Sure, there are those celebrity sibling sets that any good movie-loving American can quickly rattle off: Luke and Owen, Mary-Kate and Ashley, Maggie and Jake, Matthew and Rooster. Wait, you’ve never heard of Rooster McConaughey? We hadn’t, either, which is why we’ve assembled this list of lesser-known actors who are kin to some of Hollywood’s biggest stars:
1. Michael Patrick (“Rooster”) McConaughey, brother of Matthew McConaughey
Rooster, who had a role alongside little bro Matthew in the 1998 film The Newton Boys (also starring Ethan Hawke and Julianna Margulies), is a family man. In fact: “I named my [3½-year-old] boy Miller Lyte because that’s my favorite beer. And my [11-month-old] little girl is named Margarita Olympia…I liked that beer, too, even though they don’t even make it anymore,” he told People.
2. Daniel Baldwin, brother of Alec, Billy and Stephen Baldwin
The Baldwin brothers seem to be everywhere. Between hosting the Oscars, baptizing Spencer Pratt in a river on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! and portraying Serena’s dad in upcoming episodes of Gossip Girl, their fraternal branches extend far and wide. Ah, but lest we forget Daniel, the second oldest of the crew. He’s stayed busy recently starring in 2007’s The Blue Rose, 2008’s Born of Earth and VH1’s Celebrity Fit Club in 2005.
3. Emily Deschanel, sister of Zooey Deschanel
While younger sis Zooey is busy playing quirky characters and creating music, Emily Deschanel has tended to take on more “serious” roles, like that of Dr. Temperance “Bones” Brennan on the Fox TV series Bones. Emily’s earned her share of recognition, too, being named one of “Six Actresses to Watch” by Interview Magazine in 2004.
4. Don Swayze, brother of Patrick Swayze
Don Swayze, younger brother to the late Patrick, is an actor as well (2004’s Knuckle Sandwich, 2009’s Powder Blue).
5. Clint Howard, brother of Ron Howard
If Clint Howard looks vaguely familiar, it’s probably because he tends to pop up in most of older brother Ron’s films, including Frost/Nixon and Apollo 13. True, his stint as a performer hasn’t proven to be quite as lucrative as it’s been for his brother, but Clint’s not relying on acting alone to define him. He’s also a golf addict, playing about 150 games per year, and is considered a world renowned chinchilla breeder!
6. Mónica Cruz, sister of Penelope Cruz
Family resemblance doesn’t get much stronger than the one that exists between Penelope Cruz and her younger sister, Mónica. And the parallels are more than skin deep, as both girls are dancers and actors. Mónica chose to specialize in the traditional Spanish flamenco style of dance, training with The Royal Academy of Dance. In 2002, Mónica began following in her sister’s talented footsteps, venturing into the world of acting. She’s been successful, too, starring in the hit Spanish TV show Un Paso Adelante as well as several movies.
7. Oliver Hudson, brother of Kate Hudson
Typically, Kate Hudson is compared to her equally famous mother, Goldie Hawn, but there’s yet another actor in the clan: her brother, Oliver. The older of the sibling set, Oliver has kept more to the TV scene, having achieved successful runs on the final season of Dawson’s Creek (where he played Katie Holmes’ character’s love interest, Eddie) and, more recently, co-starring in the David Spade-led sitcom, Rules of Engagement.
8. Alexis Arquette, sister of David Arquette
Adam Sandler fans might recognize Alexis from her portrayal of the caked-on-make-up-wearing bandmate, George, who only knew how to sing one song (“Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?”) in 1998’s The Wedding Singer. Alexis—who was born Robert Arquette—is transgendered, and at age 38, transitioned from male to female. The process was documented in the film Alexis Arquette: She’s My Brother, which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival. Although Alexis mostly keeps to the independent film scene, she’s appeared in a slew of more mainstream flicks, including Pulp Fiction, Bride of Chucky and Children of the Corn V: Fields of Terror.
9. Eric Roberts, brother of Julia Roberts
Although his Oscar-wielding younger sister, Julia, is most certainly the biggest star in the family, Eric has nothing to be ashamed of when it comes to his contributions to the world of acting. He trained at both the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London as well as The American Academy in the U.S. and has acted alongside acclaimed stars such as Susan Sarandon, Richard Gere, Mickey Rourke and, in 1989’s Blood Red.
10. Neil Connery, brother of Sean Connery
What would you do if your older brother was known for his iconic, career-defining portrayal of Agent 007? If you were Neil Connery, you’d create a satire of the James Bond film and call it OK Connery. He’s appeared in a handful of TV roles since.