Unless you follow your favorite stars closely,
you might not know that some of today's biggest celebrities had some help along the way from
mom and dad. While some aren't afraid to trade on their
family name, others have taken great pains to hide their famous heritage and prove that
they made it in the business through hard work and talent. Either way, some celebrities have parents
who are famous in their own right. Celebs like... Chris Pine Actor Chris Pine is probably best known as
the new Captain Kirk in J.J. Abrams' alternate-reality Star Trek franchise, but an entirely different
TV show paved Pine's way into Hollywood. CHiPs, the classic series about a pair of
motorcycle-riding cops, featured Pine's father, Robert, in a recurring role as Sgt. Joseph Getraer. To Pine's credit, he reportedly only used
his famous dad to help him land a job as a production assistant. The young actor then worked his way up in
the business, going from from building sets to starring in the 2017 blockbuster Wonder
Woman. Billie Lourd Like a lot of children of Hollywood stars,
Billie Lourd doesn't go by the last name of her famous mother, the late Carrie Fisher. However, Lourd has embraced the family business
by appearing in new Star Wars movies The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, and at the red
carpet premiere of the latter, Lourd honored the departed Fisher by recreating her iconic
Princess Leia look. After her mother's passing, Lourd also became
responsible for a very special family member: Gary Fisher, who's become an integral part
of the Star Wars universe. Okay, maybe not integral, but he's still a
pretty awesome space pooch. Katie Cassidy Actress Katie Cassidy burst onto the scene
with parts on 7th Heaven, Supernatural, and the Melrose Place reboot before landing her
most prominent role on the hit CW show Arrow. If her last name sounds familiar, that's because
she's the daughter of the late David Cassidy, star of the hit '70s sitcom The Partridge
Family. David admitted in interviews that he didn't
raise Katie. She lived with her mother, Sherry Williams. In the years leading up to his passing, Katie
and David became so estranged that she was reportedly left out of his will. However, People reported that Katie rushed
to her father's side when he was hospitalized. The Arrow star said her father's last words--"So
much wasted time"--will serve as "a daily reminder for me to share my gratitude with
those I love." Benedict Cumberbatch As the son of well-known British actors Timothy
Carlton and Wanda Ventham, Benedict Cumberbatch may follow the trend of not using a famous
parent's last name, but in a twist, the Sherlock star actually uses his real family name. Benedict's mother reportedly warned him not
to do so because the Cumberbatch surname, which his father chose not to use professionally,
is heavily associated with slavery, according to the The Telegraph. "They probably would have been happier in
the beginning if I had been a doctor or a lawyer or teacher or something sensible." "They knew the difficulties of being an actor…" "... as did I!" However, the Daily Mail reported that Benedict
has purposefully taken roles in films that highlight the awfulness of the slave industry
to atone for his ancestors. Grace Gummer Newcomer Grace Gummer might not have a prominent
film career, but the actress has been building a solid resume on the small screen with roles
on American Horror Story, The Newsroom, and Mr. Robot. It shouldn't be a surprise that Gummer has
become a reliable talent in her field: her mom is Meryl Streep. You might assume having Streep as a parent
would be an instant pass to stardom, but Gummer is putting in the work and striving to research
every role, according to V Magazine. Will she one day dominate the Oscars like
her mom? For now, she's forging her own path in the
ever-changing Hollywood landscape. Rashida Jones When it comes to last names, it doesn't get
more common than Jones, so it would be easy to assume that Parks and Recreation actress
Rashida Jones comes from an average, run-of-the-mill American family. Think again: the star is actually the daughter
of legendary music producer Quincy Jones. However, it's tough to say who really wields
the power in this family. Rashida had her famous dad recast on Angie
Tribeca after he played her TV father for the pilot. "Who fires Quincy Jones?!" "Listen…" "You're out, Jones!" Dakota Johnson In 2013, little-known actress Dakota Johnson
landed the coveted role of Anastasia Steele in the Fifty Shades of Grey series, but Johnson
wasn't entirely unknown to the Hollywood scene before her big break. She's the daughter of veteran actors Melanie
Griffith and Don Johnson, and thanks to mom, Dakota made her first big-screen debut in
Crazy in Alabama before the age of 10. Gwyneth Paltrow While Steven Spielberg is often credited with
launching Gwyneth Paltrow's career by casting his goddaughter in Hook, the future Goop entrepreneur
actually had some help from her showbiz industry parents, actress Blythe Danner and director/producer
Bruce Paltrow. To Gwyneth's credit, she built her own name
in Hollywood by turning in an Oscar-winning performance for Shakespeare in Love. Mom and Dad might've opened a few doors, but
it was Gwyneth who put in the work. Alexander Skarsgard Actor Alexander Skarsgard might be one of
the top hunks in Hollywood, but the Legend of Tarzan star also has some impressive acting
chops that earned him an Emmy award for best supporting actor in HBO's Big Little Lies. That shouldn't come as a surprise if you know
that his father is veteran actor Stellan Skarsgard, who you may recognize from Thor and the Pirates
of the Caribbean franchise. Thanks to his dad, Alexander got an early
jump on acting and was a star in Sweden by age 13, but the experience freaked him out
so much that he actually quit acting and almost became an architect, according to The Telegraph. Fortunately for fans of the Swedish heartthrob,
Skarsgard caught the acting bug again, and he's never looked back. "It's like ex-squeeze me, but have you ever
heard of styling gel?" Thanks for watching! Click the Nicki Swift icon to subscribe to
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