10 Times Celebs Found Out a Parent Wasn't Their Parent

10 Times Celebs Found Out a Parent Wasn’t Their Parent

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at celebrities who learned that they weren’t biologically related to a parent who raised them.

Sarah Polley

Acting since childhood, Sarah Polley has branched out as a writer and director, winning an Oscar for “Women Talking.” Yet, many would argue that Polley’s best and most personal film to date is the 2012 documentary, “Stories We Tell.” Before reaching adulthood, Polley lost her mother to cancer. She was raised by her father Michael, although it was evident to Polley’s siblings that the two didn’t physically resemble each other. It wasn’t until years later that Polley learned her mother had an affair with Harry Gulkin, who produced the 1975 drama “Lies My Father Told Me.” Gulkin was Polley’s biological father, as a DNA test confirmed in 2006. Polley initially kept this information private, but eventually decided to share her story.

Mariska Hargitay

Mr. Universe bodybuilder Mickey Hargitay and Playboy Playmate Jayne Mansfield had three children: Mickey Jr., Zoltan, and Mariska. By the time Mariska came along, the couple was estranged, their marriage almost officially over. Mariska was only a toddler when her mother died in a car crash. Mickey and his new wife, Ellen Siano, raised Mariska and her siblings. About a decade before breaking out as Olivia Benson on “Law & Order: SVU,” Mariska unraveled the mystery of her parentage. She discovered that her biological father was Brazilian singer/comedian Nelson Sardelli, whom she met in her 30s. While the actress developed a bond with Sardelli, she kept the Hargitay name and regards Mickey as her parent. She finally shared this revelation with the world in 2025.

Jennette McCurdy

This former actress had a more than difficult relationship with her mom, Debra McCurdy, as detailed in her memoir, “I’m Glad My Mom Died.” Debra went to the grave with a secret. Her husband, Mark McCurdy, wasn’t Jennette’s biological father. Two of Jennette’s siblings, Scott and Dustin, weren’t his biological children either. Mark kept the secret from them, but after he started dating Karen, Debra’s high school best friend, she compelled him to come clean. Jennette learned that her biological father is a jazz musician named Andrew, reportedly Andy Martin. She’d attend one of his concerts with a few friends, including her “iCarly” co-star Miranda Cosgrove. Although Andrew knew his daughter existed, he kept his distance in case Mark wasn’t aware.

Priscilla Presley

Before marrying Elvis Presley, she was Priscilla Wagner… and Priscilla Beaulieu. Her biological father was James Wagner, a US Navy pilot who died in a plane crash a few months after Priscilla was born. Three years later, Priscilla’s mother, Ann Lillian, remarried Paul Beaulieu of the US Air Force. By the time she turned five, Priscilla’s last name was changed from Wagner to Beaulieu. For a period, Priscilla was under the impression that Beaulieu was her biological father. While going through a box of mementos, she found a folded American flag traditionally given to widows of soldiers. She also uncovered a photo of herself and her mother with Wagner, reading, “Mommy, Daddy, Priscilla,” on the back. Priscilla immediately called her mother, who told her everything.

Liv Tyler

It’s no secret that Liv Tyler is the daughter of Steven Tyler. When this actress was born, though, her name was Liv Rundgren. In addition to the Aerosmith frontman, her mother, Playboy Playmate Bebe Buell, was involved with rock musician Todd Rundgren. Buell became pregnant with Tyler’s child. Due to Tyler’s substance issues, Buell told people that Rundgren was the father. While Rundgren suspected that Liv wasn’t biologically his, he nonetheless felt this kid needed a dad. Even after Rundgren and Buell broke up following Liv’s birth, he continued to look out for her. Upon meeting Tyler a few years later, Liv started connecting the dots until the truth came out. As far as Liv is concerned, she has two dads.

Kerry Washington

We wouldn’t call it a scandal, but it was a shocker when Kerry Washington learned that her father, Earl, wasn’t related to her by blood. Washington made this discovery through the show “Finding Your Roots.” If you’re thinking, “I don’t remember that episode,” it’s because Washington’s parents wouldn’t do a DNA test. “Finding Your Roots” host Henry Louis Gates Jr. nevertheless got in touch with Washington’s parents, who told him everything. Gates advised them to be honest with their daughter. That’s what they did, telling Washington that due to fertility issues, her mother, Valerie, used a sperm donor. While surprising, it strangely made sense to Washington, who doesn’t view her father differently. She’s always loved him, and the truth has only reinforced that affection.

Sean Astin

Sean Astin’s life is a bit like a gender flipped “Mamma Mia!” At the time of his conception, Sean’s mother, Oscar winner Patty Duke, was involved with three men: Desi Arnaz Jr., Michael Tell, and John Astin. Upon realizing she was pregnant, Duke married Tell, got an annulment less than two weeks later, told Arnaz that he was the father, and eventually married Astin, who adopted the then-one-year-old Sean. When Sean was a teenager, Duke told him that Arnaz was his father. By his 20s, Sean got a paternity test, concluding once and for all that Tell was his dad. Although he considers John Astin to be his father, Sean still grew close with Arnaz, Tell, and his stepfather, Michael Pearce. So, that’s four dads!

Eric Clapton

This blues musician was raised to believe that his parents were Rose and Jack Clapp. In reality, Eric’s mother was Patricia Clapton, who was said to be his elder sister. Rose was really his grandmother, while Jack was his step-grandfather. Giving birth when she was a teenager, Patricia was absent for much of Eric’s upbringing. He was around nine when the truth surfaced. Eric’s father, Edward Fryer, was almost a decade his mother’s senior. Edward had been a soldier during WWII, returning to Canada once it ended. Eric never met his biological father, who died from leukemia in 1985. This lack of closure was among the inspirations for the song “My Father’s Eyes,” which Clapton first performed in 1992 and officially released in 1998.

Demi Moore

When Demi Moore was a young teenager, she found her parents’ marriage certificate, but the dates didn’t add up. They married in 1963. Moore was born a year earlier. This put Moore on a path of revelations. Her mother, Virginia King, had a brief marriage to Air Force pilot Charles Harmon, who ran out on his wife and unborn child. Three months after giving birth, King married Dan Guynes, who raised Moore as his own. Despite their blood connection, Moore never formed a genuine relationship with Harmon, considering Guynes her real father. Tragically, not long after King and Guynes divorced for the second time, he took his life. Moore later had a falling out with her mother, although they made peace before her passing.

Jack Nicholson

Jack Nicholson and Eric Clapton have a surprising amount in common, at least in terms of parentage. Like Clapton, Nicholson learned that his parents were his grandparents, and his older sister June was his mother. Where Clapton was still young when he found out, Nicholson was in his late 30s. By then, his mother and grandmother had both been deceased for several years. Nicholson didn’t learn the truth from family, but rather, Time magazine’s research team. As for his father, it’s been widely theorized that June became pregnant from an affair with Donald Furcillo, a married showman. Yet, this remains unconfirmed. In any case, Nicholson said it was “dramatic” when everything came to light, although it wasn’t “traumatizing.” If anything, he was “grateful” to know.

Can you think of any other celebrities with surprising parental backgrounds? Let us know in the comments.