Top 10 Parents & Kids Who Starred in Movies Together
#10: Jon Voight & Angelina Jolie “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” (2001)
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Sure, no one would call this film a contemporary action classic, but as far as video game adaptations go, the 2001 Tomb Raider film remains among the most rewatchable and entertaining of the lot. More importantly, it gave us viewers the opportunity to see screen legend John Voight act alongside his equally successful A-list daughter, Angelina Jolie. Funnily enough, the parent and child act is one that Jolie would go on to re-enact with her own daughter, Vivienne Jolie-Pitt, who made her debut at the tender age of 4 alongside her mom in the 2014 film “Maleficent’.
#9: Natasha Richardson & Vanessa Redgrave “Evening” (2011)
Though Vanessa Redgrave might not be a household name with younger generations, fans of classic cinema will tell you that she is a legend. In addition to conquering both Broadway and London’s West End, the celebrated actress also appeared in numerous critically acclaimed films, and has claimed pretty much every major acting award out there. Her daughter, Natasha Richardson followed in her footsteps, becoming a successful actor on both the stage and in film. Tragically, she passed away in 2009, leaving behind husband Liam Neeson. Though “Evening” didn’t perform well with critics, both actresses work various minor miracles with the weak material they’d been given.
#8: Ben & Jerry Stiller “Zoolander” (2001)
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Where would Derek Zoolander be without his duplicitous manager with a heart of gold and a prostate the size of a honeydew, Maury Ballstein? You can tell that the real life father and son were having fun making this film, each going for broke in their respective roles as the mindless model and the glamorous and gruff manager. Of course, this wasn’t the only time that they shared the screen. They also appeared together in rom-com “The Heartbreak Kid”, in which they played father and son Eddie and Doc Cantrow. And Ben Stiller’s mom, Anne Meara, briefly appeared in “Zoolander” as well!
#7: Kirk & Michael Douglas “It Runs in the Family” (2003)
This family dramedy might not have lived up to its potential, but even so, seeing Golden Age star Kirk Douglas share the screen with his son, Michael Douglas, was a rare treat. Add to that the inclusion of Kirk’s ex-wife and Michael’s mother, actress Diana Dill, and a member of the third generation in the form of Cameron Douglas, and well… you wind up with a cinematic family affair of unparalleled scale. The film received generally poor reviews, but the scenes shared by Kirk and Michael were nonetheless remarkable. Even if the film failed as a whole, it was an experiment in heritage and legacy that we were happy to be a part of.
#6: Janet Leigh & Jamie Lee Curtis “The Fog” (1980)
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Talk about a horror buff’s dreams come true! “The Fog” was master of horror John Carpenter’s follow-up to his hit debut feature film, “Halloween”, and he brought the newly crowned scream queen, Jamie Lee Curtis, along for the ride. While Curtis managed to make a name for herself in horror in her own right, her mother, Janet Leigh, also just so happened to be an early horror icon, having played the doomed Marion Crane in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”. The two didn’t play mother and daughter in the film, but they both brought their horror A-game. Though initial reviews were mixed, “The Fog” is retroactively remembered as a “minor horror classic”.
#5: Will & Jaden Smith “The Pursuit of Happyness” (2006) This one is a real emotional gauntlet of sadness and unrelenting depression, but for those who can make it through to the end credits, you’ll be rewarded for your tears. And really, the performances turned in by Will Smith and son Jaden Smith (only 8 years old at the time of the film’s release) are rewards unto themselves. Though not all reviewers appreciated the film or the approach it took to its story, the praise which Smith and son received for their respective performances was nearly unanimous.
#4: Ryan & Tatum O'Neal “Paper Moon” (1973)
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This film… is really one of a kind. Despite being decades old (and feeling even older given that it was shot in black and white and set in the Depression), this touching dramedy is just as poignant and entertaining as it was in 1973 when it was released. Perhaps it works so well because the parent and child pairing appearing on-screen together was actually father and daughter, and therefore had the sort of chemistry that you just can’t fake. Tatum O’Neal had no acting experience going into the film, but she had clearly inherited her father’s talents, because she walked away with the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress at just 10 years of age.
#3: Martin & Charlie Sheen “Wall Street” (1987)
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Martin Sheen’s name remains untarnished despite the public meltdown of son Charlie, but once, they were both operating more on Martin’s level. “Wall Street” is a testament to that time. Released in 1987, the film follows an ambitious young stockbroker, Bud Fox (played by Charlie Sheen), who takes some rather unethical paths to impress his idol, Gordon Gekko (played by Michael Douglas). Martin Sheen plays Bud’s father, Carl, a union leader at an airline company that becomes embroiled in the financial plottings. A tale of family versus ambition and blue collar vs white collar business ethics, it’s a reminder that talent runs in this family.
#2: Henry & Jane Fonda “On Golden Pond” (1981)
As far as golden age Hollywood icons are concerned, Henry Fonda is royalty. And it seems only fitting that for his final performance, he not only got to act alongside another legend, Katharine Hepburn, but with his daughter, Jane Fonda, as well. The story is an emotionally charged look at life, death, family, interpersonal connection and mending broken bridges. The film is fantastic and features multiple award-winning performances, but considering the fact that Henry and Jane had a rather troubled relationship themselves, the film also takes on added level of emotional resonance. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions: Melanie Griffith & Tippi Hedren “Roar” (1981) Stellan & Alexander Skarsgård “Melancholia” (2011) Gwyneth Paltrow & Blythe Danner “Sylvia” (2003)
#1: Diane Ladd & Laura Dern “Rambling Rose” (1991) & “Wild at Heart” (1990)
Few movies achieve a coveted 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and even fewer deliver a one-two punch of mother-daughter performances quite like 1991’s “Rambling Rose”. It’s a powerhouse drama, which earned both mother, Diane Ladd, and daughter, Laura Dern, Oscar nominations for their efforts. Of course this wasn’t the first time they’d worked together. The first time they appeared in the same film was all the way back in 1974 when Dern was still a child, in “Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore”. The year before “Rambling Rose”, they also starred together in “Wild at Heart”, for which Diane Ladd was also nominated for an Oscar.
