There are many celebrities in Hollywood who are related, but not many movies with real life fathers and sons starring in them. As I searched, I was surprised to discover a few titles I was unaware of. Most of these movies with real life father and son stars can be rented online. Continue reading to see if your favorite father and son duo made my list...
trailers.apple.com
You know I had to start my list with one of the most recent famous duos in Hollywood. Did you know that there have only been two movies with real life father and son Will and Jaden Smith starring together?! It feels like there should be more films featuring this amazing father and son team, but it has actually been seven years since the release of their first, movie “The Pursuit of Happyness,” when Jaden was just eight years old. I was excited to see them together again in the sci-fi thriller “After Earth.”
amazon.com
The Bridges family is very well known in Hollywood: father Lloyd Bridges had been acting in movies since 1936 and married his actress wife, Dorothy Dean, two years later. Jeff Bridges, along with his brother Beau, got his start on the set of his father’s TV show, “Sea Hunt,” in 1958. However, it wasn’t until 1994 that they would star on the big screen together when Lloyd played Jeff’s uncle in the action film, “Blown Away.” Sadly, Lloyd passed away four years later in 1998 at the age of 85. Jeff Bridges won an Oscar in 2010 for the film “Crazy Heart,” where he played a washed up country music star.
itunes.apple.com
You just know it’s a great comedy when it stars father and son duo Ben and Jerry Stiller. Did you know the Stiller guys have been in four movies together? The first one was “Hot Pursuit” in 1987, and the second was “Heavy Weights” in 1995. Separately they have been well known for their own TV shows and films, but when they are together like in 2001’s “Zoolander” and 2007’s “The Heartbreak Kid,” it just makes sense.
itunes.apple.com
I only recently discovered that there was a real life father and son featured in “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.” Do you know who they are? Actor Brendan Gleeson, who played Mad-Eye Moody, is the real life father of actor Domhnall Gleeson, who played Ron Weasley’s older brother Bill. Though many may not have known him before “Harry Potter,” Domhnall has been acting since 2001 and continues to make a name for himself. Not too long ago, he starred in “About Time” with Rachel McAdams, a movie about time traveling. His father, on the other hand, has been acting since 1989 and can be seen in big name films like “Braveheart,” “Mission Impossible: II,” “Gangs of New York,” and more!
itunes.apple.com
Where was I in 2008 when this movie starring Colin and Tom Hanks came out? I’ve never heard of “The Great Buck Howard,” and on top of that I never knew this famous father and son duo were in a movie together! Tom Hanks is one of my favorite actors. Who doesn’t love a guy who can melt your heart as Woody in “The Toy Story” series?! So I guess that sounds bad that I didn’t know he played in a movie with his son...oops! Besides these two great guys, this film also stars John Malkovich and Emily Blunt. Looks like one I’ll have to rent! Have you seen it?
itunes.apple.com
“Hey, Adrian!” This isn’t just a sports movie, “Rocky” is a classic film about a man fighting for his dream. I love that the setting of the film is also where actor Sylvester Stallone and his brother attended high school in Philadelphia, at Abraham Lincoln. In “Rocky III," the school’s marching band played the movie's theme song in the background while Rocky was honored at city hall. Stallone’s real life son Sage didn’t appear on screen with him until “Rocky V,” but you can see the bond they once had together. Sadly, in 2012 Sage passed away at the young age of 36.
itunes.apple.com
This movie is not just one generation of a father and son acting duo, but three generations of Douglas men! Let’s start at the top with actor Kirk Douglas, who is father to Michael Douglas and grandfather to Cameron Douglas. This movie seems to take a cue from their real lives as a family, including Kirk Douglas’ real life wife Diana Douglas as his on screen wife! Sadly Michael’s son has run into some trouble with the law off screen and is serving a 10 year jail sentence for different drug violations.
Another movie featuring Michael Douglas but this time his is not in the filial relationship. The father and son in question in Wall Street are Martin and Charlie Sheen. Sheen senior is disapproving and concerned as his son is drawn into the mesmeric clutches of money grabbing Gordon Gecko (Douglas) in a movie that has become one of the great icons of the 1980s. BTW Wall Street isn't the only Double Sheen outing. The pair have also appeared together in "Cadence," "Hot Shots! Part Deux," "A Letter from Death Row," "Free Money," and "No Code of Conduct."
What movies with real life father and son duos have you seen? What movies with real life father and son actors are your favorites?
This article was written in collaboration with editor Neecey Beresford.