Being the child of prominent Hollywood figures can be daunting all on its own, but following in their famous footsteps can be downright intimidating. Many times these hopefuls fade into the background and are unable to capture the essence and on-screen magic of their distinguished parents, regularly being compared to their talent and body of work. When these performers are able to make an impressive cinematic splash, the world takes notice and the aspiring actors manage to step outside the shadow of their well-known family members. In fact, some of the most intriguing and gifted big and small screen presences just so happen to be the offspring of brilliant actors.

Whether you’re the son of the legendary Clint Eastwood, daughter of 20th-century actress and sex symbol Jayne Mansfield, or are heir to an entertainment dynasty like Dakota Johnson, it is no small feat to separate yourself from the legacy of your well-known parents. Let’s take a closer look at Scott Eastwood and other children of famous actors who became great actors themselves.

Angelina Jolie

Eternals Jolie
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Cinema superstar and esteemed humanitarian Angelina Jolie has been in show business for decades, and made her screen debut as a child alongside her father Jon Voight in the 1982 comedy Lookin’ to Get Out. Jolie’s film career truly began over a decade later, when the star received her first leading role in the 1995 crime drama Hackers. She won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in 1999’s Girl, Interrupted and starred in myriad memorable movies like Laura Croft: Tomb Raider, Mr. & Mrs. Smith, Wanted and Maleficent. Jolie is heavily regarded as one of the most powerful and influential people in the film industry, and garnered widespread attention for her highly-publicized relationship with Brad Pitt. Though the daughter and father had been estranged in recent years, Jolie and Voight reconnected when the former had children and began to publicly and privately mend their relationship after not speaking for over six years.

Scott Eastwood

Scott Eastwoof
Warner Bros. Pictures

The son of legendary Hollywood superstar Clint Eastwood, Scott Eastwood began his cinema career by opting to initially use his given last name Reeves to avoid nepotism. He once revealed in a 2015 interview that he did not receive special treatment from his famous dad, saying “I’ve auditioned for pretty much every one of my father’s movies,” and shared that he was rejected for many of his father's projects including the Oscar-winning American Sniper: Scott paved his own way in the entertainment industry, nabbing the lead role in the 2010 Jack Heller psychological thriller Enter Nowhere before landing bigger and more prominent parts in hits like the slasher Texas Chainsaw 3D, the war drama Fury, and box office hits Suicide Squad and Wrath of Man. Eastwood most recently starred as Noah in the 2022 romantic comedy I Want You Back, opposite Charlie Day and Jenny Slate.

Josh Brolin

Josh Brolin Sicario 2
Sony Pictures Releasing

Fame runs in the family for Josh Brolin, who is the son of famed television star James Brolin and the step-son of iconic performer Barabara Streisand. Josh landed his first notable and buzz-worthy role in the classic ‘80s adventure film The Goonies, in which he portrayed Brandon “Brand” Walsh, the main protagonist’s older brother. The actor took on many villainous roles in the early 2000s, including parts in movies like American Gangster and Oliver Stone’s Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps. Arguably his most critically acclaimed performance thus far is in the Oscar-winning 2007 Coen Brothers crime thriller No Country for Old Men, in which he stars as a Vietnam War veteran and welder who stumbled upon a large sum of money in the desert. Josh earned an Academy Award nomination for his part in the biopic Milk, and has appeared in a slew of hit films like Gangster Squad, Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and as Cable in the smash hit Deadpool 2. He is currently filming the upcoming comedy Brothers, opposite Peter Dinklage.

Mariska Hargitay

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For over twenty years, the talented Mariska Hargitay has captured audiences everywhere as the fierce and determined Olivia Benson on the juggernaut NBC drama Law & Order: Special Victims Unit. The powerhouse performer is the daughter of actress and famed twentieth century sex symbol Jayne Mansfield and body-builder-turned-actor Mickey Hargitay, and made her film debut in the 1985 horror comedy Ghoulies. Mariska later appeared on numerous television shows including Baywatch, In the Heat of the Night and Thirtysomething, in addition to parts in films like Leaving Las Vegas and Lake Placid. Her star-making role came in 1999 when she and fellow actor Christoper Meloni were cast as everyone’s favorite detective duo Olivia Benson and Elliot Stabler. Mansfield died in a tragic car crash when Mariska was just three, and the actress told People magazine, “She was just so ahead of her time. She was an inspiration, she had this appetite for life, and I think I share that with her.”

Colin Hanks

Fargo Season 1 Blu-ray Preview with Colin Hanks | EXCLUSIVE
20th Television

The son of America’s sweetheart and beloved performer Tom Hanks, Colin Hanks has followed in his father’s entertainment footsteps, appearing in both major film and television roles. The younger Hanks’ first starring role was as Alex Whitman in the 1999 sci-fi series Roswell, in which he appeared for three seasons until its cancellation. Colin Hanks would go on to star opposite Jack Black in Orange County, in Peter Jackson’s epic 2005 remake of King Kong, and alongside Anna Faris in The House Bunny. The charming funnyman portrayed Greg Short for four seasons on the CBS sitcom Life in Pieces and as adult Alex Vreeke in the blockbuster hit Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle and its successful follow-up. In a recent 2021 interview, Colin expressed his amazement of his father’s colorful career and that he tries not to compare, saying, “I just try to look at what I’m doing and appreciate what I am able to do and find the joy in the art of doing, as they say.”

Billie Lourd

Carrie Fisher's Daughter Almost Played Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The daughter of the late and beloved Carrie Fisher, Billie Lourd is a gifted actress with deep ties to Hollywood: her grandparents are the legendary Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher. Lourd made her on-screen debut as Lieutenant Kaydel Ko Connix alongside her famous mom in 2015’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens and as Sadie Swenson/Chanel #3 in Ryan Murphy’s Scream Queens. She would go on to develop a strong relationship with Murphy, landing roles in multiple seasons of his American Horror Story anthology series. For her performance as Gigi in the 2019 coming-of-age comedy Booksmart, Lourd won the Los Angeles Online Film Critics Society Award for Best Supporting Actress. The actress will be co-starring in the upcoming British-American rom-com Ticket to Paradise, with George Clooney and Julia Roberts.

Related: Ticket to Paradise Reunites George Clooney & Julia Roberts in Theaters Fall 2022

Kiefer Sutherland

24: Live Another Day Will Debut with a Two-Hour Series Premier This May!
Paramount+

Famous for his starring role as Jack Bauer in the critically-renowned Fox drama series 24, Kiefer Sutherland has found immense success on both the big and small screen since his debut in the 1983 dramedy Max Dugan Returns. The actor is the son of famed Canadian actors Donald Sutherland and Shirley Douglas, and garnered praise for his role as Donald Campbell in the 1984 drama The Bay Boy. Following the film’s success, Kiefer moved to Hollywood and nabbed impressive roles in treasured pictures like Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me, as a vampire in the cult classic The Lost Boys and the Western Young Guns. The actor found continued success in the 1990s, with parts in The Three Musketeers, Freeway, and A Time To Kill propelling him to further stardom. For his dominating performance as Jack Bauer in 24, Kiefer won an Emmy, Golden Globe and two Screen Actors Guild Awards.

Maya Hawke

Maya Hawke - Fear Street
Netflix

When your parents are Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman, it seems like fate that you'd dip your toe in the acting pool, which is exactly what Maya Hawke did. After beginning her career in modeling, Maya made her screen debut as Jo March in the 2017 BBC adaptation of Little Women. The actress attracted further attention by joining the mega-hit Netflix sci-fi series Stranger Things, portraying the ice cream parlor worker and close friend of Steve Harrington, Robin Buckley. Maya appeared as Heather in the 2021 Netflix slasher film Fear Street Part One: 1994 and joins an A-list ensemble in the upcoming Wes Anderson romantic dramedy Asteroid City. On her famous movie star parents, Maya told People magazine, “I’m always running decisions by them. They both have similar levels of success but really different experiences within the business.”

Related: Netflix Announce Double Premiere Date for Stranger Things' Epic Season 4

Dakota Johnson

Dakota Johnson
Universal Pictures

The daughter of acting greats Don Johnson and Melanie Griffith and granddaughter of Tippi Hedren, Dakota Johnson seemingly has acting in her blood and followed in her famous family’s footsteps. After making her initial film debut at 10 with a minor role in 1999’s Crazy in Alabama, Dakota had her major breakthrough role in the 2012 action comedy 21 Jump Street. The actress would go on to appear in the comedies Goats and The Five-Year Engagement before landing the lead role of Anastasia Steele in the erotic romantic drama series Fifty Shades; the franchise shot the talent to superstardom. Dakota has since appeared in a slew of critically acclaimed pictures such as How to Be Single, Bad Times at the El Royale and The Peanut Butter Falcon. She was cast as Madame Web in the upcoming superhero film of the same name, set in Sony’s Spider-Man Universe.