Surprising Celebrity Family Ties: Snoop Dogg and Brandy, Nicolas Cage and Sofia Coppola, and More
Famous celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Brandy, Nicolas Cage, and Sofia Coppola have surprising family connections that link them to other well-known relatives in the spotlight
Hollywood is home to several family dynasties, including the likes of Snoop Dogg and Brandy, as well as Nicolas Cage and Sofia Coppola. Brandy and her brother, Ray J, count Snoop Dogg as their first cousin, and the two even teamed up for a duet in 2009 titled "Special."
Cage comes from the well-known Coppola family, which also includes his famous cousin Sofia. Both Cage and Sofia are descendants of the legendary Coppola family. Their parents, Carmine and Italia Coppola, had three children: August Floyd Coppola, Francis Ford Coppola, and Talia Rose Coppola. After working on 1982's Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Cage changed his last name from Coppola.
During an April 2022 Wired Autocomplete interview, Cage revealed, "People kept saying things like, ‘I love the smell of Nicolas in the morning,’" a reference to Apocalypse Now. This made it difficult for him to work, prompting him to change his last name to Cage as a nod to Marvel Comics’ Luke Cage and composer John Cage.
Keep scrolling to see more unexpected celebrity connections:
Credit: Getty Images (2)
Unexpected Celebrity Family Connections: Snoop Dogg and Brandy, Nicolas Cage and Sofia Coppola, More
Hollywood is no stranger to family dynasties, with connections like Snoop Dogg and Brandy, and Nicolas Cage and Sofia Coppola. But the ties run even deeper for Brandy and her brother, Ray J, who count Snoop Dogg as their first cousin. The family connection even led to a musical collaboration in 2009, with Snoop and Brandy releasing a duet titled "Special."
In addition to Cage, another famous member of the spotlight is his cousin Sofia Coppola. Both of them come from the renowned Coppola family. Carmine and Italia Coppola are the parents of August Floyd Coppola, Francis Ford Coppola, and Talia Rose Coppola. (Cage is one of August's sons, who passed away in 2009, and Sofia is the daughter of The Godfather director Francis Ford.)
Cage decided to change his last name from Coppola after his work in the 1982 film Fast Times at Ridgemont High.
During an April 2022 Wired Autocomplete interview, Nicolas Cage revealed that he changed his last name from Coppola to Cage due to constant jokes about his name. The actor cited the film Apocalypse Now and swapped his first name for napalm, making it difficult for him to work. As a result, he decided to change his name to Cage. This name change was also a tribute to Marvel Comics' Luke Cage and composer John Cage.
Keep scrolling to see more unexpected celebrity connections:
Credit: Getty Images (2)
Unexpected Celebrity Family Connections: Snoop Dogg and Brandy, Nicolas Cage and Sofia Coppola, More
It's not rare to see family dynasties in Hollywood, with examples like Snoop Dogg and Brandy, as well as Nicolas Cage and Sofia Coppola. Another member of their famous family is Snoop Dogg, who is the first cousin of Brandy and her brother, Ray J. The two even worked together on a duet called "Special" back in 2009.
Cage is not the only famous member of the Coppola family in the spotlight, as his cousin Sofia is also a part of the legendary family. This family includes Carmine and Italia Coppola, who had three children: August Floyd Coppola, Francis Ford Coppola, and Talia Rose Coppola. Cage, the son of August, and Sofia, the daughter of legendary director Francis Ford, are both part of this renowned family. Cage decided to change his last name from Coppola to Cage after his work on the film Fast Times at Ridgemont High in 1982.
During an interview with Wired Autocomplete in April 2022, Nicolas Cage expressed frustration with people constantly referencing the quote "I love the smell of Nicolas in the morning" from Apocalypse Now. This led him to change his last name to Cage as a tribute to Marvel Comics' Luke Cage and composer John Cage.
Keep scrolling to see more unexpected celebrity connections:
Credit: Getty Images (2)
Melissa McCarthy and Jenny McCarthy
Relationship: Cousins
Jenny helped Melissa land her first acting job on Jenny’s eponymous 1997 sketch comedy show.
“Melissa revealed on Howard Stern’s radio show in 2019 that her cousin did everything – from garbage duty to cleaning up to craft service – in order to help her land odd jobs. “I was the first one there and the last one to leave and its, like, I wish everybody that went into the business had to do that," she said.
Credit: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for HFA
Dakota Johnson and Antonio Banderas
Relationship: Stepparent and Stepchild
Banderas was married to Johnson’s mother, Melanie Griffith, between 1996 and 2015. (Griffith shares Dakota with ex Don Johnson.)
Dakota expressed at the 2019 Hollywood Film Awards, "I am fortunate to have gained a stepfather who, as I've come to realize over time, has been one of the most influential figures in my life. When I was just 6 years old, my mother married a man who brought an incredible brightness, creativity, and new cultural experiences into our family, as well as a magical little sister." She went on to describe how Antonio Banderas entered their lives, bringing vibrancy, humor, and a unique way of speaking English that they found fascinating. His deep and unwavering love for her mother and siblings had a profound impact on their lives.
Griffith and Banderas share daughter Stella, who was born in 1996. The Working Girl star also shares son Alexander with ex-husband Steven Bauer.
Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images For AFI
Jessica Capshaw and Steven Spielberg
Relationship: Stepparent and Stepchild
The Grey’s Anatomy alum, Jessica, is the daughter of actress Kate Capshaw, who married Spielberg in 1991. Kate shares Jessica and son Theo with ex Robert Capshaw and four children with the acclaimed director.
Credit: Daniel Zuchnik/Getty Images for Netflix
Christian Bale and Gloria Steinem
Relationship: Stepparent and Stepchild
The feminist icon married Christian’s father, the late David Bale, in 2000.
“It was news to me; I was in Germany,” the actor joked in a 2018 Guardian profile of his dad’s surprise nuptials. “I found out about it afterwards.”
Credit: Vince Bucci/Getty Images
Nicolas Cage and Sofia Coppola
Cage enthusiastically praised his cousin's talent and skill during a November 2023 interview with Entertainment Tonight. He shared that both of them were filming in Toronto at the same time, and he expressed his amazement at the coincidence of their father also filming a movie in Atlanta. Cage saw this as a stroke of good luck for all of them.
Credit: Kevin Winter/Getty Images for AFI
Warren Beatty and Shirley MacLaine
Relationship: Siblings
MacLaine's brother is three years younger than her, and they have had their share of challenges over the years. However, she assured The Guardian in 2007 that they are currently in a good place. She expressed that their relationship has been through a lot and that they have had different life experiences. Despite their differences, she noted that his children are intrigued by her thoughts and ideas.
She added: “As for beauty, Warren was the beautiful one in the family. That was the given.”
Credit: Alexandra Wyman/WireImage
Jason Momoa, Zoe Kravitz and Lenny Kravitz
Relationship: Stepparent and Stepchild, In-Laws
Kravitz and Lisa Bonet were married from 1987 to 1993 and have a daughter together named Zoë. After their divorce, Bonet began a relationship with Momoa in 2005 and they have two children together. Despite their separation in 2022, Momoa has always maintained a close relationship with his stepdaughter and her biological father.
Lenny shared with Men’s Health in November 2020 the incredible bond he has with Jason and Zoë’s mom. "We just do it because that’s what you do. You let love rule, right? I mean, obviously, after a breakup, it’s work — it takes some work and time, healing and reflection."
Credit: Getty Images (2)
Stellan Skarsgard, Alexander Skarsgard and Bill Skarsgard
Stellan, a well-known actor from Sweden, has appeared in popular films like Good Will Hunting, Thor, Dune, and Mamma Mia!. He is also the proud father of eight children, two of whom — Alexander and Bill — have chosen to pursue careers in acting just like their father. Alexander has made a name for himself in shows like True Blood, Big Little Lies, and The Legend of Tarzan, while Bill is known for his role as Pennywise in Stephen King's It franchise.
Credit: Getty Images (3)
Snoop Dogg, Brandy and Ray J
Relationship: Cousins
The Moesha alum and her younger brother count Snoop as a cousin.
Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage
Julia Roberts and Emma Roberts
Relationship: Aunt and Niece
Julia’s older brother, Eric Roberts, shares daughter Emma with ex Kelly Cunningham.
"It's amazing to see them together. I love watching their bond," Eric revealed to We magazine in May 2020, referring to Julia's close relationship with Emma. "My wife Eliza Roberts and Julia talk every day. They email, have conversations, and I stay updated on what's happening through her."
Julia and Emma have not appeared together on screen, but they do share a mutual costar in Richard Gere. The Oscar winner co-starred with Gere in Pretty Woman and Runaway Bride. Nearly two decades later, Emma played Gere’s movie daughter in Maybe I Do.
Credit: Steve Granitz/WireImage)
Jonah Hill and Beanie Feldstein
Relationship: Siblings
Hill is Feldstein’s older brother, changing his last name upon pursuing acting.
“Oh, wow, he’s like my closest friend ever, so I’m always thrilled for him,” Feldstein exclaimed to Us and other journalists in January 2020 when discussing his previous engagement to Gianna Santos.
Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage
Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher and Billie Lourd
Mother-daughter relationships
Reynolds and singer Eddie Fisher were husband and wife from 1955 to 1959 and had two children, daughter Carrie and son Todd. Carrie followed in her parents' footsteps and became a well-known actress, best known for her role as Princess Leia in the Star Wars series. Carrie and her ex Bryan Lourd have a daughter named Billie, who is also pursuing a career in acting.
Carrie passed away at the age of 60 in December 2016, just one day before Reynolds. One year after her mother's death, Billie appeared onscreen in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. On The Ellen DeGeneres Show, she expressed, "It was an incredible experience. I truly believe that things happen for a reason, and I think I ended up in that movie for a reason. It was an amazing opportunity for us to share that experience together."
