Reflecting upon this intriguing compilation of sibling collaborations in film, I can’t help but marvel at the profound bond that must exist between these brothers and sisters. Their shared experiences, from growing up in showbiz families to the unique camaraderie forged on set, have undoubtedly contributed to their successful careers.
Hollywood often faces criticism for its nepotism issues, but there’s no denying the excitement when we see real-life siblings sharing the silver screen. Whether they’re sticking with the theme and portraying siblings or making a brief appearance, it’s always intriguing. Ranging from the Fannings to the Wilsons to the Murphys, here are 32 instances where celebrity siblings acted together in the same film.
John, Joan, Ann and Bill Cusack (Grosse Pointe Blank)
The Cusack family is brimming with acting talent, ranging from ’80s star John Cusack to his Academy Award-nominated sister Joan. Notably, these two have often shared the screen in movies like “Sixteen Candles,” “Broadcast News,” and “High Fidelity.” Interestingly, four out of the five Cusack siblings can be seen in the 1997 dark comedy film titled “Grosse Point Blank.
Luke, Owen and Andrew Wilson (The Royal Tenenbaums)
After Luke and Owen Wilson first appeared together on the big screen in the 1996 film “Bottle Rocket,” they were joined by their older brother Andrew. The trio of Wilson brothers then came together once more in Wes Anderson’s 2001 family drama-comedy, “The Royal Tenenbaums.
Macaulay and Kieran Culkin (Home Alone)
Way back when they were just adorable kids, Macaulay and Kieran Culkin were the McCallister cousins in the timeless 1990 Christmas classic “Home Alone.” Fast forward to today, these screen legends—joined by their acting kin Rory, Christian, and Shane—came together once more for voiceover roles in the Prime Video animated series, “The Second Best Hospital in the Galaxy.
Elle and Dakota Fanning (I Am Sam)
Initially, both Fanning sisters embarked on their acting journeys at a tender age. Four years younger, Elle Fanning started her cinematic journey by portraying a younger version of Dakota’s character in the 2001 film “I Am Sam.” In their adult lives, these siblings have appeared together as on-screen siblings in Mélanie Laurent’s movie adaptation of Kristin Hannah’s popular wartime novel, “The Nightingale.
Ben And Casey Affleck (Good Will Hunting)
In relation to Ben, who is three years older, it was Casey Affleck who gained notable recognition for his supporting part in the 1997 drama film “Good Will Hunting,” directed by Gus van Sant. This movie was both starred and written by Casey’s brother and childhood friend, Matt Damon. Later on, Casey himself took the leading role in Ben Affleck’s directorial debut, the 2007 film “Gone Baby Gone.
Daniel, William and Stephen Baldwin (Born on the Fourth of July)
Although they’ve spent several decades working in Hollywood, the Baldwin brothers – Daniel, William, Stephen, and one more – have shared the screen together just once, that being in the 2020 documentary titled My Promise to PJ, directed by Daniel himself. However, you can see three of the four siblings – Daniel, William, and Stephen – in Oliver Stone’s 1989 film, Born on the Fourth of July.
Marlon and Shawn Wayans (White Chicks)
As a gaming enthusiast, I can’t help but marvel at the impressive family tree of the Wayans clan, boasting talents like Nadia, Shawn, Keenen Ivory, Dwayne, Kim, Damon, and Marlon. The latter duo, my brothers Marlon and Damon, made quite a name for themselves back in the ’90s with their hilarious antics on the WB sitcom The Wayans Bros, as well as comedy classics like Don’t Be a Menace, the Scary Movie series, White Chicks, Little Man, and Dance Flick.
Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal (Donnie Darko)
The art of filmmaking is a family tradition for the Gyllenhaals: Maggie and Jake’s parents, Stephen Gyllenhaal and Naomi Achs, are both writer-directors. While each sibling has garnered significant praise for their respective films—notably Maggie with films like Secretary and Crazy Heart, and Jake with Brokeback Mountain, Zodiac, and Nightcrawler—it’s possibly their collaborative project, the 2001 psychological thriller Donnie Darko, that holds a special place in the hearts of many.
Maude and Iris Apatow (Knocked Up)
Maude and Iris, the daughters of film director Judd Apatow and comedian Leslie Mann, made their Hollywood debuts as child actors in their father’s movies such as “Knocked Up” (2007), “Funny People” (2009) and “This Is 40” (2012). As they grew older, both sisters continued acting: Maude gained recognition for her role as Lexi Howard in HBO’s “Euphoria,” while Iris has appeared in Netflix series like “Love” and “The Bubble.
Charlie Sheen and Emilio Estévez (Young Guns)
In the tradition of their father, all four children of Martin Sheen – sons Emilio, Ramón (known as Charlie), and daughter Renée – ventured into acting. Notably, Emilio and Charlie each achieved significant Hollywood fame and collaborated on multiple films, such as “Wisdom” (1986), “Young Guns” (1988), “Men at Work” (1990), and “Rated X” (2000).
Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen (It Takes Two)
It’s uncommon to find the Olsen twins playing separate roles in films: as young celebrities, these sister stars were a dominant force in pop culture, often appearing together on screen in movies such as ‘It Takes Two’, ‘Billboard Dad’, ‘Passport to Paris’, ‘Holiday in the Sun’ and ‘New York Minute’. In fact, their collaboration began when they were mere infants, taking turns playing Michelle Tanner in the TV sitcom ‘Full House’.
James, Dave and Tom Franco (The Disaster Artist)
As a gamer, I found myself in a unique situation when I took part in “The Disaster Artist,” the 2017 bio-comedy that chronicled the creation of the cult classic film, “The Room.” In this cinematic journey, I donned multiple hats: my younger brother James helmed the director’s chair and transformed into the movie’s enigmatic protagonist, Tommy Wiseau; another sibling, Dave, stepped into the shoes of Wiseau’s on-screen partner, Greg Sestero. Lastly, our eldest brother Tom made a brief appearance among the film crew in the movie-within-a-movie. It was an unforgettable experience to be part of such a fascinating tale behind the scenes of one of cinema’s most intriguing mysteries.
Dylan and Cole Sprouse (Big Daddy)
Prior to gaining fame as Zack and Cody on Disney Channel’s The Suite Life series, twin brothers Dylan and Cole Sprouse made their significant debut in a film role with the 1999 comedy Big Daddy. They played the character of Julian McGrath, a five-year-old, alongside Adam Sandler.
Jeff and Beau Bridges (The Fabulous Baker Boys)
In the 1989 film titled “The Fabulous Baker Boys,” starring actual brothers Jeff Bridges and Beau Bridges as piano-playing duo, the story unfolds under the direction of Steve Kloves. A heated argument between the siblings in one scene was so convincing that it led Beau to believe Jeff had genuinely broken his hand, causing him to visit a hospital.
Luke and Chris Hemsworth (Thor: Ragnarok)
Although no film has yet gathered all three Hemsworth brothers – Chris, Liam, and Luke – there are multiple ones that include at least two of these talented Australian actors. In the 2017 blockbuster Thor: Ragnarok, Luke portrayed a fictionalized version of Chris’s character, the God of Thunder; and more recently, he teamed up with Liam in the cast of the 2024 action-thriller Land of Bad. The exciting challenge now lies in bringing Chris and Liam together on the silver screen!
Hilary and Haylie Duff (Material Girls)
In the 2006 teen comedy “Material Girls,” popular sisters Hilary and Haylie Duff play the roles of Tanzie and Ava, two pampered, high-society Hollywood personalities whose vast cosmetics empire crumbles following a significant media controversy.
Sunny and Sadie Sandler (You Are So Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah)
The entire Sandler cast graces the screen in the recently released Netflix production titled “You Are Not Invited to My Bat Mitzvah“, an amusing dramedy that stands out as one of the most memorable coming-of-age movies in recent times. In this film, Adam’s real-life daughters, Sunny and Sadie, are featured. Sunny takes on the role of Stacy Friedman, a middle school student eagerly anticipating her bat mitzvah, while Sadie portrays her older sister Ronnie.
Sean and Chris Penn (At Close Range)
In the 1986 movie “At Close Range,” director James Foley chose to depict the Whitewoods, a criminal family residing in rural backwoods, through the talents of real-life brothers Sean and Chris Penn. Later, both actors made brief appearances in the 2003 mockumentary film “Pauly Shore Is Dead,” with Sean portraying himself and Chris taking on the role of “Half of a Jailed Gay Couple.
Tia, Tamera and Tahj Mowry (Seventeen Again)
Initially achieving fame as the main characters in the popular ’90s sitcom “Sister, Sister” on TGIF, the identical twins Tia and Tamera Mowry later ventured into films. This included the 2000 fantasy comedy “17 Again,” where they were joined by their younger brother Tahj Mowry, a familiar face from the show “Smart Guy.
Brian And Domhnall Gleeson (Mother!)
Suitably, the character names for Brian and Domhnall Gleeson in the 2017 psychological horror film Mother!, directed by Darren Aronofsky, are “younger brother” and “oldest son.” In reality, these actors are Irish siblings, including novelist-screenwriter Rory and fellow actor Fergus. They refer to Oscar nominee Brendan Gleeson (known for The Banshees of Inisherin) as their father.
Groucho, Harpo, Chico and Zeppo Marx (Duck Soup)
As a gaming enthusiast, I’d say, “I trace my roots back to a legendary comedy troupe known as The Marx Brothers. We began as a family-run vaudeville act, with my older brothers Groucho, Harpo, and Chico leading the charge, followed by Gummo and Zeppo joining in later. From 1905 to 1949, we starred together in 14 films, creating timeless masterpieces such as ‘Duck Soup’, ‘A Night at the Opera’, and ‘Horse Feathers’.
Eddie And Charlie Murphy (Harlem Nights)
In his initial and so far sole directorial venture, Eddie Murphy assembled a distinguished cast for the 1989 comedy film “Harlem Nights“, featuring iconic actors like Richard Pryor and Redd Foxx, along with his elder brother, actor-comedian Charlie Murphy.
Nat And Alex Wolff (Stella’s Last Weekend)
In 2018’s comedy “Stella’s Last Weekend”, the director was none other than the Wolff brothers’ own mom, Polly Draper, a fact they were already well-acquainted with. Interestingly enough, this wasn’t their first collaboration; they had previously acted together in the Nickelodeon series “The Naked Brothers Band”, which was also created by their mother.
Rory And Kieran Culkin (Igby Goes Down)
Having multiple actors within the family is extremely handy for the Culkins, especially when it comes to casting. If a filmmaker needed someone to portray the younger versions of Macaulay or Kieran Culkin, they could simply call Rory. He previously played the young Macaulay in “Richie Rich” (1994) and depicted the younger character of Kieran Culkin in “Igby Goes Down” (2002).
Abigail and Spencer Breslin (Raising Helen)
Initially making their debuts as child actors in Hollywood, Abigail Breslin and her elder sibling Spencer Breslin shared the screen as on-screen siblings in the 2004 film “Raising Helen,” with Kate Hudson playing their aunt and guardian. In the same year, they both appeared in “The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement”; Spencer took on the role of a prince while Abigail portrayed an orphanage girl.
Melvil and Yarol Poupaud (Broken English)
In the 2007 romantic comedy “Broken English,” directed by Zoe Cassavetes, Parker Posey portrays single New York resident Nora Wilder who finds herself attracted to a Frenchman named Julian, portrayed by Melvil Poupaud. However, another character played by Melvil Poupaud can also be found in the film – his real-life brother Yarol, who appears as Guillaume, a man Nora meets at an art gallery.
Ron And Clint Howard (Grand Theft Auto)
The acting partnership between Ron and Clint Howard began when Clint was only two years old, as he starred on The Andy Griffith Show alongside his elder brother in the 1960s. Since then, Clint has taken part in no less than seventeen films directed by his talented director-actor sibling, Ron. This collaboration started with their first joint project, the full-length feature film Grand Theft Auto.
Chris And Scott Evans (Before We Go)
In 2014, Scott Evans starred in two movies alongside his sibling Chris: the romantic comedy “Playing It Cool” and Chris’s first directorial project, “Before We Go.” Unfortunately, there wasn’t a reunion for the 2023 film “Barbie,” although it would have been quite entertaining to see Chris Evans portray Ken.
Kevin, Nick and Joe Jonas (Camp Rock)
It’s widely recognized that the Jonas Brothers are a pop-rock group, but aside from their music, they have ventured into acting. They starred together in the Disney Channel Original Movie ‘Camp Rock’ in 2008 and its sequel ‘Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam’ in 2010.
Dennis and Randy Quaid (The Long Riders)
In the 1980s, a Western movie titled “The Long Riders” was directed by Walter Hill. This biographical film featured four pairs of real-life brother actors portraying the criminal gangs that were depicted in the story. Among these brothers were Dennis and Randy Quaid, who played the Minnesota outlaws Ed and Clell Miller.
Nicholas and Christopher Guest (The Long Riders)
In “The Long Riders,” the ensemble is made up of numerous actual siblings such as the Quaids, the Keaches, and the Carradines. The roles of Robert Ford, Jesse James’ assassin, and his brother Charley Ford were played by brothers Christopher and Nicholas Guest in this Western movie.
Julia and Eric Roberts (Blood Red)
Although they’ve both spent several decades working in the entertainment industry, Eric and Julia Roberts have only starred together in a single movie. They are siblings, born to actor-playwright parents Betty Lou Bredemus and Walter Grady Roberts. In the 1989 Western film Blood Red, they portrayed brother and sister roles.
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2024-09-07 23:09