It's so cliché, but it really is a small world. So much so that over the years, we've discovered that there are actually a lot of well-known celebrities who are related to each other in some way or another. From distant cousins to in-laws, lots of celebrities have familial connections with other celebrities, and it's so interesting. While some we simply forgot about or failed to make the connection between, others completely shocked us because they seem so random. It just boggles our mind that some families have so many members with talent and star power.
It's a wonder more stars aren't open about who their famous relatives are, but we suppose that's usually an attempt to keep their private lives, well, private. Another observation to make is that there are a number of celebrities who are related but not by blood, which actually makes a lot of sense, since celebrities tend to socialize in small circles of other celebrities. Just think about how many marriages and remarriages happen among celebs! So yeah, there are lots of in-laws and stepchildren situations in Hollywood.
Whether they're famous business moguls, politicians, movie stars, or musicians, all of these celebrities are related to at least one other celebrity. Keep scrolling to see who we're talking about. Believe us, some of the family connections in this list will really surprise you!
Paris Jackson & Macaulay Culkin
OK, so obviously we know that Paris Jackson and Macaulay Culkin know each other, but we thought Macaulay and her father Michael Jackson's friendship had simmered down by the time Paris was born. Macaulay was 18 when she was born, and it turns out that Mac is actually her godfather. Not only that, but they're still close today.
Jonah Hill & Beanie Feldstein
Comedic talent runs in the family! A-lister Jonah Hill is actually actress Beanie Feldstein's big brother. Beanie rose to fame after appearing in the film Booksmart in 2019 and later played Monica Lewinsky in American Crime Story, but she's also acted in a number of other movies and TV series.
Tom Hanks & Abraham Lincoln
It might sound crazy, but it's totally true. Beloved actor Tom Hanks is actually a distant relation of the 16th president of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, on his mother's side. Tom's known ever since he was a child, and it turns out that Abe's mom's last name was even Hanks.
Jeff Bezos & George Strait
This one really took us by surprise. Amazon mogul Jeff Bezos and country music singer George Strait are actually distant cousins. Apparently, Jeff's mother is George's second cousin, but it's actually unclear whether the two celebrities have ever even met in real life. Neither has spoken publicly about the connection.
Denzel Washington & John David Washington
A lot of people might know this one by now, but we're sure that some don't. Earlier in John David Washington's career, he didn't let on much about who his father is, but now that he's established himself as a legitimate Hollywood powerhouse, both he and Denzel Washington talk about their relationship more openly. It's funny: If you listen closely, John David's voice sounds so much like Denzel's.
Cameron Diaz & Nicole Richie
Most of us know that Cameron Diaz is married to Benji Madden and that Nicole Richie is married to his twin, Joel Madden, but for some reason we never really thought of Cameron and Nicole as sisters-in-law. They are indeed, and they're even close, which is pretty cool. They've both stepped away from the spotlight in recent years to enjoy family life.
Nicolas Cage & Francis Ford Coppola
Actor Nicolas Cage comes from a famous family, but since he uses a stage name, you wouldn't know it (unless you already knew it). Nic's dad, August Coppola, is legendary director Francis Ford Coppola's brother — so that makes Francis Nic's uncle. But Nic evidently wanted to make a name for himself separate from his family's legacy.
Riley Keough & Elvis Presley
In other weird but totally true news, actress Riley Keough is the granddaughter of music legend Elvis Presley. Her mom is Lisa Marie Presley. Oddly, that also means that Michael Jackson was Riley's stepdad when he and Lisa Marie were married between 1994 and 1996. We never would have guessed.
Emily Blunt & Stanley Tucci
We bet holidays are a lot of fun in this family! We had no idea that Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci — who starred together in The Devil Wears Prada — are actually brother- and sister-in-law. Stanley has been married to Emily's sister Felicity since 2012. We wonder if Emily introduced them.
President Barack Obama & President George W. Bush
You guys, this is literally one of the funniest coincidences ever. It turns out that President Barack Obama and President George W. Bush are actually distant cousins. The folks at Ancestry.com did some digging, and it turns out they are 11th cousins on Barack's mom's side of the family. Interestingly, Barack is also loosely related to Dick Cheney, who was George's vice president when Barack ran against him.
Melissa McCarthy & Jenny McCarthy
Honestly, we had no idea. Lots of people have the same last name and "McCarthy" isn't exactly uncommon, so we never realized that Jenny McCarthy and Melissa McCarthy are related. They're close relations: It turns out they're first cousins. Jenny also reportedly got Melissa her first acting gig.
Tracee Ellis Ross, Ashlee Simpson, & Jessica Simpson
This one is so cool! Ashlee Simpson, who is Jessica Simpson's younger sister, is married to Evan Ross, who is A-lister Tracee Ellis Ross' younger brother and the son of music icon Diana Ross. That means that Ashlee is Tracee's sister-in-law and Diana's daughter-in-law, and Jessica is the sister-in-law of Tracee and Evan.
Florence Pugh & Tony Sebastian
The acting gene runs deep in Midsommar star Florence Pugh's family. Her older brother, Toby Sebastian, is the actor who played the Game of Thrones character Trystane Martell in seasons five and six. The two have actually made multiple red carpet appearances together.
Fantasia Barrino & K-Ci & Jojo
They literally have R&B in their blood. Former American Idol star Fantasia Barrino is first cousins with brothers K-Ci and Jojo, who were two parts of the very popular '90s-era singing group Jodeci. They all have phenomenal and unique voices and have actually performed together throughout the years.
Al Roker & Lenny Kravitz
Al Roker and Lenny Kravitz are second cousins. Who knew? Their grandfathers were first cousins, and with Al and Lenny being just 10 years apart in age, they practically grew up together. Lenny's mom is Roxie Roker, who played Helen Williams on the hit sitcom The Jeffersons in the late 1970s.
Amy Schumer & Chuck Schumer
Raunchy comedian Amy Schumer is cousins with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Chuck is first cousins with the Trainwreck star's dad, so that makes Chuck and Amy first cousins, once removed. It's a pretty close connection! Amy has even backed Chuck, who is a progressive Democrat, politically.
Snoop Dogg & Brandy
Iconic rapper Snoop Dogg and R&B singer Brandy are first cousins. This news came out decades ago, but most people don't remember because we don't see the two together very often. The musicians did collaborate on the song "Special" in 2009, though. (Pharrell was also on the track.)
Christian Bale & Gloria Steinem
A-list actor Christian Bale has a very unexpected familial connection: His stepmother was feminist activist Gloria Steinem. But Gloria didn't marry Christian's dad, David Bale, until 2000, so Christian was already an adult by then. They were only married for about three years before David died in 2004.
Mariska Hargitay & Jayne Mansfield
We had no clue that Law & Order star Mariska Hargitay is the daughter of Old Hollywood actress and Playboy playmate Jayne Mansfield. Although Mariska did follow in her mom's footsteps as an actress, she definitely did it in a more subdued way. Mariska has four siblings.
