More Than Rumored Brothers: These Stars Are Really Related
Will Matthew McConaughey & Woody Harrelson Actually Take a DNA Test? They Say…
Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson have made a whole show out of the rumor they started about possibly being related.
Well, technically Kay McConaughey started it when she told her son and his longtime pal that she "knew" Harrelson's dad.
"Everyone was aware of the ellipses that my mom left after 'knew,'" McConaughey shared on Kelly Ripa's Let's Talk Off Camera podcast in 2023. "It was a loaded K-N-E-W."
The actors have really leaned into the bit with their new are-they-or-aren't-they Apple TV comedy Brothers, in which they portray extra versions of themselves. And they continue to play coy, McConaughey telling E! News he'll "probably end up" taking a DNA test one of these days.
But regardless of what those results show, their fraternal bond will remain strong, primarily the part where they mercilessly tease each other.
Because while McConaughey said his mother was "goading" Harrelson with her insinuation that she knew the Cheers alum's father during the second of her two divorces from James McConaughey (before she married him for the third time), Harrelson thinks his pal is in denial.
“He doesn't want to believe," Harrelson said. "You got to do the whole sentence, ‘I don't want to believe it's true.’”
Apple TV
In the meantime, Hollywood is already chockablock with siblings, many of whom are easily identifiable—Baldwins, Fannings, Gyllenhaals, Hemsworths, Olsens, Wilsons—while others have chosen to operate under different names.
"We're very close," Shirley MacLaine, who was born Shirley Beaty, wrote of her relationship with younger brother Warren Beatty in her 2024 book The Wall of Life: Pictures and Stories from This Marvelous Lifetime. "We don't let that be known, but we're very close." (Incidentally, the internet has started noticing how much Beatty and Annette Bening's daughter Ella Beatty resembles her aunt.)
Also hiding in plain sight for decades are Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen, the former of which started auditioning as Emilio Sheen before going back to his born surname, while the latter adopted their father Martin Sheen's chosen stage name.
"It was a much smoother father-son, Estevez-to-Sheen morph than the one Dad had suffered with his old man," Charlie wrote in his 2025 memoir The Book of Sheen of the West Wing alum, born Ramon Estevez. "I told him how important it was to honor him by carrying the name forward."
Then there's the endless supply of sons and daughters operating under different last names than their famous parents. And if you start counting cousins, then showbiz is practically one big family tree. Plus, don't even get us started on who's related by marriage.
Kidding, we totally got started! Read on and prepare to be surprised by all the stars who are related:
Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images, Valerie Terranova/Getty Images
Taylor Dearden & Bryan Cranston
For Bryan Cranston's daughter Taylor Dearden, who went with mom Robin Dearden's maiden name to avoid the auto-link to her famous father, the actor's life really is The Pitt.
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Debbie Allen & Phylicia Rashad
The Famed actress-dancer-choreographer is the younger sister of the Cosby Show alum, who during the show's first season was credited as Phylicia Ayers-Allen before she married sportscaster Ahmad Rashad in 1985.
John Salangsang/Shutterstock; Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Nancy Cartwright & Sabrina Carpenter
The Simpsons actor, who has voiced Bart since the show premiered in 1989, is the aunt of the "Espresso" singer.
“She's not a blood relative,” Nancy clarified on a January 2026 episode of Toon’d In with Jim Cummings. “Her grandmother was married to my dad, so her dad was my stepbrother.”
And that family connection led to Nancy playing a pivotal role in Sabrina's success.
“They would come out every year and stay with me," she continued. "They lived with me for four months at a time during pilot season and helped her get management [and an] agent.”
The Emmy winner added, "She certainly doesn't need my help. I gave her a little boost and she ran with it, and I'm very proud of her.”
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images/Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Lena Dunham & Larry David
On a 2024 episode of Finding Your Roots, host Henry Louis Gates Jr., revealed that Lena Dunham had a distant ancestor in common with Larry David on her mother's side.
Astrid Stawiarz/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images/Instagram/Gypsy Rose Blanchard
Stassi Schroeder & Gypsy Rose Blanchard
Genealogist Dr. Adina Newman, known on Instagram as My Family Genie, revealed Blanchard and the Vanderpump Rules alum are allegedly related on their paternal grandmother's side dating back all the way to the 1600s.
Schroeder, a self-professed true crime fan, commented on Newman's post, "Omg I'm unwell."
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Hollywood Reporter
Antonio Banderas & Dakota Johnson
The Mask of Zorro star was married to the Fifty Shades of Grey actress' mother Melanie Griffith for 20 years before they ultimately split in 2015, but that doesn't mean the stepfather and daughter's bond has been severed.
Johnson got emotional when she presented an award to Banderas at the 2019 Hollywood Film Awards.
"I come from a family of many a marriage and I got very lucky," Johnson, whose dad is actor Don Johnson, said. "I got a bonus dad who I realized that, over time, is actually one of the most influential people in my whole life," she said. "When I was six years old, my mother married a man who brought an unbelievably bright light and a whole new world of creativity and culture—and one remarkably magical little sister into our family."
Amy Sussman/Getty Images; Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for SiriusXM
Alix Earle & Dylan Dreyer
Get ready to have your mind blown: The TikToker and the Today anchor are second cousins.
"Growing up, your dad is like one of seven. You have lots of brothers and sisters," Dreyer told Earle of her dad Thomas "TJ" Earle, who is the morning show host's first cousin, during a May 2026 broadcast. "You have a million cousins. The Christmas card, when it arrives every year, there's like 100 people in it."
Robyn Lively & Blake Lively
The Teen Witch star and the Gossip Girl alum are half-sisters who share the same mom, talent manager Elaine Lively.
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Elle King & Rob Schneider
The "Ex's & Oh's" singer is the SNL vet's daughter, born from his relationship with former model London King.
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Ludacris & Monica
The Fast & Furious star is cousins with the R&B singer thanks to her stepfather, Reverend Edward Best, who happens to be the rapper's uncle.
Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Conan O'Brien & Denis Leary
The late-night host and the Rescue Me alum are third cousins.
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Steven Spielberg & Jessica Capshaw
The onetime Grey's Anatomy doc has called the legendary director stepdad ever since he married her mom Kate Capshaw in 1991.
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Yara Shahidi & Nas
The Grown-ish star calls the rapper her second cousin. She was even the flower girl in his 2005 wedding with now ex-wife Kelis.
Paul Bruinooge/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Lea Thompson & Zoey Deutch
The actress is the daughter of the Back to the Future icon.
J. Merritt/FilmMagic
Kiefer Sutherland & Sarah Sutherland
Not only did the Veep vet make a name for herself playing a famous daughter on the HBO comedy, but she's also a famous daughter in real life. The erstwhile Jack Bauer star is her father.
Todd Williamson/Getty Images
Phil Collins & Lily Collins
Some Emily in Paris viewers were très shocked to discover Lily is the daughter of the English Grammy winner.
Andrew Burton/Getty Images
Amy Schumer & Chuck Schumer
The comedian and the New York Senator are actually related, as he's the first cousin of her father.
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Kate Middleton, Dakota Fanning & Elle Fanning
According to a 2014 People interview, a family historian from Ancestry.com claimed that the Fannings and the Princess of Wales are all descendants of King Edward III, who ruled England from 1327 to 1377, making them very distant relatives—21st cousins, to be exact.
Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic
Jonah Hill & Beanie Feldstein
The actors are actually brother and sister.
©Academy Museum Foundation; Photo by Hunter Abrams
Niecy Nash, Danielle Brooks & Sterling K. Brown
Talent runs in this family, as the Reno 911! alum, Orange Is the New Black actress and This Is Us star are all cousins.
"We are blood related!" Nash wrote on Instagram January 2024, sharing a photo of the trio at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Third Annual Fundraising Gala. "REAL cousins!"
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Jason Sudeikis & George Wendt
The SNL alum calls the Cheers icon Uncle George whenever he sees him. At least, we assume he does.
John Shearer/Getty Images for AMC/Dave M. Benett/Getty Images
Stephen Dillane & Frank Dillane
Yep, Game of Thrones' Stannis Baratheon is the real-life dad of Fear the Walking Dead's Nick Clark.
Jason Merritt/Getty Images; Danny Martindale/WireImage
Lily Allen & Sam Smith
The brunette beauty and the "Stay With Me" singer are third cousins. During a radio interview, Smith admitted that the pair have never met because their family is "huge."
Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Netflix/AP Images
Liev Schreiber & Pablo Schreiber
The Salt actor and the memorable Law & Order: SVU guest star are half-brothers.
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Melissa McCarthy & Jenny McCarthy
You may not have guessed but the Bridesmaids comedian and the former View co-host are cousins.
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Julia Roberts & Emma Roberts
The We're the Millers actress has the perfect mentor in the Pretty Woman star, who happens to be her auntie.
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Lacey Schwimmer & David Schwimmer
Who knew the stunning Dancing With the Stars pro is second cousins with the Friends alum?
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Alexander Skarsgård & Stellan Skarsgård
The True Blood vampire caught the acting bug from his dear old dad who stars in both The Avengers and Thor franchises.
J. Vespa/WireImage; Sylvain Gaboury/FilmMagic
Sofia Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, Nicolas Cage & Francis Ford Coppola
The Ghost Rider actor comes from an extremely talented family. One of his cousins directed The Bling Ring, the other starred in Saving Mr. Banks and his uncle directed The Godfather.
Eamonn McCormack/WireImage
Lily Allen & Alfie Allen
The outspoken British singer is the older sister of the Game of Thrones star. She even wrote a song about him titled "Alfie."
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