While it’s common knowledge that stars like Nicky and Paris Hilton are sisters, Julia Roberts is Emma Roberts’ aunt, and the Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, have a famous younger sibling named Elizabeth, many other Hollywood stars share family ties that went unnoticed—until now.
Sometimes, spotting these connections is easy when family members share the same last name. But that’s not always the case. Nicolas Cage, for instance, famously changed his surname. He is actually the nephew of legendary director Francis Ford Coppola on his father’s side. To avoid accusations of nepotism when starting his career, he adopted the stage name “Cage.”
Dakota Johnson’s family history is another layered saga. She’s the daughter of Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith, but also a third-generation celebrity. Her maternal grandmother, Tippi Hedren, was Alfred Hitchcock’s muse. Allegedly, Hitchcock’s refusal to accept Hedren’s rejection of his advances damaged her career. Dakota has spoken about how knowing her grandmother’s experiences helped her maintain integrity and navigate Hollywood’s challenges.
Riley Keough, daughter of Lisa Marie Presley and Danny Keough, is the eldest grandchild of Elvis Presley. Despite her famous musical lineage, Riley opted to build her own path, first as a model and now as an actress.
Beanie Feldstein’s path into showbiz seems natural given her family background. Her mother is a costume designer, her father a tour accountant for Guns N’ Roses, and her late brother managed Maroon 5. Plus, she is the younger sister of Oscar-nominated actor Jonah Hill. Hill’s real name is Jonah Hill Feldstein, but he dropped the last name professionally. The siblings share a close bond—Jonah even tattooed Beanie’s name on his arm.
Elle King, known for the hit “Ex’s and Oh’s,” is the daughter of actor and comedian Rob Schneider. Although she appeared in one of Schneider’s movies, she pursued music instead of acting and initially used her mother’s surname “King” due to a strained relationship with her father. They have since reconciled and frequently share affectionate moments on social media.
Other surprising celebrity connections include Yara Shahidi, who was a flower girl at the wedding of her second cousin, rapper Nas. Tom Hanks is reportedly a third cousin, four times removed, of former president Abraham Lincoln, sharing a family name through Abe’s mother’s maiden name, Hanks.
Finally, Elle and Dakota Fanning not only share famous Hollywood roots but are also distant cousins of Britain’s Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton. Genealogical research traced all their ancestries back to King Edward III, making the Fanning sisters and the Duchess 21st cousins.
As the saying goes, it truly is a small world. For every famous sibling or parent we know, there are countless hidden relationships among stars, leaving us wondering if there might be celebrities in our own family trees.
