You’ll never believe who these 7 British stars are related to!
“It’s a small world, but I wouldn’t want to have to paint it,” goes the saying.
If you ever thought the entertainment industry was full of nepotism and is greatly aided by family connections, you may well be right. For instance, there are a surprising number of related British stars and others with links to royal blood, no less.
Some of these pairings make sense, while others may well have you questioning the need for celebrity DNA results because the resemblance doesn’t seem quite believable.
Ralph Fiennes and Prince Charles
If there was one British actor you’d consider as possibly related to the royal family, then Ralph Fiennes may just be the star you’d predict of such a connection.
The two-time Oscar nominee has had a glittering career in Hollywood and is a star of the stage. He’s perhaps now best known for his turn as M in recent James Bond movies and was once, a long time ago, considered a possible contender to play 007.
He perhaps first shot to prominence as Amon Goth in Steven Spielberg’s epic Schindler’s List and appeared in The English Patient, The Constant Gardener, and a number of other critically acclaimed productions. He also portrayed Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter series.
It turns out that he is a descendant of King James II of Scotland and therefore is an eighth cousin of Prince Charles.
Sally Dynevor and Phoebe Dynevor
There will be millions of youngsters today wondering who the hell Sally Dynevor is and will be far more aware of her famous daughter, Phoebe, who has created quite the buzz as the star of the massively successful Bridgerton series.
Sally Dynevor is perhaps more well known to people over the age of 40 as she has played Sally Webster in the hit soap opera Coronation Street for over 30 years.
However, clearly, if the pair were walking down a street in New York or LA, then it would be Phoebe who would be overrun by autograph hunters seeking a selfie with the starlet from Bridgerton.
Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci
Emily Blunt perhaps first caught our eye as the bitchy assistant in The Devil Wears Prada, which also starred Stanley Tucci, and it just so happens that the pair are now related, albeit indirectly.
Tucci married Emily’s sister Felicity, who is a literary agent, and that’s what connects the duo; and it turns out that it was Emily who connected the pair, encouraging them to meet for a date.
By all accounts, Emily developed a strong bond with Stanley on the set of The Devil Wears Prada and felt that he’d be perfect for her sister, and so it has proven to be the case.
Lily Allen and Alfie Allen
This brother and sister pairing are two of the children of actor/singer Keith Allen and have proven very successful in their respective fields.
Lily has sold millions of albums and has proven a hit both in the UK and the US. Alfie is an accomplished actor who is perhaps best known for his role as Theon Greyjoy from Game of Thrones, a character who had something of a torrid time during his run on the show (usually at the hands of Ramsay Bolton) but did at least go out with some sense of dignity.
Ewan McGregor and Denis Lawson
Scottish actor Ewan McGregor isn’t actually the only member of his family to appear in the Star Wars franchise; oh no, it turns out his uncle Denis Lawson appeared in the original movies.
Lawson, who was also the star of 80s classic Local Hero, played a relatively small role, Wedge Antilles, in both the original Star Wars and The Empire Strikes Back, and Ewan McGregor has, of course, been playing the young Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequels and recent Disney+ series.
The pair did appear together in the 2011 sci-fi film Perfect Sense, though it’s unlikely anyone saw them as the film didn’t get much of a worldwide release.
Hugh Grant and Thomas Brodie-Sangster
Well, this is an interesting pairing. The two actors played together in the Christmas classic Love Actually, where Hugh was the cool and hip Prime Minister and Thomas was the love-lorn teen who was in love with an American singer.
It turns out that the two are second cousins, once removed. Hugh Grant has continued to thrive both on a commercial and critical level and picked up the latest of his six Golden Globe nominations for The Undoing, which proved a big hit on Sky.
Thomas Brodie-Sangster has successfully transitioned from child actor to heartthrob, most recently appearing in The Queen’s Gambit, having also played a key role in Game of Thrones, and still looks much younger than his 32 years.
Phil Collins and Lily Collins
Lily Collins became a household name for her Netflix show Emily in Paris but did you know that her father was none other than the former Genesis drummer and seller of over 150 million records, Phil Collins?
Clearly, there isn’t much of a family resemblance, but nonetheless, the gorgeous actress is one of Phil’s five children, and no doubt he’s very proud of the success she’s achieved.
Phil is an Oscar winner, won for his song ‘You’ll Be In My Heart’ from the film Tarzan back in 2000, and perhaps sometime in the not-too-distant future, Lily might receive a similar accolade for her acting?