# Which (unrelated) actors could plausibly play close relatives? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 16, 2002, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020 "2002-11-16T13:56:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/1 "2002-11-16T13:56:57Z")
“Actors” in the non-sexist use of the word. for example, I would say that Ali McGraw could play Angie Harmon’s mother, (though I’m not sure that either qualifies as an actor, other than technically). ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/2 "2002-11-16T14:15:51Z")
Don Knotts as Mick Jagger’s father/brother. ---
**Author:** ![Alias](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/3 "2002-11-16T15:32:04Z")
Sarah Polley and Uma Thurman could play sisters or cousins or something. Also, Helen Hunt and Leelee Sobieski are startlingly similar. ---
**Author:** ![UrbanChic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9dc877/32.png) [@UrbanChic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UrbanChic)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/4 "2002-11-16T15:35:06Z")
Skeet Ulrich and Johnny Depp could play brothers. ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/5 "2002-11-16T15:47:51Z")
I’d love to see Jack Nicholson cast as Christian Slater’s dad. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/6 "2002-11-16T16:55:59Z")
Jack Nicholas as Bruce Willis’s father. Since both Jack & Bruce are from New Jersey and have unknown paternity, it’s plausible they are related. I know Debra Jo Rupp & Fran Drescher don’t look alike, but they both have unique laughs. The spookiest two are Kelsey Grammer and David Hyde Pierce. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/7 "2002-11-16T17:12:22Z")
Clint Eastwood and Hugh Jackman as father and son. Or maybe they could play the same character in a time travel or flashback movie. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/8 "2002-11-16T17:58:40Z")
Christopher Walken and James Spader as father and son. Pat Hingle and Nick Nolte as father and son. ---
**Author:** ![Sylkyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sylkyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylkyn)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/9 "2002-11-16T18:18:00Z")
Brad Pitt and Robert Redford. My husband swears they just have to be kin, somehow. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/10 "2002-11-16T18:29:25Z")
Danny Devito and Arnold Swarzennegger could be _Twins_ sorry, someone had to ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/11 "2002-11-16T20:23:32Z")
Matthew MacConaughey and Woody Harrelson. (In fact I think they were slated to do a biopic on the Mitchell brothers. Did that ever come to pass?) ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/12 "2002-11-16T20:25:39Z")
\*David Wohl and George Wyner. Helen Hunt and Leelee Sobieski. Rose McGowan and Christina Ricci. Jack Warden and James Whitmore. There was an episode of “Hill Street” which had David Wohl in it. Of course, George Wyner had a recurring role as the DA. I kept hoping for a scene where they would look at each other, thinking “This guy looks just like ME!” But no. In fact, I think Wyner wasn’t even in that episode. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/13 "2002-11-16T20:47:57Z")
James Garner and Tom Hanks could easily play father and son. Oliver Platt and Vincent D’Onofrio could be brothers, with John Rhys Davies as their father. Least convincing job of family casting ever: The Cosby Show. I don’t mean to be politically incorrect, because I know that skin tone is a sensitive issue among some black people, but let’s face it: if Felicia Rashad gave birth to a daughter as light as Sabrina Lebeauf, Bill Cosby would have divorced her. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/14 "2002-11-16T20:50:28Z")
I remember that during MOONLIGHTING, Imogene Coca called the producers to state that she wanted to play Allyce Beasley’s mother because of their resemblance. She got her wish. Another really bad job of casting: John Wayne and Dean Martin as brothers in THE SONS OF KATIE ELDER. Yet another: Burl Ives as the father of Tony Perkins and Pernell Roberts in DESIRE UNDER THE ELMS. (Burl Ives and Sophia Loren as newlyweds was almost inspired.) Paul Newman and Jude Law co-starred as two unrelated characters in ROAD TO PERDITION, but watching it I was struck by their resemblance. ---
**Author:** ![amarinth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3be4f8/32.png) [@amarinth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarinth)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/15 "2002-11-16T20:51:34Z")
There was a scene in “To Die For” where Nicole Kidman looked exactly like Meg Ryan. I think I’m the only person who thinks this, though. ---
**Author:** ![marinwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@marinwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/marinwood)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/16 "2002-11-16T21:13:20Z")
Matthew MacConaughey and Woody Harrelson have played brothers, in the film _Ed TV_, but I guess no one but me saw it. As for the Cosby Show casting choices, skin colouring in Black families run the gamut of light to dark, so perhaps it would better to say: “if Phylicia Rashad gave birth to a daughter \* who had such different facial features like \*Sabrina Lebeauf, Bill Cosby would have divorced her.” ---
**Author:** ![Second\_Guest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@Second\_Guest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Second_Guest)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/17 "2002-11-16T21:50:55Z")
I will go to my grave adamantly refusing to believe that Gillian Anderson and [Jo Anderson](http://www.josite.hey.nu/) _aren’t_ related. They must be. They just don’t know it. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/18 "2002-11-16T21:52:30Z")
I’ve been rewatching THE GODFATHER on Bravo this week. James Caan and Al Pacino as the sons of Marlon Brando was an “interesting” choice. The movie was brilliant, but they didn’t actually look like a family. In the movie THE LION IN WINTER, Peter O’Toole and his “sons” Nigel Terry, John Castle, and Anthony Hopkins all had identically the same shade of ice blue eyes. I’m not sure if this was done through contacts or casting, but it gave a nice sense of connection to actors who did not resemble each other physically. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/19 "2002-11-16T22:22:59Z")
[Alan Rickman](http://www.thespiannet.com/actors/R/rickman_alan/index.shtml) as father of [Tom Green](http://abcnews.go.com/sections/Downtown/2020/2020Downtown_001225_tomgreen_feature.html) Creepy. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tim_r.mortiss/32/142_2.png) [@Tim\_R.Mortiss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_R.Mortiss)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2002, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/20 "2002-11-16T22:27:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by amarinth \* > \*\*There was a scene in “To Die For” where Nicole Kidman looked exactly like Meg Ryan. > I think I’m the only person who thinks this, though. \*\* I noticed the same thing, but in the abysmal flick “Eyes Wide Shut”. Only difference is, I’ve never seen Meg Ryan naked with her glasses on. Yet. But I can dream, can’t I? How about Edward Platt and Oliver Platt as father and son? Or are they already? IMDb says Oliver is distantly related to Pricess Di and Orson Welles, but doesn’t mention any connection to Edward. Must continue my research…Timmy [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020.md?page=2)