15 Comedians With Famous Relatives
Sometimes aspirations of fame and notoriety are a recessive gene, hidden in the bloodline and able to pop out every now and then with certain family members. For this next group of comedians, their veins are filled with talented DNA, as proven by the existence of mothers, grandparents, third cousins and step-fathers who have also found their footing in Hollywood. Here are 15 comedians you didn't know had famous relatives.
Melissa McCarthy and Jenny McCarthy
Netflix & Fox
Can you believe it? Melissa McCarthy and Jenny McCarthy are first cousins. Sadly, this doesn’t apply to all celebrities with shared last names if you were getting your hopes up for Katt and Robin Williams. According to Us Magazine, Jenny got Melissa her first Hollywood job on her sitcom Jenny which ran from 1997 to 1998.
Rashida Jones and Quincy Jones
NBC & New Line Cinema
Parks and Rec and The Office alum Rashida Jones is the daughter of legendary producer Quincy Jones and made a documentary showcasing his life entitled Quincy which premiered on Netflix in 2018.
Nicolas Cage and Jason Schwartzman
Circle Films & Searchlight Pictures
Parade magazine described the complicated relation as, “Schwartzman’s mother is actress Talia Shire, the sister of director Francis Ford Coppola. Cage, 53—who changed his last name for his acting career—is the son of August Coppola, Francis’ brother, so he’s Schwartzman’s cousin.” You can tell they are related as they definitely both have the exact look Wes Anderson wants to showcase.
Tracee Ellis Ross, Jessica Simpson, Diana Ross, and Ashlee Simpson
Ok here’s a simple family tree. Ashlee Simpson married Evan Ross, the son of singer, Diana Ross. Evan is the half-brother of Black-ish star Tracee Ellis Ross, making her related to Diana Ross, Jessica Simpson, and Ashlee Simpson.
Amy Schumer And U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer
What do Amy Schumer and Chuck Schumer have in common? Their blood! Chuck Schumer is the first cousin of Amy’s father, making them first cousins once removed. When Trump accused Chuck Schumer of crying fake tears Amy defended him on Instagram saying, “Also I know Chuck Schumer and HE CANNOT act trust me. He can barely smile on cue. He can't help but be transparent and genuine.”
Matthew Perry and Keith Morrison
Friends star Matthew Perry is the step-son of Canadian anchorman and Dateline reporter, Keith Morrison. Perry’s mother married Morrison when Perry was ten years old before he moved to live with his biological father in L.A. at the age of 15.
Jason Sudeikis and George Wendt
Comedy runs in the family for Cheer’s George Wendt and Ted Lasso’s Jason Sudeikis. Sudeikis said that growing up his Uncle Wendt was a big inspiration for him in that it proved acting was a viable career path. Sudeikis said, “Here's a guy from the Midwest, in my family, who took the road less traveled on and it worked out for him."
Charlie Chaplin and Oona Chaplin
Oona Chaplin who has appeared in Game Of Thrones and James bond’s Quantum Of Solace is related to exactly who you would hope she is. Charlie Chaplin, the undisputed champion of the silent comedy area is the grandfather of this rising star.
Jonah Hill and Beanie Feldstein
Apatow Productions & Gloria Sanchez Productions
Booksmart’s Beanie Feldstein and everything’s Jonah Hill met each other when Jonah was nine years old and Beanie was birthed from his mother. That is to say, the two are siblings! Beanie said about her brother, “he’s like one of the most important people in my whole life, and being his sister is like my greatest joy.”
Conan O'Brien and Denis Leary
NBC
Conan O’Brien just so happens to be the third cousin of fellow funnyman Denis Leary. Denis Leary wrote Conan a sweet message on Twitter before his final show that read, “ “@ConanOBrien always makes me laugh. Apparently even louder when he has facial hair. His ‘final’ show is tonight. Then he reinvents himself again on @hbomax.”
Kate Spade and David Spade
David Spade was the brother-in-law of fashion designer Kate Spade who married Spade’s brother in 1994. Spade spoke of his late sister-in-law who took her own life in 2018 saying, “Katy was so funny. I don’t know if agoraphobic is the word, but she didn’t like to mingle a lot; she’d have people at her house and she was always so funny.”
Richard Pryor and Ludacris
Columbia Pictures & Universal Pictures
Want to know something that is truly ludicrous? Ludacris, born Chris Bridges, is related to Mt. Rushmore level comedian Richard Pryor. Ludacris said about his distant relative, “He’s like my fifth or sixth or seventh cousin, something like that? I never got a chance to meet him. But I’m a big fan of his.” Us too, Luda. Us too.
Larry David and Sen Bernie Sanders
Larry David, who did a famously good impression of Sen. Bernie Sanders on Saturday Night Live, may have been doing it with an unfair advantage, as the PBS show Finding Your Roots proved that the two are indeed cousins. The look on their faces when the secret is revealed is just priceless.
Maya Rudolph and Minnie Ripperton
Maya Rudolph is the daughter of singer Minnie Ripperton who famously released the hit song “Lovin’ You” in 1974. Her Idol Prince once told her, “The first time I saw your mom on The Mike Douglas Show, I shed a tear.”
The Lucas Brothers
NBC
Are you aware that the stand-up comedy team, The Lucas Brothers are brothers, and not only that, they are twins? If you look closely you can see the resemblance, but still, many people never realize that the two have any shared ancestry.
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Top Image: Columbia Pictures & Universal Pictures
