Family ties in Hollywood are more common than one might initially think. Today, we delve into five unexpected familial ties among the stars, proving that sometimes the entertainment industry really is a family affair.
1. Julia Roberts and Emma Roberts
Julia is Emma’s aunt, and Emma is the daughter of Eric Roberts, Julia’s brother. However, they both had strained relationships with him. Julia even funded Emma’s mother, Kelly Cunningham, in a custody battle against Eric.
Julia has been an inspiration for Emma to pursue a career in acting. She has been a frequent visitor to Julia’s movie sets and even tried on some of Julia’s costumes.
Today, both Emma and Julia are aware of their physical resemblance, particularly their smiles.
2. Austin Butler and Ashley Tisdale
Austin Butler is actually cousins with Ashley Tisdale. Yes, the same Ashley who rose to fame as Sharpay Evans in the ‘High School Musical’ series.
The two initially met while starring in the movie ‘Aliens in the Attic’ in 2009. They also worked together in the ‘High School Musical’ spinoff film, ‘Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure.’ In fact, they weren’t aware that they were cousins — Ashley learned that in November 2022.
3. Jonah Hill and Beanie Feldstein
Both Jonah and Beanie have become household names, Hill for his roles in ‘Superbad‘ and ‘The Wolf of Wall Street,‘ and Feldstein for her performances in ‘Booksmart‘ and ‘Lady Bird.‘ What you might not know is that these two talented actors are siblings. Born to the same parents, Jonah and Beanie are very close, and Beanie considers Jonah her ‘best friend in the world.’ Moreover, Jonah even has a ‘Hello Beanie’ tattoo in support of his sister.
4. Jason Momoa and Zoe Kravitz
Momoa has an interesting family connection to Kravitz. He was married to Lisa Bonet, who is Kravitz’s mother, making him her stepfather. Lenny Kravitz, Zoe’s biological father, has a good relationship with the actor.
Jason and Zoe refer to each other as ‘Papa Bear’ and ‘Zozo Bear,’ and the actor shows his support for his stepdaughter whenever possible. Besides Zoe, Momoa also has two biological children, Lola and Nakoa-Wolf, with Bonet.
5. Brad Pitt and Barack Obama
Perhaps the most surprising revelation on this list is the distant relation between Pitt and former U.S. President Barack Obama. According to genealogical research, Pitt and Obama are ninth cousins, linked by a common ancestor named Edwin Hickman, who died in Virginia in 1769. Obama acknowledged the relation in a 2008 interview on ‘The View,‘ joking that Pitt ‘got the better-looking side of the gene pool.’