“It’s not that I wanted to be a famous person. I wanted to be a performer,” the “Ex’s and Oh’s” singer told ABC News. “But I worked really hard and I did everything myself and I took a name that … is my mother’s name … I took that name because I wanted to be myself.”
The Grammy nominee has said it was important that people separate her from her famous dad’s accomplishments.
Julia Roberts And Emma Roberts
You may have figured it out just by looking at them, but Julia Roberts is Emma Roberts’ aunt — and you can definitely see the resemblance. Emma is the daughter of Julia’s actor brother, Eric Roberts.
Cindy Crawford And Kaia Gerber
This mom-and-daughter duo are practically twins. Kaia Gerber is following in her mom’s footsteps and becoming a well-known fashion model. With genes like that, how could you not pursue a life in front of the camera?
Bryce Dallas Howard And Ron Howard
The “Jurassic World” star is the daughter of the famous filmmaker and one-time “Happy Days” star, Ron Howard, in case their red hair didn’t give it away!
Zoey Deutch And Lea Thompson
Zoey Deutch landed roles young in projects like “Flower” and “Before I Fall.” Her success could have something to do with the fact that she learned from her mom, actress Lea Thompson. Her dad, Howard Deutch, has had his own successful career as a director.
Liev Schreiber and Pablo Schreiber
Pablo Schreiber, from “Orange Is The New Black” and “The Wire,” is actually actor Liev Schreiber’s half-brother. They share the same father.
Steven Spielberg And Jessica Capshaw
Jessica Capshaw is the step-daughter to the famous director Steven Spielberg, who married her mother, Kate Capshaw. Jessica is probably best known for her long run on “Grey’s Anatomy” as the flowery Dr. Arizona Robbins.
Emily Blunt And Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci and Emily Blunt, who actually appeared together in “The Devil Wears Prada,” are in-laws. Blunt’s sister, Felicity, is married to Tucci. This also means that Tucci and Blunt’s husband, “The Office” star John Krasinski, are brother-in-laws.
Lenny Kravitz And Al Roker
Beloved “Today” weatherman Al Roker and rocker Lenny Kravitz are distant cousins. Roker explained on a 2011 episode of “Today” that their grandfathers were cousins. Kravitz could have some phenomenal family reunions if he wanted to!
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
