25 Celebrity Kids Who Outshined Their Famous Parents

There's been a lot of talk about nepo babies in the last few years. Nepotism runs rampant in many industries, but Hollywood's talent pipeline is the most obvious. Some complain that these celebrity kids have a leg up on other aspiring actors, resulting in an unfair game of talent selection. While that may be true, some celebrity kids have what it takes to outshine their famous parents.

Some of the most well-known actors in the world come from equally famous stock. Stars like Angelina Jolie or Drew Barrymore come from prominent acting families. Though not all celebrity kids follow in their parents' footsteps, the ones that do know exactly what it takes to make it big. As such, let's explore 25 examples of celebrity kids who eclipsed their parents' fame. Some of them will surprise you.

As the daughter of world-renowned sitarist Ravi Shankar, Norah Jones had big musical shoes to fill. By her thirties, however, Jones easily eclipsed her famous father, having won ten Grammy awards and selling over 50 million records worldwide.

Jon Voight is a famous actor, but his daughter Angelina Jolie's fame easily eclipses his. She's won two Academy Awards and remains one of the world's highest-paid actresses. Her exposure in the tabloids alone speaks volumes about her indelible fame.

Billy Ray Cyrus made his name with "Achy Breaky Heart," a hit single that topped the country charts. His daughter, Miley Cyrus, however, has become a true multi-talented star. Besides starring on the Disney Channel as "Hannah Montana," she's won three Grammy Awards and has sold over 15 million albums. That doesn't even include singles.

The daughter of Bruce Paltrow and Blythe Danner, Gwyneth Paltrow has become a formidable star in her own right. She's a Hollywood leading lady, commanding huge sums for film roles. Throughout her career, Paltrow has won a Grammy Award, an Academy Award, and a Primetime Emmy Award.

As a member of the Barrymore family, Drew Barrymore is true Hollywood royalty. She started as a child actress in "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." Since then, she's become even more famous, starring in countless films and solidifying her place in the Hollywood machine.

As the son of actor Robert Downey, Robert Downey Jr. was Hollywood's enfant terrible for most of the 90s. Once he got his act together, however, Downey Jr. grew into one of film's biggest gets. He's won an Academy Award and two Golden Globe Awards. He has also become the face of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

It's no surprise that Ben Stiller followed in his comedian parents' footsteps. Since making his name in a string of late 90s and early 2000s comedy movies, Stiller has moved behind the camera. Now, he's best known as a director of projects like "The Cable Guy," "Tower Heist," and the hit TV show "Severance."

Robert Pine may have starred in the long-running TV show "Chips," but his son Chris Pine has outshone his famous father. He's starred in several blockbusters, including "Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit" and "Rise of the Guardians." Pine is perhaps best known, however, as James T. Kirk in the Star Trek film reboot series.

The daughter of famous parents John Aniston and Nancy Dow, Jennifer Aniston has taken their fame and doubled it. Best known for her long-running role as Rachel on the television show "Friends," Aniston remains one of the world's highest-paid actresses.

Whitney Houston came from true musical stock. Her mother was a Grammy-winning gospel singer, and her cousins were Dionne and Dee Dee Warwick. Houston went on to become a true cultural icon, winning two Emmy Awards, eight Grammy Awards, and selling an incredible 220 million records worldwide. Even posthumously, Houston remains one of the best-selling musical artists of all time.

While her parents were undoubtedly famous, Jane Fonda became even more well-known thanks to roles in a laundry list of films like "Fun with Dick and Jane" and "Klute." Fonda became a true cultural icon, however, due to her prominent political activism during the Vietnam War.

Robert Kardashian made his name defending O.J. Simpson in his landmark murder trial. His daughter, Kim Kardashian, became one of the more famous figures of the 21st century. She and her equally famous sisters are everywhere, marrying rappers, hosting reality TV shows, and running successful businesses.

James Brolin was a relatively famous actor, but his son Josh eclipsed that fame easily. He got his start in the beloved 80s movie "The Goonies," before transitioning to more serious roles. He's best known for his performances in films like "No Country for Old Men," "Sicario," and "Avengers: Infinity War."

The son of well-regarded actor Martin Sheen, Charlie Sheen made his name with roles in films like "Major League" and "Red Dawn," as well as the long-running television show "Two and a Half Men." No stranger to controversy, Sheen made big waves in the mid-2000s for his outspoken, erratic behavior.

Sometimes celebrity kids branch out into different media, like Robin Thicke. The son of beloved television dad Alan Thicke, Robin found his calling in music. His single with Pharrell, "Blurred Lines," remains one of the best-selling singles of all time.

Donald Sutherland was an acting powerhouse, but his son Kiefer Sutherland found success on his own terms. He's best known for roles in films like "The Lost Boys," "A Time to Kill," and "Dark City." Sutherland also won an Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award for playing Jack Bauer in the hugely popular "24" television show.

While Matthew Perry's father was famous for his acting, his mother was the press secretary for Canadian Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Upon reaching maturity, Perry found fame as Chandler Bing on the long-running television sensation "Friends." He was also known for his roles in films like "The Whole Nine Yards," "Almost Heroes," and "17 Again."

Like Drew Barrymore, Jeff Bridges was born into a notable acting family. He got his acting start alongside his father, Lloyd, and brother, Beau, in the television series "Sea Hunt." After that, Bridges struck out on his own. He's best known as The Dude in "The Big Lebowski," but has starred in other notable films including "The Last Picture Show," "True Grit," and "Crazy Heart." In the process, he's earned an Academy Award, a Golden Globe Award, and several BAFTA Award nominations.

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis followed in her parents' footsteps quite adroitly. Her father was Tony Curtis, and her mother was Janet Leigh, best known for starring in the pioneering horror film "Psycho." Eventually, Curtis took up her mother's mantle, starring in classic horror films like "Halloween" and "The Fog."

Her mother was a famous fashion model, so it's no surprise that Gigi Hadid became a runway icon herself. She's made 50 or more appearances in international Vogue and has become one of the highest-paid models in the world.

While award-winning and prolific actor Nicolas Cage doesn't sound like a celebrity kid, he actually descends from Hollywood royalty. His uncle is legendary director Francis Ford Coppola, but Cage didn't want the family name to follow him, so he changed it to Cage and found success on his own terms.

A descendant of Hollywood royalty, Michael Douglas has become one of America's greatest actors. For his roles in breakout films like "Wall Street," "Fatal Attraction," and "Traffic," Douglas has earned two Academy Awards and five Golden Globe Awards. His marriage to actress Catherine Zeta-Jones practically ensures another generation of Hollywood gravitas.

The daughter of singer Bill Hudson and actress Goldie Hawn, Kate Hudson rose to prominence with her role in "Almost Famous." After that, she became the queen of romantic comedies, starring in "How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, "You, Me, and Dupree," and "Fool's Gold."

While her famous father, Ron Howard, preferred to stay behind the camera, Bryce Dallas Howard felt more comfortable in front of it. She's starred in films like "The Village," "Spider-Man 3," and the "Jurassic World" trilogy.

Many people consider Daniel Day-Lewis one of the world's greatest living actors, but that talent didn't come from a vacuum. His father was the one-time poet laureate of the United Kingdom, Cecil Lewis, and his mother was actress Jill Balcon. For his part, Day-Lewis has won three Academy Awards, four BAFTA Awards, three Screen Actors Guild Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards.