10 Famous Actor Pairs Who Are Cousins

There are a lot of famous acting siblings, from Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal to the Hemsworth brothers and Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estevez. There are also plenty of acting child-parent duos, from Donald and Kiefer Sutherland to Kirk and Michael Douglas, Don and Dakota Johnson, and Eugene and Dan Levy.

But looking beyond that into the extended family, there are also plenty of actors who are cousins. Some are first cousins, with their parents being siblings, others are slightly more distant but still close enough to indicate that they share a noteworthy amount of DNA.

10 Jenny McCarthy And Melissa McCarthy

Arguably one of the best-known acting pair of cousins is Jenny and Melissa McCarthy, who are first cousins, according to Elle. They both share a quirky sense of humor and, of course, their last name.

Jenny McCarthy first worked as a model before pivoting to acting, appearing in movies like Scream 3 and John Tucker Must Die. She had her own talk show as well before becoming a co-host of The View, and currently works as a judge on The Masked Singer. Melissa McCarthy, meanwhile, has been in a string of hit comedy films, like Tammy and Bridesmaids, and made waves on the small screen as well in Gilmore Girls and Mike & Molly.

9 Snoop Dogg And Brandy

Snoop Dogg actually has quite a long list of celebrity cousins, according to Showbiz CheatSheet, but one of the most notable is singer and actor Brandy.

While Snoop is mostly known for his music career, he has also appeared in movies and on television, most recently in projects like Dolemite Is My Name and The Addams Family as well as in the cooking show Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party. Getting her start in music, Brandy starred in the sitcom Moesha and the movie I Still Know What You Did Last Summer, and served as a judge on the first season of America’s Got Talent. She currently stars in the series Queens.

8 Nicolas Cage And Jason Schwartzman

Many fans know that Nicolas Cage and Sofia Coppola are cousins but might not realize that he is also cousins with Jason Schwartzman, another member of the influential entertainment family. Schwartzman’s mother is Talia Shire, who is the younger sister of Francis Ford Coppola. Cage, meanwhile, whose real name is Nicolas Kim Coppola, is the son of August Coppola, who is Shire’s nephew.

Cage’s Hollywood resume is, of course, extensive, including films like Face/Off, Ghost Rider, Moonstruck, and National Treasure. Schwartzman has found success as well in both movies and television, from The Grand Budapest Hotel and Isle of Dogs to Bored to Death and Mozart in the Jungle.

7 Tom Cruise And William Mapother

The familial relationship between Tom Cruise and William Mapother, according to Tribute, isn’t one that is discussed as much as others. Mapother, best known for his role on Lost, is first cousins with Cruise.

Cruise, whose real name is actually Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, is one of the biggest A-listers in Hollywood, with action movies like Jerry Maguire, A Few Good Men, and Minority Report merely scratching the surface of his decades-long career. In fact, his resume is so long, there are even underrated Tom Cruise movies fans have never seen.

6 Gwyneth Paltrow And Kate Moennig

Fans probably recognize Kate Moennig as Ray Donovan‘s right-hand person in the Showtime series of the same name. But most fans would never guess that she is actually first cousins with Gwyneth Paltrow, according to Observer.

Moennig is also known for her work in The L Word and a recurring role on Grown-ish. Paltrow, meanwhile, might have pivoted to focus on her business venture GOOP. But the Academy Award-winning actor has starred in hit movies since the ’90s, including Seven, Shakespeare in Love, and The Talented Mr. Ripley, as well as playing Pepper Potts in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) films. She also had a guest role on Glee.

5 Stephen Amell And Robbie Amell

The resemblance between Stephen and Robbie Amell has many believing they are brothers, but they are actually cousins, according to Bustle. Stephen Amell found success on The CW superhero series Arrow while Robbie Amell appeared in The Tomorrow People for the same network.

The latter went on to appear in The Flash, and the cousins worked together in the sci-fi movie Code 8. Robbie Amell currently stars in the Amazon Prime Video original series Upload while Stephen Amell last appeared in Starz drama Heels in 2019 and is currently working with Robbie on a sequel to Code 8.

4 Brooke Shields And Glenn Close

Their cousin relationship might not be as direct, but fans might be surprised to learn that Glenn Close and Brooke Shields are actually second cousins once removed, according to People. Close’s grandfather and Shield’s great-grandmother were siblings.

Close, who remains one of the most talented actors and one of the most Oscar-nominated actors to have never won, has been a mainstay in Hollywood since the 1970s. She is often associated with her captivating role in Fatal Attraction. Shields began her career as a child actor, and has starred in everything from The Blue Lagoon to Suddenly Susan, Lipstick Jungle, and Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.

3 George Clooney And Miguel Ferrer

Sadly, Miguel Ferrer passed away in 2017, and his cousin George Clooney left a beautiful tribute for him, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Ferrer rose to widespread recognition with his role in NCIS: Los Angeles, but had racked up an impressive resume before that as well, including his breakthrough role in Robocop. He also had main roles on Twin Peaks, Jackie Chan Adventures, and Crossing Jordan.

George Clooney is, of course, one of the most prolific, versatile, and talented actors of this generation. Among George Clooney’s best movies, according to Rotten Tomatoes, are Gravity, Three Kings, and Good Night, And Good Luck.

2 Rip Torn And Sissy Spacek

Rip Torn rose to fame as Artie on The Larry Sanders Show and for his role in the Men in Black movies. With a career that spanned more than 60 years, he sadly passed away in 2019. Sissy Spacek, meanwhile, is known for everything from Badlands to Carrie, JFK, and Tuck Everlasting. She also appeared in the Netflix series Bloodline, Hulu series Castle Rock, and Amazon Prime Video series Homecoming.

The pair are actually first cousins, according to Showbiz411.com.

1 Whitney Houston And Dionne Warwick

Many fans know that Dionne Warwick and Whitney Houston were related but believe because of the age difference that Warwick is Houston’s aunt. In reality, she is actually her cousin, according to SmoothRadio.com. Warwick’s aunt was Houston’s mother Cissy Houston.

Warwick is a singer more so than an actor, though she has made many appearances on television shows and in movies, most recently in a sketch on Saturday Night Live. She has also become famous of later for her witty Tweets. Houston sadly passed away in 2012, but beyond her tremendous voice, she was also known as an actor for movies like The Bodyguard and the reality show Being Bobby Brown. It’s because of Houston that The Bodyguard is one of a few movies where the soundtrack is the best part.

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