Actresses You Didn’t Realize Have Famous Parents
Hollywood is full of family trees with deep roots, and some of the most recognizable actresses today are connected to icons from film, TV, and music. These connections often explain early set visits, first roles, and why certain last names sound so familiar—though many changed or shortened them on the way up.
Below are 25 actresses with famous parents (and, in a few cases, famous grandparents). Each entry sticks to verifiable facts—who their parents are, where they got started, and a few notable credits—so you can trace the lineage and see how show business runs in the family.
Maya Hawke
Maya Hawke is the daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman; she made her TV debut as Jo March in the BBC’s ‘Little Women’ and broke out as Robin Buckley on ‘Stranger Things’.
Born in New York City, Hawke briefly attended Juilliard and has balanced acting with music, appearing in films including ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’ and releasing albums while collaborating with both parents.
Zoë Kravitz
Zoë Kravitz’s parents are Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz; she’s appeared in ‘Big Little Lies’ and portrayed Selina Kyle in ‘The Batman’.
Raised between Los Angeles, Miami, and later New York with her father, Kravitz has also fronted the band Lolawolf and works as a producer and director.
Dakota Johnson
Dakota Johnson is the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith and the granddaughter of Tippi Hedren; her first role was in ‘Crazy in Alabama’, and she later led the ‘Fifty Shades’ films.
She took smaller parts like ‘The Social Network’ before headlining studio and indie projects, continuing a multigenerational acting lineage.
Mamie Gummer
Mamie Gummer is the daughter of Meryl Streep and Don Gummer; she starred in the title role of ‘Emily Owens, M.D.’ and recurred on ‘The Good Wife’ and ‘The Good Fight’.
Her work spans stage and screen, including ‘Ricki and the Flash’ and a Drama Desk–nominated turn in ‘Ugly Lies the Bone’.
Margaret Qualley
Margaret Qualley is the daughter of Andie MacDowell and former model Paul Qualley; after training as a dancer, she gained notice in ‘The Leftovers’ and starred in ‘Maid’.
Qualley’s film work ranges from ‘The Nice Guys’ to collaborations with Yorgos Lanthimos on ‘Poor Things’ and ‘Kinds of Kindness’.
Riley Keough
Riley Keough is Lisa Marie Presley’s daughter and Elvis and Priscilla Presley’s granddaughter; she transitioned from modeling to acting with ‘The Runaways’, ‘Magic Mike’, and ‘Mad Max: Fury Road’, later leading ‘Daisy Jones & The Six’.
In September 2025, People reported Keough and husband Ben Smith-Petersen quietly welcomed their second child earlier in the year; their first child, Tupelo, was born via surrogate.
Bryce Dallas Howard
Bryce Dallas Howard is the daughter of filmmaker Ron Howard and writer Cheryl Howard; as an actress she’s known for the ‘Jurassic World’ films and has directed episodes of ‘The Mandalorian’ and ‘The Book of Boba Fett’.
She has spoken publicly about her close relationship with godfather Henry Winkler, who worked with her father on ‘Happy Days’.
Lily Collins
Lily Collins is the daughter of musician Phil Collins and Jill Tavelman; she earned early attention with ‘The Blind Side’ and later led ‘Emily in Paris’.
Born in Surrey and raised in Los Angeles, Collins studied broadcast journalism and has authored a memoir while continuing film and TV work.
Billie Lourd
Billie Lourd is the daughter of Carrie Fisher and talent executive Bryan Lourd and the granddaughter of Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher; she appears in ‘American Horror Story’ and played Lieutenant Connix in the ‘Star Wars’ sequel trilogy.
She studied at NYU and moved between comedy-horror on TV and roles connected to the ‘Star Wars’ franchise.
Eve Hewson
Eve Hewson’s parents are U2 frontman Bono (Paul Hewson) and activist Ali Hewson; she drew notice in ‘The Knick’ and has since starred in ‘Bad Sisters’ and ‘The Perfect Couple’.
Her film work includes ‘This Must Be the Place’ and ‘Bridge of Spies’, alongside a steady run of streaming series across genres.
Tracee Ellis Ross
Tracee Ellis Ross is the daughter of Diana Ross and music executive Robert Ellis Silberstein; she led ‘Girlfriends’ and starred in ‘Black-ish’.
A Brown University alum, she works as an actress, producer, and entrepreneur and earned major awards recognition for ‘Black-ish’.
Laura Dern
Laura Dern is the daughter of Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd; she came up in projects like ‘Blue Velvet’ and ‘Jurassic Park’ and later won an Oscar for ‘Marriage Story’.
She co-starred with Ladd in ‘Rambling Rose’, and they became the first mother–daughter duo nominated for acting Oscars for the same film.
Kate Hudson
Kate Hudson is the daughter of Goldie Hawn and Bill Hudson; she was raised by Hawn and Kurt Russell and earned early acclaim for ‘Almost Famous’.
Hudson has balanced film with music and business ventures while remaining close to her blended family that includes Oliver Hudson and Wyatt Russell.
Gwyneth Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow’s parents are actress Blythe Danner and director-producer Bruce Paltrow; she built a film career that spans ‘Shakespeare in Love’ and Marvel, and founded Goop.
Paltrow has spoken often about her parents’ influence, and recent interviews have reflected on working soon after her father’s death.
Emma Roberts
Emma Roberts is the daughter of actor Eric Roberts and the niece of Julia Roberts; she debuted in ‘Blow’ and led Nickelodeon’s ‘Unfabulous’ before later roles in ‘Scream Queens’ and ‘American Horror Story’.
She has expanded into producing while continuing film and TV work, including genre titles and romantic comedies.
Mariska Hargitay
Mariska Hargitay is the daughter of Jayne Mansfield and Mickey Hargitay, and in 2025 she revealed in the documentary ‘My Mom Jayne’ that performer Nelson Sardelli is her biological father; she has portrayed Olivia Benson on ‘Law & Order: Special Victims Unit’.
The disclosure was widely covered as the HBO film rolled out, and Hargitay discussed balancing loyalty to Mickey with acknowledging Sardelli.
Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston is the daughter of actors John Aniston and Nancy Dow; she rose to global fame with ‘Friends’ and currently leads ‘The Morning Show’.
Raised partly in New York, Aniston has spoken about her parents’ split and how it shaped her early life and career.
Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis is the daughter of Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh; she became a genre icon with ‘Halloween’ and won an Academy Award for ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’.
Curtis has acknowledged her family legacy in recent award speeches and interviews, while continuing film and television work and authoring children’s books.
Maude Apatow
Maude Apatow is the daughter of filmmaker Judd Apatow and actress Leslie Mann; she appears in HBO’s ‘Euphoria’ and earlier acted in family collaborations like ‘Knocked Up’ and ‘This Is 40’.
Her credits include films like ‘The King of Staten Island’ and the limited series ‘Hollywood’, alongside theater work and ongoing TV roles.
Lily-Rose Depp
Lily-Rose Depp is the daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis; she began with a small role in ‘Tusk’ and later starred in HBO’s ‘The Idol’.
She holds dual French–American citizenship and balances acting with major fashion work and music tied to ‘The Idol’ soundtrack.
Isabella Rossellini
Isabella Rossellini is the daughter of Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini; she built a transatlantic acting career and held a long-tenured role as a Lancôme spokesperson.
Her screen work includes ‘Blue Velvet’ and ongoing stage projects, while her children Elettra and Roberto have also pursued creative paths.
Sosie Bacon
Sosie Bacon is the daughter of Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick; she’s appeared in ‘Mare of Easttown’ and led the horror hit ‘Smile’.
Bacon studied at Brown University and has alternated between television and film roles since her debut as a child in ‘Loverboy’.
Grace Van Dien
Grace Van Dien is the daughter of Casper Van Dien and Carrie Mitchum and the great-granddaughter of Robert Mitchum; she’s appeared in ‘Greenhouse Academy’ and on ‘Stranger Things’.
Her credits include portraying Sharon Tate in ‘Charlie Says’, and she has balanced film, TV, and streaming work.
Zoey Deutch
Zoey Deutch is the daughter of Lea Thompson and director Howard Deutch; she started on TV with ‘The Suite Life on Deck’ and ‘Ringer’, then led films like ‘Set It Up’ and ‘Buffaloed’.
Raised in Los Angeles, Deutch studied theater at LACHSA and continues to act and produce across comedies and dramas.
Allison Williams
Allison Williams is the daughter of journalist Brian Williams and TV producer Jane Stoddard; she gained notice on HBO’s ‘Girls’ and starred in ‘Get Out’ and ‘M3GAN’.
Raised in Connecticut and a Yale graduate, Williams has discussed the advantages and responsibilities that came with her media-family background.
Share your own surprise connections in the comments—which ones did you not see coming?
