See Hollywood's Favorite 'Nepo Babies' Side-by-Side with Their Famous Parents
See Hollywood's Favorite 'Nepo Babies' Side-by-Side with Their Famous Parents
Alex Apatoff, Emily KrauserWed, March 25, 2026 at 11:00 AM UTC
0
From left: Zoë Kravitz attends the 'Caught Stealing' premiere at Regal Union Square in New York City on Aug. 26, 2025; Lily Collins poses ahead of the 'Emily in Paris' SAG-AFTRA Foundation Conversation in N.Y.C. on Sept. 19, 2024; Lewis Pullman attends the premiere of 'The Testament of Ann Lee' during the Toronto International Film Festival at Royal Alexandra Theatre in Toronto on Sept. 9, 2025Credit: Dia Dipasupil/Getty; Michael Loccisano/Getty; Leon Bennett/Getty
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the now-ubiquitous term "nepo baby" gained widespread popularity on social media.
The idea of nepotism in Hollywood — that is, a child who has one or more famous parents and has pursued the same or a similar artistic career path — has been around for decades. For stars like Drew Barrymore, Sofia Coppola and Jane Fonda, acting and filmmaking have spanned generations in their family dynasties.
To that end, the phrase is divisive among celebrities.
Some wear the title as a badge of honor, while others have come to understand the weight of what comes with the label, like Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid's son, Jack Quaid, who said he's "tried to work as hard as I possibly can to prove that I deserve to walk through that door."
"People have called me a 'nepo baby,' " The Boys star told the Daily Beast in July 2024. "I'm inclined to agree. I am an immensely privileged person, was able to get representation pretty early on, and that's more than half the battle."
No matter what your take on "nepo babies" is, there's no denying that it's fascinating to see how much these young actors resemble their parents. From Lewis Pullman to Zoë Kravitz, read on to see photos of some of the brightest stars of today in their breakout roles next to their parents in theirs.
01 of 22
Maya Hawke: Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke
From left: Maya Hawke as Robin Huckley on 'Stranger Things'; Uma Thurman as Cécile de Volanges in 1988's 'Dangerous Liaisons'; Ethan Hawke as Todd Anderson in 1989's 'Dead Poets Society'Credit: Netflix; Moviestore/Shutterstock; Everett
When Maya Hawke kick-started her career at age 21 on season 3 of Stranger Things in 2019, fans debated about which parent she looked more like: mom Uma Thurman, who broke out at age 18 in 1988's Dangerous Liaisons, or dad Ethan Hawke, who became an immediate star at age 18 in 1989's Dead Poets Society.
02 of 22
Sam Nivola: Emily Mortimer and Alessandro Nivola
Sam Nivola as Lochlan Ratliff on 'The White Lotus'; Emily Mortimer as the 'Perfect Girl' in 1999's 'Notting Hill'; Alessandro Nivola as Pollux Troy in 1997's 'Face/Off'Credit: Fabio Lovino/HBO; RGR Collection/Alamy Stock Photo; Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Sam Nivola was part of a dysfunctional family on season 3 of The White Lotus. However, in real life, he's close with his actor parents, Emily Mortimer, who was 27 when she had a breakout role in 1999's Notting Hill, and Alessandro Nivola, who was 25 when Face/Off premiered in 1997.
"Other than my genes, I don't think I can attribute much of my success to my parents," Sam told Variety in August 2025. "I feel proud that I've done it for myself, and sometimes in spite of them."
03 of 22
Taylor Dearden: Bryan Cranston
Taylor Dearden as Dr. Melissa King on 'The Pitt'; Bryan Cranston as Douglas Donovan on 'Loving'Credit: Warrick Page/MAX;ABC Photo Archives/ABC via Getty
Taylor Dearden was 31 when she reached The Pitt, while her father, Bryan Cranston, was 27 when he was cast on the ABC daytime soap opera Loving, which premiered in June 1983. Prior to Dearden landing the role of Dr. Melissa King on the hit HBO Max medical drama, the father-daughter duo shared the screen on Cranston's Breaking Bad.
04 of 22
Odessa A'zion: Pamela Adlon
Odessa A'zion as Rachel Mizler in 2025's 'Marty Supreme'; Pamela Adlon attends the Creative Arts Emmy Awards at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sept. 14, 2002Credit: A24; Frederick M. Brown/Getty
Odessa A'zion had a memorable recurring guest spot on CBS' Ghosts before breaking out in 2025's Marty Supreme at age 25. Mom Pamela Adlon was best known for her voice, winning an Emmy in 2002 for voicing Bobby Hill on King of the Hill; she was 30 when the animation began in 1997.
A'zion was guarded when The Hollywood Reporter asked about the influence of her mother in 2026, who later starred on Californication, Louie and her sitcom Better Things, on her career, responding, "It's really hard to talk about without getting into personal specifics that I probably shouldn't let the world know about."
05 of 22
Harlow Jane: Patricia Arquette and Thomas Jane
Harlow Jane as Young Peggy on 'High Desert; Patricia Arquette as Alabama Whitman in 1993's 'True Romance'; Thomas Jane as Todd Parker in 1997's 'Boogie Nights'Credit: Apple TV; Morgan Creek/Davis/Kobal/Shutterstock; G Lefkowitz/New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock
At 20, Harlow Jane hit the Hollywood scene in a big way in 2023, with roles on AppleTV's High Desert, where she played a younger version of her mom, Patricia Arquette, and the film She Came to Me. Arquette was 25 when she made her mark with 1993's True Romance, while dad Thomas Jane was 28 when he had a brief but very memorable cameo in 1997's Boogie Nights.
However, the young star told PEOPLE in January 2026 that she didn't always dream of following in her famous parents' footsteps.
"I definitely rebelled against it for as long as I could," Harlow said. "I remember in first or second grade, we had a career person come to school, and I told them that I wanted to be a lawyer."
Harlow added that her father was "thrilled" to see his daughter dive into acting.
"He would never admit it, but he is very, very excited," she said. "He's thrilled because his whole side of the family they're all scientists. They're really, really intelligent people, but they're not so much into the arts. And so I think for him, having a daughter that has the same interests as his, he gets so happy."
06 of 22
Sadie Sandler and Sunny Sandler: Adam Sandler
Sunny Sadler (left) as Stacy Friedman and Sadie Sadler as Ronnie Friedman in 2023's 'You Are So Not Invited to my Bat Mitzvah'; Adam Sandler performs 'The Chanukah Song' on 'Saturday Night Live' on Dec. 3, 1994Credit: Scott Yamano/Netflix; Alan Singer/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty
Comedian Adam Sandler was 23 when he broke out on Saturday Night Live in 1990, and though being fired in 1995 "hurt," it launched him into a film career that included acting and directing. Sandler's movies have long been family affairs, and that was the case when he costarred with his daughters, Sadie and Sunny Sandler, in the 2023 Netflix comedy You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah when the girls were 17 and 14, respectively.
07 of 22
Zoë Kravitz: Lisa Bonet and Lenny Kravitz
Zoë Kravitz as Angel Salvadore in 2011's 'X-Men: First Class'; Lisa Bonet as Denise Huxtable on 'The Cosby Show'; Lenny Kravitz performs in the music video for 'It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over'Credit: 20th Century Fox/Marvel/Kobal/Shutterstock; Nbc-Tv/Kobal/Shutterstock; Lenny Kravitz/YouTube
Zoë became a star in her own right in 2011's X-Men: First Class, and she's been one to watch on the silver screen and fashion scene ever since. It's no wonder she's so innately cool: Her parents are Lisa Bonet, who got her big break at 16 as Denise Huxtable on The Cosby Show in 1984, and Lenny Kravitz, whose first big hit was 1991's "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over," when he was 27.
08 of 22
Michael Consuelos: Mark Consuelos and Kelly Ripa
Michael Consuelos as the teen version of Hiram Lodge on 'Riverdale'; Kelly Ripa as Hayley Vaughan on 'All My Children'; Mark Consuelos as Mateo Santos Sr. on 'All My Children'Credit: Katie Yu/The CW; ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty; STEVE FENN/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty
All their children owe a debt to the soap opera All My Children! After debuting on the show in 1990 at age 20, Kelly Ripa met and fell in love with a 24-year-old Mark Consuelos when he joined the cast in 1995.
Now parents to Joaquin, Lola and Michael Consuelos, they encouraged their kids to pursue their dreams — and Michael followed in his parents' footsteps as an actor. Being a lookalike for his dad has only helped, as Michael portrayed the younger version of Mark's Hiram Lodge on season 3 and season 5 episodes of Riverdale.
09 of 22
Charlie Hall: Julia Louis-Dreyfus
Charlie Hall as Andrew on 'The Sex Lives of College Girls'; Julia Louis-Dreyfus as Elaine Benes on 'Seinfeld'Credit: Katrina Marcinowski/HBO Max, NBCUniversal via Getty
Charlie Hall made a splash at 25 as "a bit of a dick" (his words!) on The Sex Lives of College Girls in 2022, via Town & Country. His introduction to the industry? A role on mom Julia Louis-Dreyfus' HBO sitcom Veep in 2019.
The Thunderbolts* star — who married Charlie's dad, actor and producer Brad Hall, in 1987 — got her start on SNL when she was 21. However, it was being cast on Seinfeld, which premiered in 1989 when she was 28, that made Louis-Dreyfus a comedy icon.
10 of 22
Lewis Pullman: Bill Pullman
Lewis Pullman as Lt. Robert 'Bob' Floyd in 2022's 'Top Gun: Maverick'; Bill Pullman as Lone Starr in 1987's 'Spaceballs'Credit: Scott Garfield/Paramount Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection, MGM/Courtesy Everett Collection
It comes as no surprise to anyone who saw Lewis in 2022's Top Gun: Maverick that he's the son of Bill Pullman, whose first big role was also as a pilot (of sorts) in 1987's Spaceballs. From the squint to the lopsided smile, the resemblance is uncanny.
11 of 22
Advertisement
Sydney Chandler: Kyle Chandler
Sydney Chandler as Violet in 2022's 'Don't Worry Darling'; Kyle Chandler as Jeff Metcalf on 'Homefront'Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures; ABC/ Courtesy: Everett Collection
We're guessing Kyle Chandler had a full heart when he saw his older daughter, Sydney Chandler, then 26, break onto the scene in a big way in 2022, with parts in the film Don't Worry Darling and the FX/Hulu miniseries Pistol, before going on to star on Alien: Earth in 2025.
The Friday Night Lights alum was also 26 when he landed his first major part in 1991, playing a young man in the wake of World War II on ABC's Homefront.
12 of 22
Jaden Smith: Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith
Jaden Smith as Dre Parker in 2010's 'The Karate Kid'; Jada Pinkett Smith as Lena James on 'A Different World'; Will Smith as Will on 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air'Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock; NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal/Getty; Chris Haston/NBCU Photo Bank/Getty
Jaden Smith made his acting debut at 8 alongside dad Will Smith in 2006's The Pursuit of Happyness. However, his breakthrough role was in 2010's The Karate Kid.
His parents also achieved fame relatively young — mom Jada Pinkett Smith was 20 when she joined season 5 of A Different World in 1991 as HBCU student Lena James — a role she'll reprise on the Netflix sequel series — while Will had already won a Grammy for his 1998 hit "Parents Just Don't Understand" before shooting to superstardom at age 22, when The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air debuted in 1990.
Jaden's younger sister, Willow Smith, also broke out at a young age, appearing alongside her dad in 2007's I Am Legend when she was 6. At 10, she released her first hit single, "Whip My Hair" in 2011. Willow joined her mom and grandmother, Adrienne Banfield-Norris, as co-host of their talk show, Red Table Talk, during its five-season run on Facebook Watch.
Will, Jada, Jaden and Willow are all artists with successful music careers across genres.
13 of 22
Margaret Qualley: Andie MacDowell
Margaret Qualley as Pussycat on the set of 2019's 'Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood in Burbank, Calif., on Oct. 6, 2018; Andie MacDowell as Dale Biberman in 1985's 'St. Elmo's Fire'Credit: John Rasimus/Future Publishing/Getty; Everett
In 2019, Margaret Qualley, then 24, made a big impact in two acting projects: Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood and Fosse/Verdon. Her mom, Andie MacDowell, was 27 when she played the object of Emilio Estevez's desire in 1985's St. Elmo's Fire. Both started as models. The mother-daughter duo has also acted together, notably in Qualley's star vehicle, the 2021 Netflix film Maid. MacDowell's older daughter, Rainey Qualley, is also an actress.
14 of 22
John David Washington: Denzel Washington
John David Washington as Ron Stallworth in 2018's 'BlacKkKlansman'; Denzel Washington as Dr. Philip Chandler on 'St. Elsewhere'Credit: David Lee/Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection, NBC/Courtesy Everett Collection
The son of actors Pauletta Washington and Denzel Washington, John David Washington was 34 when he earned recognition for his first leading film role in 2018's BlacKkKlansman, scoring nods from the Golden Globes and Actor Awards (former SAG Awards).
While John David came to acting late after a career in pro football, his dad appeared in made-for-TV movies before landing a breakout role at 27 on the medical drama St. Elsewhere, which premiered in 1982.
"I always wanted to do what he did, always wanted to be an artist," John David told WSJ. Magazine in January 2021, on following in his father's footsteps.
15 of 22
Dakota Johnson: Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson
Dakota Johnson as Anastasia Steele in 2015's 'Fifty Shades of Grey'; Melanie Griffith as Tess McGill in 1988's 'Working Girl'; Don Johnson as Detective James Crockett on 'Miami Vice'Credit: Chuck Zlotnick/Universal; Sunset Boulevard/Corbis/Getty; Frank Carroll/NBCU/Getty
She'd been in several high-profile projects early in her career, but the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy put Dakota Johnson on the map when the first film premiered in 2015, when she was 25. Her mom, Melanie Griffith, had also been acting for years before landing her career-defining role in 1988's Working Girl at age 31. Dakota's dad Don Johnson was 34 when he hit it big with Miami Vice in 1984.
16 of 22
Billie Lourd: Carrie Fisher
Billie Lourd as Chanel No. 3 on 'Scream Queens'; Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in 1977's 'Star Wars'Credit: Skip Bolen/Fox/Courtesy Everett, Mary Evans/Ronald Grant/Everett Collection
Billie Lourd, whose dad is Hollywood agent Bryan Lourd, nabbed her first-ever on-screen role in 2015's Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens, but her breakout was as Chanel No. 3 on Scream Queens.
Eagle-eyed fans might have caught the Princess Leia tribute worn by Lourd on the Fox horror series, which premiered in 2015, when she was 23.
Her character's earmuffs were a nod to the role made famous by Lourd's late mom Carrie Fisher, who at 19 starred as Star Wars' iconic, bun-wearing princess in the 1977 film and its sequels.
"They are a little bit of a Princess Leia homage," Lourd shared during a December 2016 appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers. "It's kind of a family tradition."
17 of 22
Jack Quaid: Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid
Jack Quaid as Hughie Campbell on 'The Boys'; Meg Ryan as Sally Albright in 1989's When Harry Met Sally'; Dennis Quaid as Mike in 1979's 'Breaking Away'Credit: Jan Thijs/Amazon Studios; Castle Rock/Nelson/Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock; 20th Century Fox/Kobal/Shutterstock
Fans of Jack's memorable performance as Hughie Campbell on Amazon Prime Video's The Boys, which he began filming at age 27 in 2019, won't be surprised to learn that his charm is genetic.
His mom is America's Sweetheart — she first gained recognition on the CBS soap opera As the World Turns in 1982, then broke out in 1989 at age 26 in When Harry Met Sally. Dad Dennis is also famous. The actor was 24 when he rose to fame in the 1979 Oscar-winning film Breaking Away.
18 of 22
Maude Apatow: Leslie Mann and Judd Apatow
Maude Apatow as Lexi Howard on 'Euphoria'; Leslie Mann as Corinne Maloney in 1999's 'Big Daddy'; Judd Apatow as Homer on the set of 1995's 'Heavyweights'Credit: Eddy Chen/HBO; Columbia/Kobal/Shutterstock; juddapatow/Instagram
Maude Apatow's pitch-perfect eye rolls on HBO's Euphoria, which she began filming at age 21 in 2019, may have come with a lot of practice from being the child of two comedians: Leslie Mann, who was 27 when Big Daddy was released in 1999, and Judd Apatow, who was 31 when he cameoed in 1995's Heavyweights before going on to be known for directing films like The 40-Year-Old Virgin (2005), Knocked Up (2007) and The King of Staten Island (2020).
19 of 22
Zoey Deutch: Lea Thompson
Zoey Deutch as Harper in 2018's 'Set It Up'; Lea Thompson as Lorraine Baines in 1985's 'Back to the Future'Credit: Netflix; Moviestore/Shutterstock
Zoey Deutch began her career at age 15 on the Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody and broke through with 2013's Beautiful Creatures. She became an even bigger name with 2018's Set It Up. Mom Lea Thompson was a household name at 24 thanks to 1985's Back to the Future.
20 of 22
Lily Collins: Phil Collins
Lily Collins as Collins Tuohy in 2009's 'The Blind Side'; Phil Collins appears in his music video for 'You Can't Hurry Love' in 1982Credit: Warner Bros Pictures/Kobal/Shutterstock; Phil Collins/YouTube
It was a fairytale beginning for Lily Collins, who got her big break in 2009's The Blind Side before making waves at 23 with her first lead film role as Snow White in 2012's Mirror, Mirror. The Emily in Paris star's dad Phil Collins had been drumming for Genesis for years before going solo in 1982 at age 31, hitting it big with "In the Air Tonight" and the cover "You Can't Hurry Love."
21 of 22
Nico Parker: Thandiwe Newton
Nico Parker as Milly Farrier in 2019's 'Dumbo'; Thandiwe Newton as Beloved in 1998's 'Beloved'Credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Moviestore/Shutterstock; Ken Regan/Touchstone/Kobal/Shutterstock
Before her appearance on the HBO series The Last of Us in 2023, Nico Parker was just 14 when she made her major film debut in 2019's Dumbo. However, she had plenty of exposure to movie sets thanks to her parents — Thandiwe Newton, whose breakout role came at 25 in 1998's Beloved, and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again writer and director Ol Parker.
22 of 22
Hannah Einbinder: Laraine Newman
Hannah Einbinder as Ava Daniels on 'Hacks'; Laraine Newman, of 'Saturday Night Live,' poses for a photoCredit: HBO Max; Lynn Goldsmith/Corbis/VCG via Getty Images
Though she was only 25 when Hacks premiered in 2021, it was no surprise that Hannah Einbinder could hold her own against legendarily funny Jean Smart. After all, her mom is Laraine Newman, an original cast member of SNL who was 23 when the show debuted in 1975, and her dad is comedy actor and writer Chad Einbinder.
Newman told PEOPLE in October 2024 that she "was worried" when her daughter began starring on Hacks with "no acting experience," but admitted, "I didn't need to be."
Hannah won an Emmy in 2025 for her portrayal of Ava on the HBO Max drama.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
