If you've ever asked yourself, "Why aren't I famous?" this is the place to find out. This site highlights the relationship between success and family and how coming from the right one almost always guarantees success (or at least Celebrity).
I'LL TAKE THAT BET!
Keira Knightly's ("Pirates of the Caribbean") Father is British Character actor Will Knightley . Her mother is screenwriter Sharman Macdonald. Say's Mom about Keira, "I was desperate for a second child. Desperate never to act again. We were broke, Will and me. We had one child. My hormones were screaming at me to have another. So. Will bet me a child for the sale of a script."
The script was "When I was a Girl I Used to Scream and Shout," and thus Keira was born.
Will Ferrell
Will's father, Lee, was a longtime keyboardist and saxophonist for the Righteous Brothers, (singers of "You've lost That Loving Feeling" & "Unchained Melody")
PAT BOONE
The singer of homogenized versions of rock and roll and wearer of "white bucks" Is a direct descendent of Pioneer Daniel Boone. His Father-in-law is country singer Red Foley.
That is so money!
Tom Hanks, well-known actor and Academy Award winner, is a third cousin four times removed to Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States.
Talk About "Legally Blond!"
Reese Witherspoon
One of her ancestors, John Witherspoon, signed the Declaration of Independence.
William Holden star of such films "Our Town", "Sunset Boulevard" and "Stalag 17" (for which he won an Academy Award.) is a third cousin, nine times removed from George Washington.
Source: genealogy.com
IT'S A START!
Amedeo Nicholas Turturro
Son of John Turturro, Amedeo got his first break playing "Young Richie Tenenbaum" in Wes Anderson's "The Royal Tenebaums."
Jason Patric
"How Sweet It Is!"
Grandson of Jackie Gleason. Patric's father is Jason Miller, an actor and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright.
IS SHE HIGH!
Winona Ryder's godfather is Timothy Leary. Her father (Michael Horowitz) and mother (Cynthia Palmer) edited Aldous Huxley's essay collection, Moksha: Writings on Psychedelics and the Visionary Experience, (1931-1963).
HELLO GODFATHER it's "Gwynnie"
She's the daughter of a once-fairly-famous actress Blythe Danner and a once-fairly-famous father Bruce Paltrow whose family friends include people like her godfather Steven Spielberg, who calls her "Gwynnie"
Macauly Culkin's aunt Bonnie Bedelia has starred in more than 60 TV shows and Movies finding fame as Bruce Willis' gutsy wife in "Die Hard".
Get The Hell Off My Desk!
Drew Barrymore's great Aunt was Ethel Barrymore, a flamboyant stage actress who died before Drew was born. She is considered Hollywood royalty.
Moby (Richard Melville Hall), is the great-great-grand-nephew of Herman Melville, Auther of the classic "Moby Dick". Nicknamed 'Moby' since infancy,
Isabella's Rosselini's parents, Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini, split when she and her identical twin, Isotta Ingrid (now professor of Italian literature at Columbia University), were four.
George Clooney started work at age 5, on his father's talk show, The Nick Clooney Show. His aunt is Rosemary Clooney a much loved Jazz singer. His Uncle is Oscar winner Jose Ferrer, (he won for his performance as "Cyrano de Bergerac). George's two cousins Miguel and Rafael, sons of Jose and Rosemary Clooney are in showbiz as well. They are not as famous as George, (perhaps because no one in Hollywood remembers Jose Ferrer- George got the last name everyone remembers)
Pull It All The Way Up.
Ben Stiller must be hiding from his parents: comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara. (Or maybe he's hiding from the critics)
Actress Joanna Gleason (Hannah & Her Sisters/The Wedding Planner) is the daughter of Game Show host Monty Hall. (I'll give you 3 dollars for those glasses)
So many powerful Women! No wonder she's on "Lifetime."
Joely Fisher, star of "WIld Card" is the daughter of singer/actress Connie Stevens and crooner Eddie Fisher and step-sister of actress Carrie Fisher. Carries' mum is Debbie Reynolds.
"Juicy Couple"
Gela Taylor is the founder of "Juicy Couture" clothing and the wife of John Taylor. (From 80's pretty-boy band "Duran Duran.") He started wearing her clothes on stage and suddenly she had her own hi-fashion clothing line.
MATT DILLON
Dillon's grandmother, Bea Dillon, is the sister of two famous artists: Alex Raymond and Jim Raymond. Alex Raymond was the creator of the cartoon strip, Flash Gordon; and also Jungle Jim, and Rip Kirby. Jim Raymond drew Blondie for Chic Young for about 40 years.
The Next Britney!?
BLUE-eyed beauty Brooke Hogan is the daughter of wrestling legend Hulk Hogan - She's has been called "the next Britney Spears." The 16-year-old singer/pianist has a VH1 special airing this summer, and boy band booster Lou Pearlman 's Trans-Continental/I-4 Records is releasing her debut album in the fall.
Monet Mazur
The model/actress/whatever star of "Torque,"and "Just Married," Is the daughter of contemporary artist/designer Ruby Mazur. Ruby Mazur is best known as the illustrator who designed the Rolling Stone's Gaping Mouth Logo. (I bet you thought Andy Warhol designed it) Ruby's work has been on over 3000 album covers.
SERENA ALTSCHUL
Actress? and MTV reporter is the daughter of Arthur G. Altschul, who wrote for the New York Times before becoming a millionaire as an investment banker. Her mother, Siri von Reis, is a Harvard-educated scholar and poet.
The Family That Works Together, Stays Together...
Maggie ("Secretary") & Jake ("Donnie Darko") Gyllenhaal are the offspring of Director Stephen Gyllenhaal and Writer/Producer Naomi Foner. Their dad Directed "Felicity", "Everwood" and "The Sheild" among others. Mom wrote and produced "Losing Isaiah" which Dad directed. When Dad directed episodes of "Homicide" Jake would get roles in the show.
Who Loves Ya Baby!
Jennifer Aniston's Godfather is Telly Savalas. Yes that Telly Savalas. The lollipop sucking star of "Kojak". Her Father is John Aniston, an actor who appeared in the soap opera "Days of Our Lives."
Ex-Power Couple Spike Jones & Soffia Coppola
Film & Music Video Director Spike Jones (Real Name, Adam Spiegel) is the Heir to the Spiegel mail-order catalog fortune.
Sofia, (daughter of Francis Ford Coppola) is Heir to the Coppola mediocre table wine fortune.
Nelson the Doppel-Rockers
Twins Matthew & Gunnar Nelson are the sons of 50's soft-rocker Ricky Nelson. Ricky Nelson spun a role on the wildly successful family show, "Ozzie & Harriet" into a recording career. He perhaps best remembered for his 1971 hit "Garden Party" Nelson had a bunch of MTV hits in the early 1990's with "After The Rain" & "Love & Affection." According to their website they are: "Double-Platinum Champions of an American Entertainment Dynasty. Their songs transcend time." (well at least for one year they did)
Paris Hilton, Star of "A Simple Life" and internet porn.
What can one say. No explanation necessary
ANOTHER SIMPLE GIRL
Nicole Richie is the daughter of legendary pop icon Lionel Richie and has also benefited from a life of privilege. Shes been best friends with socialite Paris Hilton since the age of two and they stay out "All Night Long."
Lucinda Williams is the daughter of Miller Williams, Inaugural Poet for President Clinton's second inauguration. He "edits" her song Lyrics. Important changes like "blue dress" to "red dress." (from the New Yorker)
The Strokes lead singer Julian Casablancas is the offspring of model agency mogul John Casablancas.The family connections helped make the band's three-song EP, The Modern Age, a regular soundtrack for the Milan catwalks, and the much-hyped bidding war over the band resulted in a deal with RCA Records.
Whitney's Mom, Cissy, sang backup for Elvis, While her cousin Dionne Warwick found fame singing "Walk On By."
Part of the Coppola Dynasty.
Nicolas Cage worked for his uncle Francis Ford Coppola, reading lines at auditions, which led to a role in his first film "Rumble Fish". Nic's father is Francis' brother.
Pop singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright is the child of famed folk singer Loudon Wainwright III ("Dead Skunk In The Middle Of The Road") and Canadian pianist Katie McGarrigle. His parents divorced when he was a child, and Rufus was raised by his mother in Montreal, accompanying her whenever she toured with her band.
"Lovin' You is easy 'cause you're beautiful..."
Maya Rudolph. The SNL comedian is the daughter of beloved
soul singer Minnie Riperton.
Rebecca De Mornay is the daughter of Wally George, The conservative host of "Hot Seat" who paraded freaks, strippers and racists on his Orange County talk show for 20 years.
Mariska Hargitay actress on "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" (not to mention winning the prestigious "Miss Beverly Hills Pagent" in 1982) is the daughter of Jayne Mansfield. She was asleep in the back seat of a car when it smashed into the back of a truck instantly killing her mother.
Hey Hey We're the White Outs!
Michael Nesmith's (The Monkees) mother is the woman who invented "White Out". (Fifteen years ago, the company was sold for $40 million.) Needless to say there were a few mistakes in his career that couldn't be corrected.
THE DREYFUS FUND
Julia Louis-Dreyfus is daughter of Gerard Louis-Dreyfus, the French billionaire. Julia's grandfather, Pierre Louis-Dreyfus, was a member of the French Reisistance during WWII, and flew 88 missions for Charles de Gaulle's Free French Air Force.
MANY BRIDGES TO CROSS
Jordan Bridges, who can be seen currently in "Mona Lisa Smile" is the son of Beau, The nephew of Jeff, and the grandson of LLoyd.
MOBILE COUNTRY (AKA PHILADELPHIA)
Alexander Calder (the father of modern Mobile Art) is the grandson of Alexander Caldwell the First. Alexander I modeled the William Penn statue that stands atop the dome of the Philadelphia City Hall, it was the largest statue ever cast in bronze in the United States. He is also the son of Alexander Stirling Calder who's nine-foot, cast-stone statues once graced the facade of the Witherspoon Building.
MORE ART
Beck is the grandson of Fluxus artist Al Hanson (right). Fluxus is the art movement that promotes artistic experimentation mixed with social and political activism. His Mother is actress Bibbe Hansen.