Wyatt Russell & Kurt Russell, Jaden Smith & Will Smith.Photo:Eric Charbonneau/Getty, Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Eric Charbonneau/Getty, Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
And though their sonsWyatt,JadenandColin(respectively) may have at some points tried to steer away from intertwining their careers with those of their legendary fathers, a few good projects presented themselves and we got to see these dynamic duos — and in some cases, trios — on-screen together.
Check out these father-and-son actors who’ve appeared in movies and series together through the years.
01of 12
Kurt Russell & Wyatt Russell
Wyatt Russell and Kurt Russell.Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage
Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage
“We started hammering away at it and saying, ‘Let’s make this good!’ " Kurt toldEntertainment Tonightduring a sit-down interview with Wyatt.
Wyatt echoed his dad’s sentiment saying, “[Playing] father and son is like low-hanging fruit. And we’ve never been people, genetically, who have gone for low-hanging fruit. It’s just never been interesting [for me], it’s never been interesting in his career.”
02of 12Will Smith & Jaden SmithWill Smith and Jaden Smith.Sylvain Gaboury/FilmMagicWill Smithand sonJaden Smithfamously appeared together in 2006’sThe Pursuit of Happynessand delivered powerful performances that earnedWillan Oscar nomination for Best Actor.Since then, they’ve collaborated on other artistic endeavors, including two films — 2010’sThe Karate Kid(which Will and wifeJada Pinkett Smithproduced) andAfter Earthin 2013. The two have also done some music together, with Will jumping on the remix ofJaden’s “Icon” in 2019 and then performing the song live at Coachella the same year.
02of 12
Will Smith & Jaden Smith
Will Smith and Jaden Smith.Sylvain Gaboury/FilmMagic
Will Smithand sonJaden Smithfamously appeared together in 2006’sThe Pursuit of Happynessand delivered powerful performances that earnedWillan Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
Since then, they’ve collaborated on other artistic endeavors, including two films — 2010’sThe Karate Kid(which Will and wifeJada Pinkett Smithproduced) andAfter Earthin 2013. The two have also done some music together, with Will jumping on the remix ofJaden’s “Icon” in 2019 and then performing the song live at Coachella the same year.
03of 12Jerry Stiller & Ben StillerBen Stiller and Jerry Stiller.Lindsay Brice/GettyJerry StillerandBen Stillerflexed their strong comedic genes on-screen several times. They first shared the screen back in 1987 when they played Victor and Chris Honeywell inHot Pursuit.They continued to rack up the credits as Jerry appeared in Ben’s productions, includingZoolander, The Heartbreak KidandAnchorman.Ben also had a cameo onThe King of Queens, playing his father during flashbacks of the show.
03of 12
Jerry Stiller & Ben Stiller
Ben Stiller and Jerry Stiller.Lindsay Brice/Getty
Lindsay Brice/Getty
Jerry StillerandBen Stillerflexed their strong comedic genes on-screen several times. They first shared the screen back in 1987 when they played Victor and Chris Honeywell inHot Pursuit.They continued to rack up the credits as Jerry appeared in Ben’s productions, includingZoolander, The Heartbreak KidandAnchorman.
Ben also had a cameo onThe King of Queens, playing his father during flashbacks of the show.
04of 12
Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas & Cameron Douglas
Diana Douglas, Kirk Douglas, Michael Douglas and Cameron Douglas.Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
Dimitrios Kambouris/WireImage
05of 12Tom Hanks & Colin HanksTom Hanks and Colin Hanks.BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via GettyThough they’ve kept their careers largely separate,Tom HanksandColin Hankscame together forThe Great Buck Howard,in which Tom played the support to Colin’s lead role.
05of 12
Tom Hanks & Colin Hanks
Tom Hanks and Colin Hanks.BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via Getty
BILLY FARRELL/Patrick McMullan via Getty
Though they’ve kept their careers largely separate,Tom HanksandColin Hankscame together forThe Great Buck Howard,in which Tom played the support to Colin’s lead role.
06of 12Tom & Truman HanksTom Hanks and Truman Hanks.Jeff Spicer/GettyYears later, Tom Hanks again shared the screen with one ofhis children: his youngest sonTruman Hanks. The then 27-year-old played a younger version of his dad’s character inA Man Called Otto,which came out in 2023.“Without a doubt, it’s special because, you know, I changed his diapers,“Tom said of working with Truman. “But you get past that right away because you gotta show up, and you gotta hit the marks, and you gotta do it on time, and you gotta be right there.““I know what that takes, and he does too. It’s a little different when it’s the whole shebang,” Tom continued. “He was cast for a very specific reason. We resemble each other, he’s not a stranger, and he knows what the pressure is, and he’s gotta do it.”
06of 12
Tom & Truman Hanks
Tom Hanks and Truman Hanks.Jeff Spicer/Getty
Years later, Tom Hanks again shared the screen with one ofhis children: his youngest sonTruman Hanks. The then 27-year-old played a younger version of his dad’s character inA Man Called Otto,which came out in 2023.
“Without a doubt, it’s special because, you know, I changed his diapers,“Tom said of working with Truman. “But you get past that right away because you gotta show up, and you gotta hit the marks, and you gotta do it on time, and you gotta be right there.”
“I know what that takes, and he does too. It’s a little different when it’s the whole shebang,” Tom continued. “He was cast for a very specific reason. We resemble each other, he’s not a stranger, and he knows what the pressure is, and he’s gotta do it.”
07of 12Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez & Charlie SheenCharlie Sheen, Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez.Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty ImagesMartin Sheenacted with both his sons on separate occasions. He famously starred withCharlie Sheenin 1987’sWall Streetbefore Charlie made a small cameo inCadence,in which Martin was the lead.Martin andEmilio Estevezthen worked together on 2010’sMy Way,which Emilio acted in, produced, wrote and directed.
07of 12
Martin Sheen, Emilio Estevez & Charlie Sheen
Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez.Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images
Martin Sheenacted with both his sons on separate occasions. He famously starred withCharlie Sheenin 1987’sWall Streetbefore Charlie made a small cameo inCadence,in which Martin was the lead.
Martin andEmilio Estevezthen worked together on 2010’sMy Way,which Emilio acted in, produced, wrote and directed.
08of 12
Clint Eastwood & Scott Eastwood
Clint Eastwood and Scott Eastwood.E. Charbonneau/WireImage
09of 12Brendan Gleeson & Domhnall GleesonBrendan Gleeson and Domhnall Gleeson.Michael Tran/GettyBrendan GleesonandDomhnall Gleesonplayed two pivotal members of the Order of the Phoenix in theHarry Potterfilm franchise. Brendan first appeared as Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody inHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire(2005) before Domhnall made his debut as Bill Weasley inHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows(2010).
09of 12
Brendan Gleeson & Domhnall Gleeson
Brendan Gleeson and Domhnall Gleeson.Michael Tran/Getty
Michael Tran/Getty
Brendan GleesonandDomhnall Gleesonplayed two pivotal members of the Order of the Phoenix in theHarry Potterfilm franchise. Brendan first appeared as Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody inHarry Potter and the Goblet of Fire(2005) before Domhnall made his debut as Bill Weasley inHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows(2010).
10of 12Donald Sutherland & Kiefer SutherlandDonald Sutherland and Kiefer Sutherland.Amanda Edwards/WireImageDonald SutherlandandKiefer Sutherlanddelivered incredible performances when they played father and son in 2015’sForsaken.And though it was hardly Kiefer’s first rodeo, he found that acting alongside his father added an emotional layer to his performance.“As much as I planned as an actor that this is what I want to do with the character, I was not expecting how powerful it was going to be when I looked into my father’s eyes,” he told theLos Angeles Times.“There was something about my dad being there that was a real trigger for me,” he added.
10of 12
Donald Sutherland & Kiefer Sutherland
Donald Sutherland and Kiefer Sutherland.Amanda Edwards/WireImage
Donald SutherlandandKiefer Sutherlanddelivered incredible performances when they played father and son in 2015’sForsaken.And though it was hardly Kiefer’s first rodeo, he found that acting alongside his father added an emotional layer to his performance.
“As much as I planned as an actor that this is what I want to do with the character, I was not expecting how powerful it was going to be when I looked into my father’s eyes,” he told theLos Angeles Times.
“There was something about my dad being there that was a real trigger for me,” he added.
11of 12
Stellan Skarsgård & Alexander Skarsgård
Alexander Skarsgård and Stellan Skarsgård.Jon Kopaloff/FilmMagic
Danish filmmaker Lars Von Trier tapped father-son duoStellan SkarsgårdandAlexander Skarsgårdfor his 2011 sci-fi/horror film,Melancholia.The two didn’t play father and son, however.
12of 12Dustin Hoffman & Jake HoffmanDustin Hoffman and Jake Hoffman.Andrew Toth/GettyDustin Hoffmanand Jake Hoffman put a twist to their relationship when theTootsieactor played Jake’s grandfather inBarney’s Version. They wouldpair up againforSam & Katein 2022, in which Dustin did play his son’s on-screen father.
12of 12
Dustin Hoffman & Jake Hoffman
Dustin Hoffman and Jake Hoffman.Andrew Toth/Getty
Andrew Toth/Getty
Dustin Hoffmanand Jake Hoffman put a twist to their relationship when theTootsieactor played Jake’s grandfather inBarney’s Version. They wouldpair up againforSam & Katein 2022, in which Dustin did play his son’s on-screen father.
source: people.com
