# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![Enola\_Straight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dec6dc/32.png) [@Enola\_Straight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Straight)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/61 "2002-11-20T03:20:33Z")
Jack Nicholson and Michael Ironside. Robert DiNero and Sean Penn. Peter Cushing and Jude Law. Lee Majors and Elvis Presley. Bruce Willis and that guy who played Michael Garibaldi on B-5 (Jerry Doyle?). Stan Laurel and Clint Eastwood. Take a good look at Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange and tell me he dosen’t look like Mark Hamill. Howard Stern and Joey Ramone. Victor Mature and Sylvester Stallone. ---
**Author:** ![Cholo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58f4c7/32.png) [@Cholo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cholo)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/62 "2002-11-20T04:25:54Z")
I know he’s not an actor but man, I always thought that **Huey Lewis** and **Clint Eastwood** looked close enough alike to be brothers. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/63 "2002-11-20T04:31:48Z")
I saw “The Tao of Steve” and “The Field” in one week, and I actually went to the IMDb to check whether the same actor had either gained or lost weight and played both Dex and Tadgh McCabe. So I have to say Sean Bean and Donal Logue could play brothers. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/64 "2002-11-20T04:54:42Z")
To me: -Lori Singer, Daryl Hannah, and (even though she’s not an actress) Aimee Mann all look like they could come from the same branch of the family tree. -Shelley Long could pass as either Lisa Kudrow’s mother or older sister. -Rachel Weisz and Helena Bonham Carter could be sisters. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/65 "2002-11-20T05:04:12Z")
-Also, add Angelina Jolie and Gina Gershon. ---
**Author:** ![Dragon\_Phoenix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Dragon\_Phoenix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragon_Phoenix)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/66 "2002-11-20T06:49:32Z")
Winona Ryder and Elijah Wood as siblings, anyone? ---
**Author:** ![xanadu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/c4cdca/32.png) [@xanadu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanadu)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/67 "2002-11-20T07:19:45Z")
1. Maybe I’m way off base here, but how about Christine Lahti and Susan Sarandon? 2.Natasha Richardson and Lea Thompson look like they could be sisters. 1. Winona Ryder and Hilary Swank, too. But only when Hilary had short hair. 2. Michael Richardson and Lyle Lovett 3. Matt Damon and Brad Pitt. I definitely wouldn’t complain if they did a movie together. ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/68 "2002-11-20T07:49:39Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dragon Phoenix \* > \*\*Winona Ryder and Elijah Wood as siblings, anyone? \*\* And…what’s the name of the kid who plays Harry Potter? Daniel Radcliffe…he could be their little brother… ---
**Author:** ![detop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@detop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/detop)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 8:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/69 "2002-11-20T08:59:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xanadu \* > \*\*2.Natasha Richardson and Lea Thompson look like they could be sisters. \*\* Actually, I think that Mare Winningham would be a better choice for a sister for Lea Thompson. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/70 "2002-11-20T09:22:30Z")
I keep thinking that **Nia Vardalos** from _My Big Fat Greek Wedding_ is really **Kathy Najimy**. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/71 "2002-11-20T21:09:26Z")
Oh, as for other relations…I was a bit surprised to find out that [Emily VanCamp(“Everwood”](http://teentvmovies.about.com/library/blgloryemvancamp.htm) and [Ryan Reynolds(“2 Guys and a Girl”](http://ca.yimg.com/i/ca/cp/20020402/1007648775.jpg) aren’t remotely related. I didn’t peg them for siblings, since a nine year age gap is a lot, but I was sure they were at least cousins because their eyes look so much alike. Aside from being from Canada, they don’t seem to have anything to link them in reality. ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/72 "2002-11-20T21:56:12Z")
My nomination: [url="[http://us.imdb.com/EGallery?source=ss&group=0115639&photo=3&path=pgallery&path\_key=Dillon,+Matt](http://us.imdb.com/EGallery?source=ss&group=0115639&photo=3&path=pgallery&path_key=Dillon,+Matt) ---
**Author:** ![Eats\_Crayons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/278dde/32.png) [@Eats\_Crayons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eats_Crayons)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2002, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/73 "2002-11-20T22:02:29Z")
Oh, dammit! What a bizarre post munch! Lemme try that again… My nomination: [Matt Dillon](http://us.imdb.com/EGallery?source=ss&group=0115639&photo=3&path=pgallery&path_key=Dillon,+Matt) (on the left, of course) and [Michael Schoeffling](http://briansworld.fcac.org/16C/scpix/sc017.jpg) who was in _Sixteen Candles_ as the object of Molly Ringwald’s desire. And I also that that Gillian Anderson was Jo Anderson’s sister in real life until I read a disclaimer that said “of no relation, Gillian is naturally a blonde not a redhead.” Julianne Moore could be related to them both too. ---
**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:** [March 1, 2003, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/74 "2003-03-01T18:48:29Z")
\*Peter Mark Richman, Paul Michael Glaser, and Michael T. Weiss could easily play grandfather, dad, and son. \*If you’re not familiar with him, he played may bit television roles in the 60s and 70s, usually as an urbane bad guy. He also had a really great voice, and I always thought he would have been a good one for cartoon super-heroes. I looked in his filmography and saw that he actually done some voice-over work in the past ten or so years: he supplied the voice of God in a cartoon. You don’t get many “larger” roles. ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/75 "2003-03-01T19:00:45Z")
I’ve always thought Jack Nicholson and Michael Ironside could play brothers. ---
**Author:** ![Short\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Short\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Short_Guy)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/76 "2003-03-01T19:02:10Z")
But I see \*\* Enola Straight \*\* already suggested that. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecccb3/32.png) [@Evil\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Death)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2003, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/77 "2003-03-01T19:13:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by MaxTheVool \* > **John Cusack and Paul Rudd, who is currently playing Phoebe’s boyfriend on _Friends_** John Cusack and Ed Norton, surely? Michael Shanks in Stargate SG-1 was an excellent recast for James Spader; if they played brothers, I wouldn’t be unconvinced. Oliver Platt and Jack Black. For the comedy value. ---
**Author:** ![Philosophocles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Philosophocles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philosophocles)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/78 "2003-03-02T07:23:40Z")
Tom Wopat and John Schneider look like they could be cousins. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/79 "2003-03-02T07:44:05Z")
Helen Hunt and Jodie Foster. I know they were already mentioned, but they’re the first two I thought of, mostly because I know someone who looks like both of them. In the “Dead or Alive” catagory, how about Errol Flynn and Leonardo Decaprio? ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2003, 8:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020/80 "2003-03-02T08:21:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Annie-Xmas \* > **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.** Do you mean Jack Nicholson? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-unrelated-actors-could-plausibly-play-close-relatives/137020.md?page=5)