Yahoo Lifestyle 16 Young Actors Who Look So Much Like Their Famous Parents, They Were Cast To Play Them
In general, Hollywood nepotism is pretty unfair. However, there's one situation where, honestly, it makes sense: casting an actor's child to play a younger version of their character.
Here are 16 times actors' kids shared their famous roles:
1.Laurie Metcalf had a recurring role on The Big Bang Theory as Mary Cooper, Sheldon's mom, from 2007-2018.
Her daughter, Zoe Perry, played Mary Cooper on the prequel series Young Sheldon from 2017-2024, and she'll be reprising the role on the spinoff Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage.
In 2017, Zoe told The Hollywood Reporter, "I know the casting directors and they were aware of the parental connection, and [Young Sheldon co-creators] Chuck and Steve Molaro were as well. Chuck was aware that I had become an actor but not of anything I’d done. I went in knowing that I had this odd connection on my side. Odd meaning that I am my mother’s daughter and there was a character already established by her. I knew I had to prove to them that [casting me] would be a good idea and showcase what they were envisioning in this character in a different stage of life."
Here's a side-by-side:
Michael Yarish / ©CBS/Courtesy Everett Collection / Everett Collection, Cbs Photo Archive / CBS via Getty Images
2.That's not the first time Laurie and Zoe shared a role! Laurie played Jackie Harris, Roseanne's sister, on Roseanne from 1988-1997, then again on the shortly-lived reboot in 2018. She's continued to play Jackie on the retooled reboot The Connors since 2018.
On the original run of Roseanne, Laurie appeared as the younger version of Jackie Harris twice — once in 1992, and again in 1995.
Here's a side-by-side:
Abc Photo Archives / Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images, ABC / Via Peacock
3.In 2022, Tom Hanks starred as Otto Anderson in A Man Called Otto.
His son, Truman Hanks, played the younger version of Otto.
Here's a side-by-side:
© Sony Pictures Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection, Sony Pictures Releasing / Via youtube.com
4.John Kani played King T'Chaka in 2016's Captain America: Civil War and 2018's Black Panther.
His son, Atandwa Kani, planyed young T'Chaka in Black Panther.
Here's a side-by-side:
Marvel Studios / Via Disney+
5.James Gandolfini played Tony Soprano on The Sopranos from 1999-2007.
In 2021, his son, Michael Gandolfini, played a teenage Tony Soprano in The Many Saints of Newark.
Before reprising his dad's iconic role, Michael hadn't watched much of The Sopranos. However, he knew writer/producer David Chase growing up, and he agreed to audition for the role in hopes of impressing the casting director enough to be considered for different parts in the future. To get ready for the audition, he watched the whole first season of The Sopranos.
He told the New York Times, "It was hard to watch my dad alone and then having no one to lean onto...He so was not Tony. The only insight that I think I gained was deep pride in him. I’m exhausted after three months — you did that for nine years?”
Here's a side-by-side:
HBO / Via youtube.com, © Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection
6.From 2022-2023, Rhys Darby starred as Stede Bonnet on Our Flag Means Death.
His son, Theo Darby, played Stede as a child in three episodes in 2022.
Here's a side-by-side:
Max
7.Mark Harmon played NCIS SA Leroy Jethro Gibbs on NCIS from 2003-2021. He reprised the role on NCIS: New Orleans from 2014-2021 and the pilot episode of NCIS: Origins in 2024.
Between 2008-2020, his son, Sean Harmon, guest starred as a young Gibbs on NCIS seven times.
While fimling an epsiode in 2020, Sean had the idea for the prequel series NCIS: Origins. In 2024, he told USA Today, "It was a lightning-bolt moment. Gibbs is a guy who has something broken inside, a guy who at one point could have down a darker path."
However, he had no desire to play the lead himself.
He said, "It was an absolute honor to step into the role; it will always be something I’ll hold close to my heart. In truth, I never intended to make a career out of it."
Austin Stowell stepped into the role of Gibbs on NCIS: Origins.
Here's a side-by-side:
Cbs Photo Archive / CBS via Getty Images, CBS / Via youtube.com
8.Mark Consuelos played the villainous Hiram Lodge on Riverdale from 2017-2023.
His son, Michael Consuelos, appeared as teenage Hiram Lodge twice — once in 2018, and again in 2021.
In 2018, Michael told Live with Kelly & Ryan, "Dad told me that they wanted me to audition for it, and I was so nervous. I never auditioned for anything before. So, I went there with a bunch of people who could've been brothers or cousins. It looked like there was a bunch of Michaels in the audition room."
Here's a side-by-side:
Dean Buscher / ©The CW Network / Courtesy Everett Collection, Katie Yu / ©The CW / Courtesy Everett Collection
9.From 2013-2019, Dascha Polanco played Daya Diaz on Orange Is the New Black.
In 2017, her daughter, Dasany Kristal Gonzalez, played 14-year-old Daya in a flashback.
Here's a side-by-side:
JoJo Whilden / ©Netflix / courtesy Everett Collection, Netflix
10.On Outlander, Grant O'Rourke played Rupert MacKenzie from 2014-2017.
His son, Louis O'Rourke, is set to play Rupert in the prequel series Outlander: Blood of My Blood.
Here's a side-by-side:
Ed Miller/©Starz! / courtesy Everett Collection, Starz / Via Facebook: watch
11.Similarly, Stephen Walters played Angus Mhor in Outlander from 2014-2016.
His son, Marlow Walters, is set to play young Angus on Outlander: Blood of my Blood.
Here's a side-by-side:
Neil Davidson / © Starz / Courtesy: Everett Collection, Starz / Via Facebook: watch
12.Tina Fey starred as Liz Lemon on 30 Rock from 2006-2013.
In 2012, her daughter, then-7-year-old Alice Richmond, cameoed as child Liz Lemon.
Here's a side-by-side:
Nbc / NBCUniversal via Getty Images, NBC / Via Hulu
13.In the 2007 dual-timeline movie Evening, Meryl Streep played present-day Lila Wittenborn Ross.
Her daughter, Mamie Gummer, played Lila Wittenborn in the '50s timeline.
Mamie told New York Magazine, "I was cast before she was, I’ll say that...We did [have a conversation], but it was brief. Basically, it was, 'You know, fuck it. Why the hell not?'"
Here's a side-by-side:
Focus Features / ©Focus Features/Courtesy Everett Collection
14.In 2005, Robert Downey Jr. starred as Harry Lockhart in Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.
His son, Indio Falconer Downey, appeared as 9-year-old Harry Lockheart.
Here's a side-by-side:
Warner Bros / ©Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection, Warner Bros. / Via youtube.com
15.James Cromwell played Dr. Arthur Arden on American Horror Story: Asylum from 2012-2013.
His son, John Cromwell, played young Hans Grüper (Dr. Arden's true identity) on American Horror Story: Asylum as well as American Horror Story: Freak Show from 2014-2015.
Here's a side-by-side:
Fx Networks / ©FX Networks/Courtesy:Everett Collection / Everett Collection, FX
16.And finally, Titus Welliver played Det. Harry Bosch on Bosch from 2014-2021. Since 2021, he's reprised the role on the spinoff series Bosch: Legacy.
In four Bosch episodes between 2015-2017, his youngest son, Quinn Welliver, appeared as young Bosch.
Then, in a 2022 episode of Bosch: Legacy, his oldest son, Eamonn Welliver, played young Bosch.
In 2022, Titus told Looper, "It does give us a little look back and I thought Eamonn really ... made it his own, but he really kept to the integrity of who Harry was, and we really see that the adult that Harry is. The character that we've seen for all these seasons, we get a glimpse into [the fact] that he's always been this guy with the same intensity and attitude about right and wrong."
Here's a side-by-side:
Hopper Stone / ©Amazon / Courtesy Everett Collection, Amazon Prime Video
