15 Actors Who Look So Much Like Their Famous Family Members, They Were Cast To Play Them
Have you ever dug through old family photos and found a relative who looks remarkably like you?
Here are 15 actors who look so much like their famous family members, they were cast to play them:
1.Ralph Fiennes played Lord Voldemort in the Harry Potter franchise from 2005-2011.
In 2009, his nephew, Hero Fiennes Tiffin, played 11-year-old Tom Riddle (aka child Voldemort) in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
Here's a side-by-side:
?Warner Bros. / courtesy Everett Collection
And here are Ralph and Hero side-by-side IRL in 2009:
Steve Granitz / WireImage / Via Getty, Jon Furniss / WireImage / Via Getty
2.Karen Gillan played Amy Pond on Doctor Who from 2010-2013.
Between 2010-2012, her cousin, Caitlin Blackwood, appeared as younger Amy.
In 2020, she reprised the role in the animated short The Raggedy Doctor by Amelia Pond. Then, in 2023, she again voiced young Amy in the Big Finish audio drama The Eighth of March: Strange Chemistry box set.
Because then-10-year-old Caitlin grew up in Northern Ireland and Karen grew up in Scotland, they actually hadn't met in person until a read-through on set.
Caitlin's mom, Linda, told the Radio Times, "It was an emotional moment. People kept commenting that they were so alike."
Here's a side-by-side:
BBC / Via Max
3.In 2002, Britney Spears starred as Lucy Wagner in Crossroads.
Her little sister, Jamie Lynn Spears, played young Lucy in the opening scene.
Here's a side-by-side:
Archive Photos / Getty Images, Paramount Pictures / Via Netflix
4.From 2009-2011, Demi Lovato starred on Sonny with a Chance as Sonny Munroe.
Their little sister, Madison De La Garza, cameoed as young Sonny in 2009.
Here's a side-by-side:
Disney Channel / Via Disney+
5.In I Am Sam, Dakota Fanning played 6-year-old Lucy Diamond Dawson.
Her little sister, Elle Fanning, played 2-year-old Lucy.
Here's a side-by-side:
New Line Cinema / Via youtube.com, New Line Cinema / ?New Line Cinema/Courtesy Everett Collection
6.That's not the only time the Fanning sisters have shared a role. In the 2002 SYFY miniseries Taken, Dakota played Allie Keys.
Elle played 3-year-old Allie.
Here's a side-by-side:
SyFy courtesy Everett Collection, SyFy / Via youtube.com
7.From 2013-2019, Laverne Cox played Sophia Burset on Orange Is the New Black.
In two episodes, her twin brother, M. Lamar, played Sophia in flashback scenes set before her transition.
Laverne told HuffPost, "Our casting director found out that I have a twin brother, and she insisted that he should audition for the role. He auditioned, and he got the part."
Here's a side-by-side:
Ali Goldstein / ?Netflix / courtesy Everett Collection, Netflix
8.From 2005-2010, Georgie Henley played Lucy Pevensie in The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe and the sequels Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Her older sister, Rachael Henley, played grown-up Lucy in The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.
Here's a side-by-side:
Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Via Disney+
9.In 1994, Macaulay Culkin played Richie Rich Jr. in Richie Rich.
His youngest brother, Rory Culkin, played young Richie Rich.
Here's a side-by-side:
Warner Bros / ?Warner Bros/Courtesy Everett Collection, Warner Bros / Via youtube.com
10.Kieran Culkin played Jason "Igby" Slocumb Jr. in 2002's Igby Goes Down.
His little brother, Rory Culkin, played 10-year-old Igby.
Here's a side-by-side:
United Artists / ?United Artists/Courtesy Everett Collection
11.Alaqua Cox played Maya Lopez/Echo in 2021's Hawkeye and 2024's Echo.
Her cousin, Darnell Besaw, played young Maya in Echo.
Sharing a series of adorable behind-the-scenes pictures on Instagram, Alaqua said, "We out here representing our Menominee tribe??"
Here's a side-by-side:
Disney+
12.Oscar Isaac played Marc Spector/Steven Grant/Moon Knight on the 2022 series Moon Knight.
His younger brother, Michael Benjamin Hernandez, was hired as his body double for the joint Marc and Steven scenes.
Michael told Marvel.com, "I knew that he was in talks about Moon Knight for a few months and once that finally happened, it was very exciting news. I had no idea I would be brought along in any sort of capacity! About two months out from actually shooting, [Oscar] texted me. He was like, 'Hey, so I'm going to do this show. They are asking for a double or if I know someone I want to act along with for these scenes. I thought about you.' I was like, holy crap. Once he sent me that text, that was so exciting. I was just so stoked to join."
Here's the brothers together IRL:
13.Penélope Cruz played Anjelica in Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
The day before filming began, Penélope found out she was pregnant, so director Rob Marshall hired her younger sister, Mónica Cruz, as her body double.
Penélope told the Telegraph, "I did a couple of months of training and did what I was able to do, but I couldn't do everything, just what was safe. Monica came at the end to do some scenes. She's a dancer and very good with a sword because she's done a film herself."
Here's a side-by-side:
peter Mountain/?Walt Disney Pictures / courtesy Everett Collection, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Via youtube.com
And here are the sisters together IRL:
14.Honeysuckle Weeks played Millie in the 1997 miniseries The Rag Nymph.
Her little sister, Perdita Weeks, played young Millie.
Here's a side-by-side:
BritBox
15.And finally, August Maturo played Auggie Matthews on Girl Meets World from 2014-2017.
In 2016, his little brother, Ocean Maturo, appeared as younger Auggie.
Here's a side-by-side:
Disney Channel / Via Disney+
Which actor relatives do you think look the most alike? Let us know in the comments!
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