The Parents Of These Celebrities Are Even More Accomplished Than Their Kids

With nearly 180 acting credits in the bank, Jack Black has enjoyed a fantastic Hollywood career. But it couldn’t have been further away from his mom’s old profession. Judith Love Cohen plied her trade as an aerospace engineer. And incredibly, she untangled the issue that ultimately saved the Apollo 13 crew just hours before Black was born.

Katharine Hepburn was a true Hollywood giant. And her mom was an iconic figure as well — but for very different reasons. Katharine Martha Houghton Hepburn became a suffragette in Connecticut during the early 1900s, before creating the Birth Control League of America alongside Margaret Sanger. It has the name Planned Parenthood today. 

While Zoë Kravitz is certainly carving a solid career for herself in Hollywood, you can’t help but be awed by her folks. Her mom is Lisa Bonet — an actress who’s appeared in films such as Angel Heart, High Fidelity, and Enemy of the State. As for her dad, Lenny Kravitz is a famous musician, boasting four Grammy Awards. Oh, and Jason Momoa was Zoë’s stepfather until his split from Bonet in 2022.

When Hugh Laurie took on the title role in House M.D., his dad might have been at the forefront of his mind, since he was a doctor in real life. Yet Ran Laurie’s most notable achievements came outside the world of medicine. He was also a highly accomplished rower, picking up various trophies in 1930. Then, he won a gold medal at the 1948 Olympics in London, England. 

With eight Oscar nominations to her name, Glenn Close is one of Hollywood’s most consistent actresses: she’s an awesome performer. And when it came to the field of medicine, the same could be said for her dad, too. Dr. William Taliaferro Close was responsible for running the operation which halted the spread of Ebola in Central Africa in the mid-1970s. Thanks to him, countless lives were saved.

From Girls to Get Out, Allison Williams has some pretty notable credits to her name. She doesn’t come from an acting family, though. In fact, her dad is best known for his work as a news anchor. Yep, Brian Williams was one of the faces of NBC for nearly 30 years, before leaving the network in December 2021. 

You won’t find many more reliable actresses in the industry than Rebecca Hall. Whether it’s a low-budget drama or a huge Hollywood blockbuster, she always gives her all. And that discipline may well have come from her father. You see, Peter Hall was a stage director and the world-famous Royal Shakespeare Company — founded back in 1961 — was his brainchild. 

For the first few years of her life, actress Liv Tyler had no idea that Todd Rundgren wasn’t her biological dad. Eventually, she discovered that she was Steven Tyler’s daughter. An undisputed legend in the music industry, he’s been Aerosmith’s lead singer for over five decades now. Today, he and Liv share a very close relationship, despite the belated start.

Tracee Ellis Ross has featured in a number of TV shows across the years, ranging from Girlfriends to Black-ish. But it’d probably be fair to say that she has a way to go before she can match her mother’s achievements. Yep, Tracee is Diana Ross’ daughter — a legendary figure in the world of music. And the singer’s still going strong today, earning her first Grammy nod in four decades in November 2022.

To say that Tony Goldwyn’s family created a Hollywood legacy would not be an overstatement. We’ll start with the actor’s dad. Samuel Goldwyn Jr. was a major producer, starting his career back in the late 1940s. Meanwhile, Tony’s grandpa, Samuel Sr., created a production company that was eventually enveloped into another. Its name? Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer. You might know it better as MGM Studios!

Superhero fans are sure to recognize Katie Cassidy, who enjoyed a lengthy stint on the TV show Arrow. But others might know her better as David Cassidy’s daughter. The famed actor and musician — who passed away in 2017 — admitted that he didn’t share the tightest of bonds with Katie, having left her mother when she was younger. Mind you, David revealed that he still had a lot of pride in what she’s achieved.

Is there a more famous brother-sister duo in Hollywood at the moment than Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal? Anyway, the pair come from a pretty interesting family. Stephen Gyllenhaal, their dad, is a television director, while their mom, Naomi Foner, is a scriptwriter and producer. She also bagged an Oscar nomination for her work on Running on Empty in 1989.

Lucas Hedges is one of Hollywood’s most exciting prospects — he’s definitely an actor to watch out for in the next few years. He’s never been a stranger to the industry, either. You see, Lucas’ father is Peter Hedges, who made his breakthrough as a screenwriter in the 1990s, penning the likes of What’s Eating Gilbert Grape and About a Boy. Peter earned an Oscar nod for the latter.

Sisters Emily and Zooey Deschanel have both been in the entertainment industry for years now. And maybe that’s because it’s in their blood. You see, their father is an accomplished cinematographer with over 40 credits to his name. Caleb Deschanel has worked on movies such as National Treasure, The Patriot, Jack Reacher, and The Lion King. He also has six Oscar nominations on his resumé!

Even though a lot of people still associate Kristen Stewart with Twilight, she’s done some of her best work since the franchise wrapped up in 2012. We wonder how much her folks helped her on that journey; after all, they’re both in the industry. John Stewart is a television stage manager, while Jules Stewart is a film script supervisor. She’s worked on stuff such as Noah and xXx.

Elle King marked her arrival in the music industry in 2015 with her first record Love Stuff. Since then, her career has gone from strength to strength. But do you know who her dad is? It’s the one and only Rob Schneider! He’s been a mainstay in the world of entertainment for over 30 years, popping up in numerous Hollywood comedies.

After making her acting debut in 2006’s Dealing, Lena Dunham went on to create the TV hit Girls around six years later. If you know her mom, though, that creative streak shouldn’t come as a surprise. It seems to run in the family! Yep, Laurie Simmons is both an artist and photographer who’s assembled some incredible exhibitions across the globe.

Ben Platt’s first major project came in 2012 when he featured in the Hollywood hit Pitch Perfect. Then, some nine years later, the actor was handed the lead role in 2021’s Dear Evan Hansen. In total, he’s got 29 credits — a fair way away from his dad’s number! Yes, Marc Platt is a prolific producer, working on movies such as Drive, La La Land, and Bridge of Spies. He has over 70 works to his name.

Billie Lourd made her big-screen debut back in 2015, appearing in Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens. She joined her mom in the movie — Princess Leia herself, Carrie Fisher. And it doesn’t stop there. Lourd’s grandma was a legendary actress, too, as well as a musician. Of course, we’re referring to Debbie Reynolds.

With his daughter Zoë leaving her mark in Hollywood, three generations of Lenny Kravitz’s family have worked in the entertainment industry. You see, his mom was Roxie Roker, an actress famous for her stint on the TV show The Jeffersons. Her character Helen Willis formed half of the small screen’s first-ever interracial couple, in what was a hugely significant moment.

From The O.C. to Hart of Dixie, Rachel Bilson has enjoyed a lot of success on the small screen during her career. And she’s not the first person from her family to make it in the entertainment world. Rachel’s father is Danny Bilson, a director with some notable writing credits to his name. He recently penned the 2020 movie Da 5 Bloods. And her grandpa, Bruce Bilson, is a TV director, too!

After making her acting debut in 1994 Zosia Mamet has gone on to rack up more than 50 credits across the years. Mad Men and Girls are among her most eye-catching projects. But it could be argued that Zosia’s father is probably the better known of the two. Yep, David Mamet is a very famous stage and movie writer, picking up two Oscar nominations during his career.

There’s no doubt Chris Pine is a Hollywood A-lister. Did you know that he came from an acting family, though? His folks Robert Pine and Gwynne Gilford both have experience in the industry. Robert’s still working today, with his most notable role coming in the TV classic CHiPS. As for Gwynne, she was an actress until 1987 when she decided to move into psychotherapy: quite the career switch!

While he might not be the most prolific actor in Hollywood, Max Minghella has featured in some excellent movies and television shows down the years. But how does he measure up to his dad? Well, Max has a way to go before he can match Anthony Minghella’s achievements. The writer and director won an Oscar for The English Patient in 1997 and earned three more nods prior to his passing in 2008.

Katherine Waterston reached the Hollywood mainstream thanks to her performance in 2014’s Inherent Vice. Since then, she’s popped up in a few big movies. Her dad Sam Waterston must be immensely proud, given that he too is in the acting circle. You’re sure to recognize him from Law & Order, where Sam plays John James ‘Jack’ McCoy. He’s featured in over 380 episodes.

With nine wins from 18 Grammy nominations, Norah Jones boasts a record of which many other music artists can only dream! But her talent shouldn’t come as a shock. After all, she’s the daughter of the legendary Indian composer Ravi Shankar. Mind you, the pair weren’t exactly close until Jones turned 18. At that point, they finally came together and formed a solid bond.

Mariska Hargitay may be a successful actress, but her past is tragic. She’s the daughter of the famous Jayne Mansfield, who made her name on the nightclub circuit, as well as acting. Unfortunately, Mansfield died in a car wreck in 1967 at the age of 34, while Hargitay escaped the wreck unscathed. Both that and her mom’s lofty status has weighed heavily on her throughout the years.

Ultimately, Rashida Jones decided to follow in her mom’s footsteps to become an actress, making her debut back in 1997. She’s the daughter of Peggy Lipton, whose most famous credit has to be the iconic TV show Twin Peaks. Sadly, Lipton passed away in 2019. As for Rashida’s dad, Quincy Jones is a very well-known producer in the music industry.

Lily Collins had a pretty big obstacle to overcome when she started her acting career. Could she stand on her own, or would she forever just be known as Phil Collins’ daughter? Thankfully for Lily, she’s managed to step out of the music legend’s shadow and enjoy a lot of success. It’ll be a while before she can match Phil’s vast array of awards, though!

Long before Jessica Capshaw became an actress, her life took a very interesting turn as a kid. Her mom, Kate Capshaw, starred in the 1984 classic Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. And while making it, she fell in love with the director. Yes, Kate was smitten with Steven Spielberg, eventually marrying him and giving Jessica an extremely famous stepdad in the process.