24 Celebrities You Never Knew Were Related

Like the rest of us, celebrities have extended families, too — and some of those family members are in the public eye. Since many of these stars do not always travel in the same circles, it can be difficult to picture them as family, which is why you might be surprised to learn that some of these celebrities are related.

For example, reality star Jenny McCarthy and comedic actress Melissa McCarthy are not usually seen together, but they are, in fact, cousins. Rocker Lenny Kravitz and Today show meteorologist Al Roker are rarely in the same sphere, but they are also related. What’s more is that sisters Dakota Fanning and Elle Fanning are distant cousins of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge.

Stage names can also lead to some confusion over who is related. For example, Shirley MacLaine and Warren Beatty are brother and sister, but neither one of them use their real name! Scroll on for a look at celebrities you did not know were related.

Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine

Shirley MacLaine’s younger brother is Warren Beatty. Notably, neither of them use their real last names. MacLaine was born Shirley MacLean Beaty and Beatty was born Henry Warren Beaty; Beatty added his extra “t” in 1957. Both stars are Oscar winners, with MacLaine winning Best Actress for Terms of Endearment (1983) and Beatty for Best Director for Reds (1981). In 2000, Beatty also received the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award for his career.

Al Roker and Lenny Kravitz

The Today Show‘s Al Roker and rocker Lenny Kravitz are distant cousins through their grandfathers. “We both have Roker,” Kravitz said on Today in 2011. “My mother was Roxie Roker, my grandfather, Albert Roker from the Bahamas. Has to be.” He added, “All I know is I’m going with it. Kids think it’s cool.”

Dakota Fanning, Elle Fanning and Kate Middleton

Dakota Fanning and her sister, Elle Fanning, are distant cousins of Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge. According to E! News, Ancestry.com found that the Fanning sisters are direct descendants of King Edward III, who ruled from 1327-1377. Elle is Middleton’s 21st cousin. The Fanning sisters and Middleton are descendants of King Edward I, who ruled from 1272-1307.

Melissa McCarthy and Jenny McCarthy

Melissa McCarthy and Jenny McCarthy are cousins. When McCarthy was given her own short-lived sitcom in 1997, The Jenny McCarthy Show, Melissa appeared in one episode. In 2011, McCarthy congratulated Melissa after she won an Emmy for Mike & Molly.

Ray J, Brandy and Snoop Dogg

It is well-known that Ray J (real name, William Ray Norwood Jr.) and Brandy (full name, Brandy Norwood) are siblings. However, the two are also first cousins to Snoop Dogg (real name, Calvin Cordozar Broadus Jr.). Brandy and Snoop worked together on his 2009 song “Special,” which appeared on Malice n Wonderland.

Rip Torn and Sissy Spacek

Character actor Rip Torn, whose real name was Elmore Rual Torn Jr., and Sissy Spacek were cousins. His mother, Thelma Mary Torn, was Spacek’s aunt. Although Torn died in 2019, Spacek has recently starred in Netflix’s Bloodline and appeared opposite Robert Redford in 2018, in The Old Man and the Gun.

Martin Sheen, Charlie Sheen and Elimio Estevez

We all know that Martin Sheen and Charlie Sheen are father and son, but Mighty Ducks star Emilio Estez is also Martin Sheen’s son. Sheen’s real name is Ramon Gerard Antonio Estevez, but he took the stage name “Martin Sheen.” Charlie, who was born Carlos Irwin Estevez, adopted his father’s last name when he started acting, but Emilio did not. 

Elle King and Rob Schneider

“Ex’s & Oh’s” singer Elle King is comedian Rob Schneider’s daughter. King’s real name is Tanner Elle Schneider, but she uses the last name of her mother, former model London King, professionally. King appeared in her father’s Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999) and The Benchwarmers (2006).

Tom Cruise and William Mapother

Tom Cruise’s full name is Thomas Cruise Mapother IV. His cousin is character actor William Mapother, who famously starred in ABC’s Lost. Mapother also appeared in Born on the Fourth of July (1989), Magnolia (1999) and Mission: Impossible 2 (2000) with his more famous first cousin.

Nicolas Cage, Jason Schwartzman and Sofia Coppola

Few families have changed the face of Hollywood like the Coppolas. The late Carmine Coppola and Italia Pennino are the parents of The Godfather director Francis Ford Coppola, actress Talia Shire and the late August Coppola. Francis’ children are screenwriter Roman Coppola, director Sofia Coppola and the late producer Gian-Carlo Coppola. Shire’s sons include actor/writer Jason Schwartzman and musician Robert Schwartzman. August’s sons are actor Nicolas Cage, producer Christopher Coppola and DJ Marc “The Cope” Coppola.

Yet another generation of Coppolas is already breaking out thanks to Gian-Carlo’s daughter Gian-Carla “Gia” Coppola, who directed 2013’s Palo Alto and has directed two Carly Rae Jepsen music videos. Of all these Coppolas, Cage is the only one to change his last name professionally. He wanted to avoid the stigma of nepotism, and his professional last name was supposedly inspired by Marvel’s Luke Cage.