It's no doubt that having
celebrity parents is a privilege. People believe that the children of these celebrities would receive quite a bit of fame thanks to their parents, which pave the way for creating an acting profile in Hollywood. The son of Will Smith,
Jaden Smith, is an example. He easily got the roles in The Pursuit of Happyness (2006), The Karate Kid (2010), and After Earth (2013) due to his father's reputation. Although the Karate kid soon went downhill, his acting career is still enough for many young actors.
However, some
celebrity kids prove that whatever their parents did, they can do better. It's not uncommon for kids to end up following in their parent's footsteps and becoming famous. All of that is really natural, but when children are involved, there can be a lot of pressure because they feel like they must live up to their parents. Sometimes they prefer a life away from the spotlight, but other times they even outperform their family in terms of notoriety.
Today's list examines which
celebrity kids actually managed to become more famous than their parents. Yes, there are occasions when the younger generation simply outperforms them, as this list fully demonstrates.
#1 Lenny Kravitz
Source: @lennykravitz
It seems like the Kravitz family has a tradition of becoming more well-known than their parents. Lenny Roker was Roxie Roker's son. This talented woman is the one who played Helen Willis for the first eleven seasons of "The Jeffersons." In 1964, she gave birth to Lenny, and by the 1990s, Lenny had sold out stadiums and been awarded Grammys. The actress Zoe, who is Lenny's daughter, is gaining massive popularity due to her breakthrough in X-Men: First Class (2011) and The Divergent Series (2014–2016). There's no doubt that Zoe is about to surpass her father as the Kravitz the world knows best, even though Lenny is still among the most well-known rock and rollers on the planet. It's only a matter of time before Zoe gets the throne of being the most famous member of the family.
#2 Whitney Houston
Source: @whitneyhouston
Whitney Houston's mother Cissy is the source of her singing talent. Cissy had a successful career in the music industry as a soul and gospel vocalist, and she has performed as a backup singer for legends like Aretha Franklin and Elvis Presley. Cissy is a two-time Grammy winner. She feels unable to compare her accomplishments to those of her daughter, who is regarded as one of the best-selling and most celebrated female artists in history. Although Cissy Houston outlived her famous daughter, she will always come in second to her in terms of fame.
#3 Miley Cyrus
Source: @mileycyrus
Miley Cyrus's career has had its ups and downs; in less than ten years, she transitioned from
Disney Channel sweetheart to pop princess to full-fledged sex symbol. But long before "Wrecking Ball" became popular on YouTube, her father's crossover country song "Achy Breaky Heart" dominated the radio. The early 1990s were Billy Ray Cyrus' moment in the spotlight, and though he had a comeback in 2019 with his appearance on Lil Nas X's super popular song "Old Town Road," there is no disputing that his daughter has surpassed him. In all honesty, you know you are less well-known than your daughter when they start referring to you as "Miley Cyrus' dad." Such a sad tale for Billy boy.
#4 Jennifer Aniston
Source: @jenniferaniston
John Aniston, a regular on the venerable NBC soap opera "Days of Our Lives," is none other than Jennifer Aniston's father. The opera has been ongoing for more than 50 years, and Aniston has been portraying the infamous Victor Kiriakis since 1985. John's career has lasted for more than five decades, yet he hasn't even come close to matching his daughter's popularity. Her role in "Friends" made her a household name and guaranteed her parts for many years to come. She is an accomplished actress, producer, and businesswoman who frequently appears in the media. That's tough to beat!
#5 Angelina Jolie
Source: @angelinajolie
Jon Voight, Jolie's father, has won an Oscar for his excellent performance. It's also undeniable that Voight was once a true Hollywood A-lister, directing classics like "Midnight Cowboy," "Coming Home," and "Mission: Impossible," but in recent years, his reputation has faded while Angelina's has continued to shine brighter. Like her father, Angelina is a Hollywood legend who has maintained her fame through her work in front of and behind the camera. She is famous for her humanitarian work as a Special Envoy to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and her relationship with her ex-husband and fellow movie legend Brad Pitt. Angelina has undoubtedly surpassed her father in popularity as one of the most well-known performers on the planet.
#6 Gwyneth Paltrow
Source: @gwynethpaltrow
It's fair to say that Gwyneth Paltrow had an advantage over others due to her well-known parents. Her mother, Blythe Danner, has appeared in more than 100 films, television, and stage productions, while her father, Bruce Paltrow, worked as a director and producer in Hollywood for many years. But although they had their moment, Gwyneth is still making waves in a variety of fields because of her abilities as an Oscar-winning actress and entrepreneur. She has portrayed Pepper Potts in the
Marvel Cinematic Universe since 2008, and her lifestyle brand, Goop, makes sure she is constantly in the headlines, if not always for the best reasons.
#7 Ben Stiller
Source: @benstiller
Ben Stiller, the son of comedians Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara, has worked his way up the ranks to become one of Hollywood's most successful
funny guys. But in the 1960s, his parents—the comedic team Stiller and Meara—were the ones causing a stir in the
Entertainment world. Jerry went on to act in a few sitcoms, such as "Seinfeld," while his wife Anne won a Writers Guild Award for her contributions to the television film "The Other Woman."
#8 Emma Roberts
Source: @emmaroberts
You're probably wondering "How come Emma Roberts is more famous than Julia Roberts?" Well here's some breaking news for you: Julia is actually Emma's aunt! Eric Roberts, Emma's father, is the one we're comparing with. Given that, it's safe to say that she is the most well-known Roberts from that branch of the family. Thanks to appearances in
Movies like "Star 80" and "Runaway Train," the latter of which garnered him an Oscar nomination, Eric had a brief flirtation with A-list celebrity status in the 1980s. Nevertheless, Emma is undoubtedly the family's new star because of her big social media presence and major roles in shows like "American Horror Story," even though dad has a vast repertoire of more than 500 movies and TV shows.
#9 Chris Pine
Source: Araya Doheny/WireImage
Chris Pine has established himself as one of Hollywood's most adaptable leading actors with parts in big-budget blockbusters like the "Star Trek" series and "Wonder Woman," musicals like "Into the Woods," and Oscar contenders like "Hell or High Water." Perhaps he picked up some tips from his father Robert Pine, who starred in six seasons of "CHiPs" in the 1970s and 1980s as Sergeant Joseph Getraer. The father's career peaked at that period, as he has only had modest supporting roles and some vocal work for video games in the years thereafter. We don't think he had too much trouble handing the fame to his son.
#10 Josh Brolin
Source: @joshbrolin
Thanks to his legendary performances in movies like "The Goonies" and "No Country for Old Men," Josh Brolin has been a mainstay of Hollywood for decades. He did, however, experience a significant boost in popularity in 2018 thanks to his roles as the villain Thanos in "Avengers: Infinity War" and the anti-hero Cable in "Deadpool 2." And yet, it's possible that he would never have set foot on a movie set if it weren't for his father, James Brolin. James Brolin has been in movies since the 1960s, and his credits range from the first two seasons of "Batman" to "Community." Josh owes his father a debt of gratitude, even though it is obvious his kid is now the Brolin everyone is referring to!