Nepo Babies Who Became More Famous Than Their Parents: Jennifer Aniston, Miley Cyrus and More

Jennifer Aniston

John Aniston was a beloved TV staple when he portrayed gangster Victor Kiriakis on the daytime soap Days of Our Lives for an astonishing 37 years before his death in 2022. But daughter Jennifer has seen her career soar well beyond her father’s fame — even though he implored her not to go into the family business!

The Friends star was born to John and wife Nancy Dow — herself an actress, who appeared on The Beverly Hillbillies in the 1960s — and had instant nepo baby status: Her godfather was famed Kojak TV actor Telly Savalas. But she became instantly iconic during her 10-year run portraying Rachel Green on the smash TV comedy, and has gone on to a stellar film career in such movies as Marley and Me, Horrible Bosses and We’re the Millers. Jen, currently making waves on the Apple TV drama The Morning Show, has said she had to fight with her soap star dad to even enter showbiz!

“I was hell-bent because my dad was just begging me not to be in the industry,” she revealed. “He said, ‘I do not want your heart broken. The rejection is brutal. Please, please, please don’t do that. Become a lawyer.’ That was my one rebellion. I was hoping that I was going to make it so that I could prove him wrong!”

Ben Stiller

Zany Zoolander cutup Ben spent his childhood admiring the work of his late parents, Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara — and used what he learned to eclipse their achievements!

“I loved just to see the behind the scenes of what they were doing,” Ben says. “I realized pretty young that I loved directing and moviemaking and was fascinated by that and wanted to learn about that.”

Jerry and Anne got their start as a comedy duo and dabbled in TV before their careers cooled in the 1980s — although the mustachioed funnyman earned late-in-life kudos for his memorable characters on Seinfeld and King of Queens.

But those accomplishments are modest next to their son, whose Zoolander and Meet the Parents film franchises, along with the blockbuster There’s Something About Mary, have grossed nearly $3 billion. And the savvy mogul has production credits on six upcoming projects.

Hailey Bieber

Hailey’s fame skyrocketed when she went from being a nepo baby — daughter of Stephen, one of the lesser Baldwins — to a nepo wife, married to pop phenom Justin Bieber.

Stephen never enjoyed the success of his big brothers Alec and Billy — his career failed to catch fire after his showy role in the hit film The Usual Suspects in 1995. Since then, he’s mostly been a contestant on reality shows.

But his go-getter daughter began modeling in her teens, and while she could have slacked off after marrying Justin in 2018, she’s been working harder than ever. She’s had coveted contracts to be the face of brands such as Gucci, Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger, and has also developed and launched her own skincare brand, Rhode Skin. All on her own, she’s amassed a fortune worth $20 million.

She admits she’s “not super close” with Stephen and mom Kennya. She dishes, “I’m my own individual now and I’ve built my own family,” which includes the son Jack, born in August, she shares with Justin.

Miley Cyrus

Wrecking Ball songbird Miley has shown off her powerful pipes in a string of pop hits, sold over 55 million singles and won the 2024 Record of the Year Grammy for her breakup anthem “Flowers.” But she got her big break by starring with her real-life dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, on TV’s Hannah Montana.

The Disney Channel series ended after four seasons in 2011 — and Billy Ray has been playing second fiddle to his superstar offspring ever since!

The country music flash in the pan was long relegated to one-hit wonder status with 1992’s “Achy Breaky Heart” — until his “Old Town Road” duet with rapper Lil Nas X topped the charts nearly three decades later.

These days, Billy Ray’s personal life has made more headlines than his music — thanks to his marriage and messy divorce with Australian singer Firerose. And when it comes to bank, Miley has it all over her pops — sources say her $160 million fortune is 16 times her dad’s cash stash.

Chris Pine

Like his actor dad, Robert Pine, Chris started out doing TV work, appearing in ER, The Guardian and CSI: Miami — but he soon made the leap to big-screen leading man and hasn’t looked back!

In contrast, Robert built a long career as a character actor with roles in more than 400 TV episodes, including a five-year run as Sgt. Getraer on CHiPs and, most recently, appearances in the revamped Magnum, P.I. series. His wife, Gwynne Gilford, also worked as an actress in the 1970s and ’80s before retiring to become a psychotherapist.

But Chris eclipsed his folks to become a major screen star when he took on the role of Captain Kirk in the Star Trek film series, and he’s also portrayed CIA agent Jack Ryan and Wonder Woman’s heroic beau in the blockbuster films.

Most recently, Chris tried his hand as director of the comedy Poolman. But don’t expect any professional jealousy from his proud dad.

“He’s incredibly intelligent,” says Robert of Chris. “I think of all four of us in the family, he’s the smartest. Not taking away from my wife or daughter, ’cause they’re pretty smart, too. I’m the dummy!”

Drew Barrymore

Ultimate nepo baby Drew comes from a four-generation family of legendary stage and screen actors. But the bubbly talk show host’s own career overshadows her parents like a pyramid over a grain of sand!

John Drew Barrymore, her dad, was touted as the Next Big Barrymore when he hit the scene in the 1950s. But after his first films flopped, he resigned himself to occasional TV spots — until giving up acting in 1976. After a life blighted by arrests, alcoholism and drug abuse, John died of cancer in 2004 at age 72.

Jaid Barrymore, Drew’s mom, was an aspiring actress but found herself relegated to bit parts in largely unseen films. However, she found more success as her now famous daughter’s manager.

Adorable Drew became an instant movie star at age 7 in 1992’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. After a rocky youth that saw her go to rehab at 13, the recovering addict found even more fame as an adult in hits such as Charlie’s Angels, Scream and Never Been Kissed — and is said to have an $85 million fortune.

Now, the actress is a household staple with The Drew Barrymore Show, which was recently renewed for a sixth season.

Lenny Kravitz

Lenny’s mom, Roxie Roker, was a well-known actress, mainly thanks to her barrier-breaking role as Helen Willis, one half of TV’s first prime-time Caucasian–African-American married couple on the hit sitcom The Jeffersons from 1975 to 1985. But her rock star son has far surpassed her fame, selling 40 million albums and scoring four Grammy Awards.

When he was just 5 years old, Lenny told Roxie and his dad, TV news producer Sy Kravitz, he wanted to be a musician, and he credits his folks for nurturing his talent, helping him secure a spot in the acclaimed California Boys Choir when he was 10.

He also clearly inherited some of Roxie’s acting ability as well, starring in such acclaimed films as The Hunger Games, Precious and The Butler.

Sadly, Roxie died of breast cancer in 1995, before her son reached the pinnacle of his success, but self-proclaimed mama’s boy Lenny says he carries her kindness in his heart. “She was a woman who never spoke badly about anybody, even if they deserved it,” he says. “I know that I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for her.”

Julia and Eric Roberts

Oscar winner Julia’s parents, Walter and Betty Lou, fostered young acting talent in their Atlanta, Georgia, community, but they never could have predicted the phenomenal success their daughter and son Eric would achieve in Hollywood!

Walter and Betty Lou met while co-starring in the play George Washington Slept Here, directed by Ron Howard’s father, Rance, and later opened an acting school for children and produced a local kids’ TV show. The two divorced when Julia was just 4 years old, but she and big brother Eric went on to make their mark in Tinseltown.

Julia has starred in blockbusters including Pretty Woman and Erin Brockovich that have grossed a whopping $2.7 billion. And despite battling drug addiction, Eric has appeared in more than 700 film and TV projects, making him one of the most prolific actors in history.

Both have credited their late parents for instilling the acting bug in them at an early age, and Julia lauds her mom for teaching her how to balance career and family. “Acting is my dream come true,” she says, “but not my only dream come true.”

Blake Lively

Hollywood beauty Blake seemed destined from the cradle to become a star! Her dad, Ernie Lively, was a character actor, seen in movies such as Turner & Hooch and on shows including The X-Files and The West Wing. Her mom, Elaine, was a talent scout, and all four of her siblings are actors. But Blake has outshined them all!

While still in high school, she starred in the young adult film The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants — with Ernie playing her pops — and then became the breakout star of Gossip Girl. Even as she continues a thriving career, most recently with It Ends with Us, she insists she never really wanted to be an actor at all!

“I’ve grown up on sets [and] it was so much a part of my life that I never felt a desire for it,” she confesses. “It seemed like such a nightmare.”

But now, with hit movies piling up and four children with her hunky hubby, Ryan Reynolds, Blake is living the dream!

Garth Brooks

While Garth has smashed all records as the best-selling solo artist in musical history, he had a mentor in his mother, Colleen — who selflessly gave up her own dreams of country music stardom to tend to Garth and his five siblings!

Colleen Carroll, her maiden name, was a rising country star signed to a big-time label deal with Capitol Records, releasing the singles “No Tellin’” and “Blue Bonnet Waltz” in the 1950s and performing alongside the likes of Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline. She ditched it all when the kids started coming.

“She chose not to have a career outside the home once her children began to arrive; instead, she devoted her life to her children and my father,” Garth has said. He believes his path to fame and fortune stems from the family’s weekend hootenannies.

“Friday and Saturday nights at the house, Jerry played guitar, Jim played the harmonica, Mike played guitar, Betsy played guitar, and, of course, Dad played guitar. Mom sang her butt off,” says Garth. “Kelly and I played the wax comb.”

Colleen, who died of cancer in 1999, lived long enough to see her son sell 170 million albums — second only to the Beatles!

Gwyneth Paltrow

Gwyneth’s mother, Blythe Danner, has had a long, enviable career — the Emmy and Tony winner appeared in Broadway plays like Butterflies Are Free, in movies like Meet the Parents, and on such TV shows as Will & Grace. But her daughter has managed to eclipse Blythe’s success. Although she’s never gotten the critical accolades her mom has, Gwyneth’s outdistanced her in name recognition and earnings.

Gwyneth grew up in an artistic household with Blythe and her late dad, TV producer Bruce Paltrow. After garnering good reviews in Seven and Emma, she skyrocketed to fame after winning a Best Actress Oscar at age 26 for 1998’s Shakespeare in Love. She hit pay dirt portraying Pepper Potts in the Iron Man franchise, as well as with her lifestyle brand Goop, which altogether have left her sitting on a $200 million fortune!

Gwyneth doesn’t apologize for being a nepo baby. “There’s this judgment that exists around kids of famous people,” she says. “But there’s nothing wrong with doing or wanting to do what your parents do.”