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It’s no secret that basically half of Hollywood is made up of nepotism babies — aka people whose parents were famous first.
While a lot of nepotism babies are genuinely talented, there’s no denying the privilege that comes with having a famous family member — especially when they can help you land a role in something they’re directing, producing, or starring in.
Here are 27 actors whose first roles were in movies or TV shows their parents directed or starred in:
1.Maude Apatow is the daughter of writer/director Judd Apatow and actor Leslie Mann.
She made her film debut as Sadie in Knocked Up, which was directed, written, and co-produced by her dad.
Her mom also had a major role in the movie, and her sister Iris cameoed alongside her.
2.Gwyneth Paltrow is the daughter of actor Blythe Danner and director/producer Bruce Paltrow.
She made her TV debut in the movie High, which her dad wrote, directed, and produced.
3.Jaden Smith is the son of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.
In his first acting credit, he played a recurring character named Reggie on All of Us, which was created and executive produced by his parents.
The show was loosely based on Will and Jada’s blended family.
Then, he made his film debut costarring alongside his dad in The Pursuit of Happyness. They played father and son.
4.Willow Smith is the daughter of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith.
She made her onscreen debut as Marley Neville in I Am Legend, which her dad starred in. They played father and daughter.
5.Blake Lively is the daughter of actor/director Ernie Lively and talent manager Elaine Lively.
In her first role, she played Trixie/Tooth Fairy in the movie Sandman, which her dad directed.
6.Miley Cyrus is the daughter of singer/actor Billy Ray Cyrus.
She made her onscreen debut as Kylie on Doc, the medical drama her dad played the lead on.
7.Ben Stiller is the son of comedians/actors Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara.
His first role was a guest spot on Kate McShane, the legal drama his mom starred on.
8.John David Washington is the son of actor Denzel Washington and actor/singer Pauletta Washington.
His earliest role was a cameo in Malcolm X, which his dad starred in.
9.Mamie Gummer is the daughter of actor Meryl Streep.
For her first role, she played Annie Forman in Heartburn, and her mom played the lead. She was credited as Natalie Stern.
10.Grace Gummer is also the daughter of actor Meryl Streep.
She first played the younger version of her mom’s lead character in The House of the Spirits. She was credited as Jane Gray.
11.Angelina Jolie is the daughter of actor Jon Voight.
Her first acting role was Tosh Warner in Lookin’ to Get Out, which was written by her dad. He also played the lead role. She played his daughter.
She was credited as Angelina Jolie Voight.
12.Ever Anderson is the daughter of director Paul W. S. Anderson and actor Milla Jovovich.
She made her film debut in Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, which her dad wrote and directed. She played the younger version of Alicia Marcus — her mom’s starring role.
13.Wyatt Russell is the son of actors Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell.
Nine years after reportedly taking his first steps on the set of his parents’ film Overboard, he made his first onscreen appearance in Escape from L.A., which his dad wrote and starred in.
14.Colin Hanks is the son of actor Tom Hanks.
His first role was Male Page in That Thing You Do!, which his dad wrote, directed, and starred in.
15.Laura Dern is the daughter of actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd.
Her first role was Sharon Anne in White Lightning. She played the daughter of her mom’s character.
16.Natasha Bure is the daughter of actor Candace Cameron Bure.
She made her onscreen debut on an episode of Make It or Break It, which her mom had a recurring role on.
In her first leading role, Natasha played the daughter/niece of her mom’s twin characters in Switched for Christmas.
17.Lily Collins is the daughter of musician/record producer Phil Collins.
In her very first role, she voiced a baby ape in Tarzan, which her dad composed the soundtrack for.
18.Bryce Dallas Howard is the daughter of director Ron Howard.
Her earliest roles were cameos in movies her dad directed, including Apollo 13 and How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Her dad also produced and appeared in her directorial debut, the documentary Dads.
19.Jessica Capshaw is the daughter of actor/producer Kate Capshaw and stepdaughter of director Steven Spielberg.
For her first role, she played Patsy in The Locusts, which her mom starred in.
20.Harley Quinn Smith is the daughter of filmmaker/actor Kevin Smith.
She made her film debut as Baby Silent Bob in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. Her dad wrote and directed the movie, and he also starred as the grown-up version of Silent Bob.
21.Emilio Estévez is the son of actor Martin Sheen.
His first role was a cameo in Badlands, which his dad starred in.
22.Charlie Sheen is also the son of actor Martin Sheen.
Likewise, he made his onscreen debut in a Badlands cameo.
23.Sosie Bacon is the daughter of actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick.
Her first role was the 10-year-old version of Emily Stoll in Loverboy, which her dad directed. Her mom played the grown-up version of Emily.
24.Dakota Johnson is the daughter of actors Melanie Griffith and Don Johnson.
Alongside her half-sister Stella Banderas, she made her onscreen debut as the daughter of her mom’s lead character in Crazy in Alabama. The movie was directed and produced by her then-stepdad Antonio Banderas.
25.Scott Eastwood is the son of actor/director Clint Eastwood.
He made his film debut as Private Roberto Lundsford in Flags of Our Fathers, which his dad directed, produced, and co-scored.
Using his mother’s last name, he was credited as Scott Reeves.
26.Liza Minnelli is the daughter of actor Judy Garland and director Vincente Minnelli.
She made her film debut as the daughter of her mom’s character in In the Good Old Summertime.
27.And finally, Sofia Coppola is the daughter of director/producer/writer Francis Ford Coppola.
Her earliest roles were uncredited cameos in some of her dad’s most notable works, including The Godfather, The Godfather Part II, and The Outsiders.
She shares her first screenwriting credit with her dad. They co-wrote Life Without Zoë, the second chapter in the anthology film New York Stories.
He also produced her feature directorial debut, The Virgin Suicides.
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