Stars aren’t magically created; they emerge from a web of family ties, including immediate and extended relatives. These kin, armed with internet access and forums like Reddit, eagerly recount tales of life alongside the famous. Being kin to a celebrity has its mundane moments, akin to any family, sprinkled with the excitement of VIP treatment. Relative reactions to fame vary widely, but each story offers a unique glimpse into the more personal side of stardom.
My professor last semester turned out to be Matt Damon’s stepdad. School gossip says he cancelled class for J.Lo and Ben Affleck’s wedding (and then abruptly un-cancelled it when the wedding didn’t work out) – fuwafuwafuwa
Related to The Rock through marriage (FIL’s cousin). We actually don’t talk about it a whole lot amongst family. Except my MIL. She always says not to bring it up to people, which we don’t. The problem is, she always seems to work it into the conversation when we’re talking to new people. Then those people tell other people etc. Then everyone wants to meet him or have him show up at events and my poor wife and I are left explaining that he’s a busy dude and can’t come to every kids b day party and what not. – Coyote211
William Shatner is my great uncle. He doesn’t come to Montreal often (where he was born and where I live), but he does call my grandmother, his sister, very frequently.
She lives in a senior residence, so him calling provides a lot of support.
Plus it always gives her something to talk about: “Bill will be on TV at 6:30!” – Arbawk
My second cousin is Amanda Bynes, but besides dishonoring my family she literally does nothing for us. – CherryHotPockets
Matt McConaughey is my 2nd cousin. He acts normal with us but the bastard has yet to deliver me a Buick for the bully I beat up for him 38 years ago… Though he does always bring the best booze to the parties. – drycheck
My grandma is first cousins with Linda Hogan (Hulk Hogan’s ex-wife). She was at their wedding. Said it was weird. Hasn’t affected me, never met her. At this point my grandma is just embarrassed by her/her family. – icanhe
I just want someone who’s related to Alex Jones to see this thread and tell us a bunch of amazing stories about that fucking nutter. – thetalkingjumper
I am so late but my boyfriend is a cousin of Benedict Cumberbatch, and he has the curly hair as well. He was invited to the small wedding so we got to know the news sometime before the public, so that was cool. Cumberbatch was friendly and articulate at the wedding. I don’t think it affects his family that much, he told me that they have exchanged a total of 4 emails and a signed poster. He’s a busy guy. – deleted
My friend worked at a golf course that was frequented by multiple celebrities. He was a beer cart boy and during training they told him to never leave the cart unintended when Bill Murray was golfing because he thought it was funny to hijack the carts. texasjkids
My uncle is Hugh Laurie and at family events you wouldn’t know he’s famous, my dad still abuses him (as a joke) the same as they did when kids.
I forget he’s famous until I have lunch with him in public. – HaroldTheDuck
My stepdad is Rowan Atkinson, the guy who played Mr. Bean. Any time there is a family gathering of any significance, he puts on the suit and shows up as Mr. Bean. He won’t break character the entire night, and it is impossible to have a conversation with him. He says he does it for the kids, but it’s obvious he enjoys it. I think he misses doing the show. – ShlomoRoseberg
I’m relatively closely related to JK Rowling, and to be honest it doesn’t affect family gatherings at all. Either people whisper about her from afar, or go up and have a conversation with her. Most people don’t make a big deal of it and she does the same and just chats to anyone that speaks to her. The biggest reaction I ever get is when someone finds out I’m related to her haha! – jack_hughez
I have two Aunts on Real Housewives. Were always gaudy and trashy before, still gaudy and trashy now. We avoid them as much as possible.
Also my great uncle (on the other side) was Ernest a la “Ernest Goes To Jail” (Jim Varney) doesn’t affect me because he passed away a while ago. Effects my boyfriend because I bring it up every time we see any of his movies. – brobernietfm
My uncle is a retired hall of fame porn actor. He’d come to Ohio for xmas every year and my mom would give him AND his sexy Porn Star girlfriends my room since it was the biggest. One Christmas morning my mom had me go in to wake him up and LOW AND BEHOLD his girlfriend was completely naked on my bed. I stared for a minute then woke them up. I was 12. My voice changed 3 Octaves that year.
Edit:also I am distantly related to Abraham Lincoln but that doesn’t affect me as much. – corxcore
My moms cousin is Steven Tyler from Aerosmith, growing up we were going to all of his shows and always had all access passes to do whatever we wanted. We could eat anything from back stage, grab anything from the gifts shops etc… He would take us on stage before the shows and show us around. Through him I met Pamela Anderson, Kid Rock & Eminem.
I have a lot of limited edition stuff signed from “Uncle Steve Tyler” but other than that it hasn’t changed my life all that much, my mom would never take money from him even though he would always try. – SCDeNtitY
My aunt is Xena the Warrior princess and absolutely nothing at family gatherings. She is just our aunt. We got stopped a couple times in New Orleans by people who recognized her. Back in NZ when her show was going on some little girls would come up and want to take pics.
She’s the one of the nicest people to talk to and never acts like a celebrity. I have gotten to do some very cool stuff in my life which Ill never take for granted because of her kindness!
Hey Lucy! I’ll let you guess which one of us it is if your out there!
Edit wow, blowing up a bit! I’ll respond to these in a bit! – KnuckleCurve01
Related to Dwaye Johnson. Regularly smell what he’s cooking. – KickWhamStunner
Related to Keanu Reeves. We have a Reeve’s ohana gathering every year in Hawai’i and he never comes. Which I don’t blame him at all, his dad was not a good father so I assume, besides being a busy actor, he doesn’t come because that burned the bridges with our family. My dad sometimes mentions Keanu when the reunions happen, about how he doesn’t visit. It’s not in a bitter way or anything, just sometimes the little cousins ask. I haven’t met all my family in Hawai’i yet cause I live in the mainland, but I do know at least a few people are salty about it. Other than that, my cousins look up to him and get excited when he’s in a movie. Even if the kids aren’t allowed to watch cause of violence they see a movie poster and look all awe-struck. So cute. – Aeksel
I had an aunt that had a bit role in a commercial. It was for Lifetouch, she was the old lady lying on the ground who said “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” She was a scream and must have done that line a thousand times during our family dinners. Even though everybody in North America has seen that commercial dozens of times she only got recognized a couple of times. She was once recognized in a mall and laid down on the floor and said the line, people were cheering and clapping.
Edit: RIP my inbox, I can’t remember the name of the company it must have been Life alert if all you say so. – doingthehumptydance
My wife is a distant relative of Tom Hanks. It doesn’t affect her at all. If affects me because she reminds me of it every time he is mentioned on the TV. – MulletOnFire
Spouse is related to David Tennant. I did not know this until after we were married (spouse born in America). Not impacted life at all except I got to meet him during my first trip to London. Their family scored us tickets to Much Ado About Nothing and we saw David Tennant and Cathrine Tate after the show. Nothing bad to say about either of them; they were both lovely and effusive and Tennant gave us both a hug even though neither of us had ever met him before. Spouse had a brief chat about mutual acquaintances in the family and then we left. – LJGHunter