Many celebrity children fall off the radar when they reach adulthood. However, some are brought up around the glitz and glam of Hollywood and showbusiness and set out on their own paths to achieve fame. Often this can be referred to as nepotism, however, there’s no denying talent.
While some stars may have been given their chance due to who their parents are, others have managed to do it on their own accord. Some have even chosen to use different last names to make the process more personal. Amongst the thousands of celebrity children who grew up in the entertainment industry, some have gone on to surpass their parents. So, here’s our pick of 5 stars who defied nepotism.
5. Zoë Kravitz
Zoë Kravitz is not the only member of her family who surpassed their parents. Her father Lenny Kravitz is a world-renowned, Grammy Award-winning rockstar who has sold over 40 million albums worldwide. Just like how he eclipsed his mother Roxie Roker‘s success, Zoë Kravitz has repeated history by becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest stars of the last decade. Perhaps most known for her role as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman in 2022’s The Batman, Kravitz has demonstrated she is much more than an action star. All of which has been done in a relatively short period of time.
Kravitz also starred in hit TV shows like Big Little Lies, and High Fidelity, and has lent her voice to movies like The Lego Batman Movie, and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. In 2024, she made her directorial debut with the critically acclaimed Blink Twice. But her talents don’t end there. She is also the front-woman of American R&B and electro pop duo, Lolawolf.
4. Jamie Lee Curtis
Jamie Lee Curtis may have landed her first major film role in Halloween because her mother was known as the “scream queen” of Hollywood, but ever since then, she has proven to be much more than someone in the celebrity children realm. Growing up with two actors as parents – Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh – it makes perfect sense that this would rub off and inspire Jamie Lee Curtis to go down the same route. While her parents are both considered iconic figures in cinema, it is Jamie Lee who has had the most success.
Both of her parents were nominated for Oscars but never took home the gold. However, Jamie Lee Curtis won Best Supporting Actress in 2023 for her role in Everything Everywhere All at Once. The next year, she won Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series for her riveting performance in The Bear. In 2025, the acclaim kept coming and she found herself nominated for Best Supporting Actress at the BAFTAs for her rendition in The Last Showgirl. Once seen as the scream queen replacement for her mother, Jamie Lee Curtis soon turned into one of Hollywood’s most eclectic actresses, taking on roles in a plethora of genres, from romance to comedy to action.
3. Josh Brolin
Josh Brolin is the son of renowned character actor James Brolin. Josh made his acting debut in 1985 with the classic family adventure movie, The Goonies. Being such a huge blockbuster movie, it seemed that he was all set for massive success. However, he became confined to the supporting actor realm for a long time. In fact, his roles were so small and infrequent that he began day trading as he simply wasn’t making enough money. This all changed in 2007 with the release of No Country for Old Men.
The Coen Brothers‘ slow-burn crime thriller took home Best Picture at the Oscars, but Brolin missed out on a nomination. However, people took notice, and the next year he landed a nomination for his role in Milk. Since then, he has become a certified A-lister, starring in movies like Avengers: Infinity War, Deadpool 2, and Dune. In 2022, he fore-fronted his very first TV series for Prime Video with Outer Range, which was cancelled after only two seasons, outraging fans of Brolin.
2. Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is the daughter of Oscar-winning actor Jon Voight (Deliverance, Midnight Cowboy). Her mother Marcheline Bertrand was also an actress, spending many years studying under iconic acting coach Lee Strasberg. To that, Jolie was immersed into the art form from a tender age. While it took her father many years to reach great heights and ultimately win an Oscar, Jolie got their rapidly, winning an Oscar for her role in Girl, Interrupted in 2000. She was then nominated again in 2009 for her leading role in Clint Eastwood‘s Changeling.
Despite becoming a household name from her role in Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, she has never been confined to one genre. She has also taken many turns behind the lens, most notably with her Oscar-nominated biopic, Unbroken. Although a great deal of her massive public profile has come from media attention from her personal life ie her rocky marriage to Brad Pitt, Jolie has always managed to not let that leak into her work. With each year that passes, she showcases herself as a true artist through her acting, writing, producing, and directing. She has also become heavily involved in many international charity projects, especially those involving refugees.
1. Miley Cyrus
When it comes to celebrity children carrying their fame into adulthood, Miley Cyrus is possibly the most shining example of this. She is also perhaps the biggest example of a child star who has surpassed their famous parents. Cyrus captured global recognition at a young age after starring in Disney Channel’s Hannah Montana. Her metamorphosis into a bold artist with her own unique sound truly shaped the rest of her career, becoming one of the most successful and prominent musicians worldwide, surpassing her father Billy Ray Cyrus‘ fame.
Although, Miley’s father earned his place in the industry with “Achy Breaky Heart”, Miley has trumped his success massively, earning a name for herself in the music world with chart-topping, seemingly timeless hits “Wrecking Ball” and “Flowers”. What’s more, her persona and performances are fearless, provocative, and edgy; further setting her apart from the more traditional image of country music associated with her father. To that, it’s clear that Miley’s career goals and expectations far exceed those of her father, and she is paving her way to becoming a pioneer in modern music and pop culture.
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