Hollywood has plenty of famous families, but some celebrity connections are far less obvious than others. From siblings and half-siblings to distant cousins and stepfamily ties, the entertainment industry has more surprising family links than many fans realise.
The latest example involves long-time friends Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. Their real-life friendship is at the centre of Apple TV’s new comedy series Brothers, which premieres September 23, 2026.
The series turns a long-running family rumour into part of its fictional story. McConaughey and Harrelson play fictionalised versions of themselves after a supposed family secret raises the possibility that they could actually be brothers. Apple TV describes the show as an eight-episode comedy about friendship, family and the blurred line between fact and fiction.
But that isn’t the only unexpected celebrity family connection. Here are some of the celebrities who are related, connected through blood, marriage, stepfamily relationships or documented genealogy.
Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson’s Family Mystery
McConaughey and Harrelson have been friends for decades, having worked together on projects including EDtv and True Detective.
The speculation about a possible family connection comes from a story involving McConaughey’s mother, Kay McConaughey, and Harrelson’s father, Charles Harrelson.
Rather than treating the rumour as established fact, it is important to separate the real-life story from the fictional premise of Brothers. The Apple TV series takes the idea and turns it into a comedy in which the two actors investigate whether they could actually be brothers.
The series premiered globally on September 23, with its first two episodes arriving together. New episodes are scheduled weekly through November 4.
Sabrina Carpenter and Nancy Cartwright
One of the more unusual celebrity family connections involves Sabrina Carpenter and The Simpsons voice actor Nancy Cartwright.
Cartwright, best known for voicing Bart Simpson since the animated series premiered in 1989, explained in January 2026 that Carpenter is her niece through a stepfamily connection rather than a blood relationship.
Cartwright said Carpenter’s grandmother was married to her father, making Carpenter’s father her stepbrother. She also discussed helping Carpenter during the early stages of her entertainment career.
The connection is a good reminder that celebrity family relationships are not always straightforward biological relationships.
Alix Earle and Dylan Dreyer Are Second Cousins
Social media personality Alix Earle and Today anchor Dylan Dreyer surprised viewers in May 2026 when they revealed that they are second cousins.
Dreyer explained during a Today appearance that her father, Thomas “TJ” Earle, is a first cousin of Alix’s father.
The two women had known about their family connection, but they reportedly did not meet in person until a few years ago. Their relationship became public when Earle appeared on Today in May.
Earle also revealed that she had grown up watching Dreyer on television, making their family connection particularly unusual given their different careers.
Lena Dunham and Larry David Share an Ancestor
A celebrity genealogy investigation produced another unexpected pairing: Lena Dunham and Larry David.
The connection was revealed on PBS’s Finding Your Roots. Host Henry Louis Gates Jr used DNA evidence to establish that Dunham and David share at least one common ancestor on Dunham’s maternal side.
The discovery came as a surprise to Dunham during the programme. PBS’s episode documentation notes that DNA analysis found multiple matching segments between the two, supporting the conclusion that they have a distant family connection.
Unlike relationships that are already known within a family, genealogy programmes such as Finding Your Roots can uncover connections that relatives themselves may not have known about.
Niecy Nash, Danielle Brooks and Sterling K. Brown
Three familiar television and film stars are connected through a family relationship of their own.
Niecy Nash, Danielle Brooks and Sterling K. Brown are cousins.
Nash publicly highlighted the connection in 2024 while celebrating Brooks and Brown’s Oscar nominations. She described the two actors as her blood relatives and shared a photograph of the trio together.
The family connection brings together stars known for very different roles across television, film and theatre.
Blake Lively and Robyn Lively
The Lively family has produced several recognisable names in entertainment.
Blake Lively and Robyn Lively are half-sisters who share the same mother, talent manager Elaine Lively.
Robyn became known for projects including Teen Witch, while Blake rose to fame through Gossip Girl and later major film roles.
Their connection is one of the more direct examples of a Hollywood family, although the sisters have pursued separate careers.
Julia Roberts and Emma Roberts
Another well-known Hollywood family connection is Julia Roberts and Emma Roberts.
Emma is Julia’s niece and the daughter of actor Eric Roberts.
Emma established her own acting career through projects including American Horror Story, Scream Queens and We’re the Millers, while Julia remains one of Hollywood’s most recognisable leading actresses.
Their relationship is also part of a broader Roberts acting family that spans multiple generations.
Jonah Hill and Beanie Feldstein
Actors Jonah Hill and Beanie Feldstein are siblings.
Feldstein became widely known for performances in Lady Bird and Booksmart, while Hill has appeared in films including Superbad, Moneyball and The Wolf of Wall Street.
Although they have built individual careers, their family relationship makes them one of the better-known sibling pairs in modern Hollywood.
Liev Schreiber and Pablo Schreiber
Actors Liev Schreiber and Pablo Schreiber are half-brothers.
Liev is known for films and television projects, including Spotlight and Ray Donovan. Pablo has appeared in productions such as Orange Is the New Black and American Gods.
The brothers have both developed substantial acting careers, sometimes leaving viewers surprised when they discover the family connection.
Phil Collins and Lily Collins
Singer Phil Collins is the father of actress Lily Collins.
Lily has built a career separate from her father’s music legacy, starring in projects including Emily in Paris and The Blind Side.
Her family connection to the Grammy-winning musician became a point of curiosity for viewers who encountered her work without realising the relationship.
Lea Thompson and Zoey Deutch
Zoey Deutch comes from another established entertainment family.
Her mother is actress Lea Thompson, best known for her work in Back to the Future and other film and television projects.
Deutch has followed her mother into acting, appearing in movies and television productions of her own.
Kiefer Sutherland and Sarah Sutherland
The entertainment connection between Kiefer Sutherland and Sarah Sutherland is another example of acting crossing generations.
Kiefer is known for 24, while Sarah became recognised for her role as Catherine Meyer on HBO’s Veep.
Sarah is Kiefer’s daughter, making their connection a direct parent-child relationship within the entertainment industry.
Stephen Dillane and Frank Dillane
Game of Thrones and Fear the Walking Dead fans may recognise another father-and-son acting pair.
Stephen Dillane played Stannis Baratheon on Game of Thrones, while his son Frank Dillane played Nick Clark on Fear the Walking Dead.
Both built careers in major television productions, although their roles belong to very different fictional worlds.
Alexander Skarsgård and Stellan Skarsgård
The Skarsgård family is one of Sweden’s most recognisable acting dynasties.
Stellan Skarsgård is the father of actor Alexander Skarsgård, who became internationally known through productions including True Blood and Big Little Lies.
Stellan has also appeared in major Hollywood franchises, including Marvel’s Thor films.
Melissa McCarthy and Jenny McCarthy
Actresses and television personalities Melissa McCarthy and Jenny McCarthy are cousins.
Melissa became a major film comedy star through projects such as Bridesmaids, Spy and The Heat. Jenny became known through television, modelling and entertainment work.
Despite their different career paths, the two share a family connection.
Elle King and Rob Schneider
Singer Elle King is the daughter of actor and comedian Rob Schneider.
King, whose music includes the hit “Ex’s & Oh’s”, developed a career in music rather than following her father’s primary path in comedy and acting.
Schneider is known for his work on Saturday Night Live and numerous comedy films.
Steven Spielberg and Jessica Capshaw
Director Steven Spielberg and actress Jessica Capshaw are connected through marriage.
Spielberg married Capshaw’s mother, actress Kate Capshaw, in 1991. As a result, Spielberg became Capshaw’s stepfather.
Capshaw later became widely recognised for playing Dr Arizona Robbins on Grey’s Anatomy.
Yara Shahidi and Nas
Actress Yara Shahidi and rapper Nas are second cousins.
Shahidi, known for Black-ish and Grown-ish, has spoken publicly about her family relationship with the hip-hop artist.
The connection also illustrates how celebrity family trees can cross different parts of the entertainment industry, from television acting to music.
Jason Sudeikis and George Wendt
Fans of Saturday Night Live and Cheers may not immediately realise that Jason Sudeikis and George Wendt are related.
Sudeikis has referred to Wendt as “Uncle George”. Wendt is best known for playing Norm Peterson on Cheers, while Sudeikis became a prominent comedian and actor through SNL and later Ted Lasso.
Lily Allen and Alfie Allen
British singer Lily Allen and actor Alfie Allen are siblings.
Lily is known for her music career, while Alfie became internationally recognised for playing Theon Greyjoy in Game of Thrones.
Lily even referenced her younger brother in her music, adding another creative connection between the siblings.
Why Celebrity Family Connections Keep Surprising Fans
Celebrity relatives are often difficult to spot because family members may use different surnames, work in different industries or deliberately maintain separate professional identities.
Some connections are obvious, such as parent-child relationships. Others emerge through genealogy, marriage or stepfamily relationships.
Genealogy programmes have also made these discoveries more accessible. Finding Your Roots, for example, uses historical research and DNA analysis to explore family histories and identify previously unknown connections. The Lena Dunham and Larry David discovery is one example of how genetic genealogy can reveal distant relationships.
Meanwhile, modern celebrity interviews and social media can reveal family links that have remained relatively private for years.
The Bottom Line
From the real-life friendship and family rumour surrounding Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson to confirmed relationships involving Sabrina Carpenter, Nancy Cartwright, Alix Earle, Dylan Dreyer, Lena Dunham and Larry David, celebrity family trees can be surprisingly complicated.
Some relationships are biological. Others come through marriage, stepfamilies or distant ancestry. And in the case of Brothers, a real-life rumour has now become the foundation for a fictional comedy series.
As Hollywood continues to overlap across generations, there will likely be plenty more famous family connections for fans to discover.