Are These Celebrities Related? See 18 Famous Pairs Who Share a Last Name

Heather Matarazzo and Gaten Matarazzo

With a last name as unique as theirs, it’s unsurprising that fans thought Princess Diaries actress Heather Matarazzo was mom to Stranger Things star Gaten Matarazzo. Age-wise, it works out … and Gaten’s mom is named Heather. She’s just not this Heather.

In a video shared on TikTok in July 2022, Heather posted an FYI, saying, “I just wanted to clarify something because I’ve been getting a number of messages regarding this,” she said. “I absolutely adore Gaten Matarazzo. I think he is brilliant; I think he is wonderful, but I cannot claim him as my son. Because he is not.”

Mandy Moore and Demi Moore

Mandy Moore — Princess Diaries preppy and This Is Us matriarch — has been in the entertainment industry since she was a teenager, releasing iconic early-2000s hits like “Candy” and “Crush.” Likewise, Demi Moore made her screen debut before she turned 20 in the 1981 film Choices.

Demi went on to have a breakout role in 1985’s St. Elmo’s Fire, kick ass in 1997’s G.I. Jane and earn an Oscar nomination for 2024’s The Substance.

Though both Moores have had huge successes on the big and small screens during their decades-long careers, these talented women are not related. Moore isn’t even Demi’s family’s surname. Born Demi Gene Geynes, Demi professionally took on the last name of her first husband, musician Freddy Moore, to whom she was married from 1980 to 1985.

Denzel Washington and Kerry Washington

When rattling off the most influential Washingtons in American history, Denzel Washington and Kerry Washington would make the list alongside George, for sure. Both acclaimed actors of stage and screen, while also having a hand in producing (and Denzel directing), the landscape of theater, TV and film have been directly impacted by the work these non-president Washingtons have done.

Though not related, both are connected via Shonda Rhimes. Kerry famously starred as Olivia Pope on Scandal from 2012 to 2018, while Denzel directed a season 12 episode of Grey’s Anatomy in 2016, “The Sound of Silence.”

The actors have not worked on a project together yet, though.

Charisma Carpenter and Sabrina Carpenter

Though Charisma Carpenter and Sabrina Carpenter are not related, they did both get their big breaks on TV shows aimed at their respective generations.

Charisma became a multi-season staple on The WB after being cast as Cordelia Chase on Buffy the Vampire Slayer. She stayed with that show from 1997 to 1999 and then reprised the role on its spinoff, Angel, from 1999 to 2004.

A decade later, Sabrina would make her mark on teen TV, playing Maya Hart on Disney Channel’s Girl Meets World from 2014 to 2017, a spinoff series from the ’90s sitcom Boy Meets World — on which Charisma appeared as a guest star on its third season in 1995.

Kristen Stewart and Martha Stewart

She had already been working in the film industry for several years, but Kristen Stewart’s big break came when she starred as Bella Swan in the four movies that made up The Twilight Saga. In it, her moody teen ends up falling for a member of a “vegetarian” vampire coven (meaning they fed on animal blood and not that from people).

Someone who would know how to make a perfect meal with such dietary restrictions would be a renowned home and hospitality personality who certainly knows her way around a kitchen: Martha Stewart.

As they are on this list, these icons are not related. Kristen was born a Stewart, but Martha kept her surname from her ex-husband, Andrew Stewart — the Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia mogul’s last name at birth was Kostyra.

Matthew Perry and Katy Perry

Late Friends star Matthew Perry — who died in October 2023 — was born in Massachusetts, raised in Canada and then lived in California as a working actor as an adult. Singer Katy Perry was born in the Golden State and released the song “California Gurls” on the 2010 studio album Teenage Dream.

While their last names are the same — though no relation! — one is actually a stage name. Born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, Katy’s is her mom’s maiden name.

Jenna Ortega and Kenny Ortega

Now best known for playing Wednesday Addams on the Netflix series Wednesday, Jenna Ortega spent some of the earlier years of her career over on the Disney Channel, leading the family comedy Stuck in the Middle (2016–2018) and voicing Princess Isabel in the TV movie Elena and the Secret of Avalor (2016) and on the Elena of Avalor animated series (2016–2020).

Multihyphenate filmmaker Kenny Ortega has spent some time working on projects for the House of Mouse. After more than a decade in the industry, he directed and choreographed the 1992 film Newsies, later helming and choreographing the High School Musical trilogy and the first three Descendants movies. He’s also responsible for the dancing in 1987’s Dirty Dancing, among many other movie movement moments.

Adrien Brody and Adam Brody

Adrien Brody and Adam Brody aren’t related — but their Wikipedia pages make it very clear that some people might think they are each other. (The top of Adrien’s says, “Not to be confused with Adam Brody.” While the top of Adam’s says, similarly, “Not to be confused with Adrien Brody.”)

Both Adrien and Adam are known for playing Jewish characters, though one has veered into wholly dramatic roles with his award-winning performances. Adrien won two Best Actor Oscars for his portrayal of real-life pianist/Holocaust survivor Władyshław Szpilman in 2003’s The Pianist and fictional architect/Holocaust survivor László Tóth in 2024’s The Brutalist.

Adam won a Critics’ Choice Television Award for best actor in a comedy series for playing Rabbi Noah Roklov on the Netflix rom-com series Nobody Wants This. He’s also known for playing Seth Cohen on The O.C. (2003–2007) — the character who launched Chrismukkah into the cultural zeitgeist.

Micheal Keaton and Diane Keaton

Not only are Michael Keaton and Diane Keaton not related but neither actor was born with that last name.

Michael’s birth name was Michael Douglas; however, because of SAG rules, he could not have the same name as another person in the union. After all, there was already an actor named Michael Douglas, the star of films such as 1987’s Fatal Attraction and 1995’s The American President. In a 2017 interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Michael was asked if he had chosen Keaton for his stage name because of the likes of Buster Keaton or Diane.

While he admitted to being a fan of both, he said he landed on the name after almost choosing to go by Michael Jackson.

Another story that had long gone around was that Michael landed on Keaton from the phone book. When asked about that by PEOPLE for a September 2024 cover story, he said he wasn’t quite sure if that’s how things actually went.

“I was looking through — I can’t remember if it was a phone book,” he said. “I must’ve gone, ‘I don’t know, let me think of something here.’ And I went, ‘Oh, that sounds reasonable.’ ”

Diane’s story is a little more straightforward — born Diane Hall, her mother’s maiden name was Keaton, so that’s where the Oscar winner’s stage name comes from.

Drake Bell and Kristen Bell

“It’s gonna take some time to realize…” that Drake Bell and Kristen Bell are not, in fact, related, even though they are close enough in age — and overlap in areas of talent — to be easily mistaken for siblings.

Drake is an actor and musician, best known as a child star for the Nickelodeon series The Amanda Show (1999–2002) and Drake & Josh (2004–2007). He’s also released three EPs and five studio albums, including 2024’s Non-Stop Flight.

Kristen, who is also an actor and singer, played the title role on Veronica Mars (2004–2007; 2019), led the ensemble of The Good Place (2016–2020) and voiced Anna for Disney’s Frozen franchise.

Cindy Crawford and Joan Crawford

Both known as icons in their respective fields, ’90s supermodel Cindy Crawford and Golden Age of Hollywood film star Joan Crawford are not related … and one of their names was chosen by a contest.

Cindy — born Cynthia Ann Crawford — is one of the biggest models of runways, magazines and fashion campaigns for pretty much any label you can think of, designer or commercial. She also appeared in a handful of films and TV shows (often as herself) and had a line of fitness videos in the ’90s and 2000s.

Joan — born Lucille Fay LaSeur — started as a dancer before becoming a star of the silver screen and winning an Oscar for 1945’s Mildred Pierce. Per Biography, Louis B. Mayer of MGM held a contest to rename the actress, with the winner getting $1,000, and Joan ending up with a new surname that she thought was too close to “crawfish.”

Diane Lane and Nathan Lane

Diane Lane and Nathan Lane were both born with that same last name — no surname changes here. There was a first-name swap out, though … Nathan’s birth name was Joseph. Similar to Michael’s story, there was already a Joseph Lane — this time with Actor’s Equity — so Nathan, per Deadline, landed on his stage name via Nathan Detroit, a character from Guys and Dolls.

Known for their work on the big and small screens, both Diane and Nathan have deep roots in the theater. Diane made her Broadway debut as a child in the 1977 production of The Cherry Orchard and returned to that same play for its 2016 Broadway revival.

Nathan made his Broadway debut in 1982 in Present Laughter and has won three Tony Awards: two for best actor in a musical (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, 1996; The Producers, 2001) and one for best featured actor in a play (Angels in America, 2018).

Gerard Butler and Austin Butler

Gerard Butler is a Scot whose second film credit was the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies, and Austin Butler is an American from sunny California who got his start as a teen on a handful of Disney and Nickelodeon shows in the mid-2000s.

Though not related, these Butlers have the joint distinction of playing two of the biggest names in movie musicals/musical movies, both of which were titular roles — the Phantom of the Opera (Gerard) and Elvis Presley (Austin).

Michael Shannon and Molly Shannon

Kentucky-born Michael Shannon and Ohio native Molly Shannon are not related, though they are both from the Midwest and similarly multitalented — mastering comedy, drama and everything in between. Both got their on-screen start around 1990 and have been going strong ever since.

Michael led HBO’s Boardwalk Empire for five seasons, played Superman villain General Zod for the DCEU and earned Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominations for 2008’s Revolutionary Road and 2016’s Nocturnal Animals. Molly is likely best known for her six seasons as a cast member on Saturday Night Live (playing Mary Katherine Gallagher and Sally O’Malley, among other original characters and dozens of impressions), as well as starring on HBO Max’s The Other Two from 2019 to 2023 and having a recurring role on Hulu’s Only Murders in the Building.

George Lucas and Josh Lucas

Star Wars creator George Lucas — actually a Jr., as he was named after his father — grew up in California and has been a successful filmmaker since the early 1970s, changing the landscape of cinema with his movies but also his effects/design companies Skywalker Sound and Industrial Light & Magic.

Born the year of George’s first feature film, THX 1138 (1971), Josh Lucas — birth name Joshua Lucas Easy Dent Maurer — hails from Arkansas. Josh has been acting since the early 1990s, starring in movies such as 2002’s Sweet Home Alabama and 2006’s Glory Road. Josh also starred on The Mysteries of Laura (2014–2016) and Apple TV+’s Palm Royale.

Though each Lucas has worked on dozens of projects over the past several decades, they have never worked together.

Tommy Lee Jones and Leslie Jones

“What’s up, Jones?” comedian Leslie Jones addressed actor Tommy Lee Jones in a 2022 Super Bowl LVI ad for the Ford Tundra as the pair of Joneses, along with Rashida Jones, drove around behind the wheel of their respective trucks.

Though former SNL star Leslie and Best Supporting Actor Oscar winner Tommy Lee for 1993’s The Fugitive are not related, it was fun to see them pair up for this clever commercial because of their shared last name.

The ad — an obvious take on “keeping up with the Joneses” — ends with pop star Nick Jonas pulling up in a truck, causing the actual Joneses to drive off, but not before Tommy Lee quips, “Try to keep up… whoever you are.”

Paul McCartney and Jesse McCartney

Unrelated musicians Paul McCartney and Jesse McCartney are both responsible for earworms for their respective generations.

While part of The Beatles, Paul played bass, sang vocals and penned hits like “Yesterday,” “Hey Jude” and “Blackbird.” A Grammy winner spanning his career with the Beatles, Wings and his solo work, Paul was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1997 for music services and has been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice — once in 1988 as a Beatle and again in 1999 by himself.

Also a member of a boy band before going solo, Jesse was part of Dream Street before leaving in 2002. Dream Street broke up without making a noticeable dent the way the Beatles had when they split, but Jesse made a name for himself with his 2004 debut album (Beautiful Soul) and its catchy as hell title track. Jesse’s other claims to fame are co-writing “Bleeding Love” (which became a huge hit for X Factor season 3 winner Leona Lewis) and being the runner-up on season 3 of The Masked Singer in 2020 (performing as Turtle).

Cody Simpson and Jessica Simpson

Both blonde singers may look like they could be siblings or cousins, but Australia-born Cody Simpson and Texan Jessica Simpson are not related.

In addition to his four studio albums and winning the first season of The Masked Singer Australia (as Robot), Cody was also an accomplished competitive swimmer from 2019 to 2024. Though Miley Cyrus’ ex — who the singer split from in 2020 — has since retired from the sport, he did swim in the 2022 Commonwealth Games for Australia, earning medals in two relay events.

With seven studio albums under her fashionable belt, Jessica memorably starred with then-husband Nick Lachey of 98 Degrees on Newlyweds: Nick and Jessica from 2003 to 2005. She launched the Jessica Simpson Collection the year that show ended, featuring clothing and accessories for women and youths, as well as her own line of luggage, footwear and scents.