9 Acting Siblings Who Both Built Hollywood Careers

Hollywood has no shortage of famous families, though it’s rarer to find two siblings who each carved out a lasting career of their own. Sharing a surname can open a door, but it doesn’t keep an actor employed for decades.

The nine pairs below are all well documented, and each sibling has a long list of film or television credits. Some grew up in the business, while others came to it separately. Here’s a look at how their paths unfolded.

Joaquin and Summer Phoenix

Joaquin Phoenix has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor several times. He won for playing the title role in Joker in 2019. He began acting as a child and later became known for Gladiator, Walk the Line, and Her.

His younger sister, Summer Phoenix, has worked mostly in smaller roles. Her credits include Esther Kahn and The Believer. Her career is quieter than her brother’s, though it is real and documented.

Chris and Liam Hemsworth

Chris Hemsworth became widely known as Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. He also appeared in Rush, Extraction, and Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. His brother Liam Hemsworth is best known for The Hunger Games films.

Liam also starred in the Netflix fantasy series The Witcher, taking over the lead role from Henry Cavill. The brothers are both Australian and both started out in Australian television. A third brother, Luke Hemsworth, is an actor too, and he appeared in Westworld.

Drew and John Drew Barrymore

The Barrymore family is among the oldest acting dynasties in American entertainment. Drew Barrymore rose to fame as a child in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. She later starred in The Wedding Singer and Charlie’s Angels, and she hosts a daytime talk show.

Her half brother, John Drew Barrymore, was also an actor, and he was active in film and television during the 1950s and 1960s. He was the son of John Barrymore. His career was less steady than hers.

Ben and Casey Affleck

Ben Affleck won an Academy Award for co-writing Good Will Hunting with Matt Damon. He also directed Argo, which won Best Picture. His later acting work includes Gone Girl and Batman v Superman.

Casey Affleck won the Best Actor Oscar for Manchester by the Sea in 2017. He also earned a nomination for The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. Both brothers have worked as actors and directors.

Maggie and Jake Gyllenhaal

Jake Gyllenhaal was nominated for an Oscar for Brokeback Mountain. He also starred in Donnie Darko, Nightcrawler, and Prisoners. In 2024 he appeared in the remake of Road House.

Maggie Gyllenhaal earned an Oscar nomination for Crazy Heart. She has also moved into directing, and her debut feature was The Lost Daughter. Their parents are the director Stephen Gyllenhaal and the screenwriter Naomi Foner.

Kate and Oliver Hudson

Kate Hudson was nominated for an Oscar for Almost Famous. She later starred in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. Her work in the 2025 film Song Sung Blue drew attention as well.

Her brother Oliver Hudson has built a long television career. He appeared in Rules of Engagement and Nashville, and he stars in the series Splitting Up Together. They are the children of Goldie Hawn, though their father was Bill Hudson.

Michael and Sean Douglas

This one needs a correction to the usual family lines, so here are the facts. Michael Douglas won two Oscars, one for Best Picture as a producer of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and one for Best Actor for Wall Street. His brother, Joel Douglas, has worked mainly as a producer.

That makes this pair less of a true acting duo than the others in this list. It’s a useful reminder that not every famous sibling follows the same career path.

Elizabeth and Mary-Kate Olsen

The Olsen sisters first became known as children on the sitcom Full House. Elizabeth Olsen later became part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Wanda Maximoff. She has appeared in WandaVision and Avengers: Age of Ultron.

Mary-Kate Olsen largely stepped away from acting and focused on fashion with her sister Ashley, through the label The Row. Ashley, Mary-Kate, and Elizabeth are three sisters, but Ashley and Mary-Kate are twins. Elizabeth’s acting career is the most active of the three.

Dakota and Elle Fanning

Dakota Fanning began acting as a young child. Her credits include I Am Sam, War of the Worlds, and The Perfect Couple. In 2024 she appeared in the Netflix miniseries.

Elle Fanning, her younger sister, starred in Maleficent and 20th Century Women. She also played Catherine the Great in the series The Great. Both sisters have worked steadily since childhood.