While we all wonder how it’d feel to sit next to Keanu Reeves at a family gathering, some people have been there, done that. Or at least they claim to. Well, I am no detective, and we haven't got a lie detector right here to see if these people who claim to be relatives of some super famous people are telling the truth, but for the purpose of entertainment, we are gonna take a look at what they have said.
When someone asked “People who are related to celebrities, how has their fame affected family gatherings and events?” it turned into a popular thread with 24.9k upvotes and some pretty interesting stories of how fame had and had not changed their families.
Think of (self-acclaimed!) siblings, step children, aunts and uncles, cousins, you name it, of some pretty heavyweight Hollywood stars, TV hosts, actors and singers, and let’s find out if that celebrity DNA sitting at the round family dinner table is a vibe killer or vibe giver!
And be sure to share your thoughts in the comments whether any of this sounds legit, and if you yourself are related to someone we all know!
#1

My sister-in-law's cat is related to the cat from Austin Powers. They're from the same litter
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458points
#2

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.
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451points
#3

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!
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367points
#4

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.
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330points
#5

Not really a celebrity, but my uncle is one of the first dozen people Bill Gates hired to start Microsoft. He's stupid rich now but spends his time being super generous with his money to family and advocating for the protection of national parks and a healthy environment. Probably the nicest and most down to earth people I've ever met. He never buys anything unnecessary if he can help it. He does all he can to make his house 100% environmentally friendly. He's pretty awesome. You'd never know that he helped change the world
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304points
#6

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.
276points
#7
Not my family member. Woman in our church had cancer and my wife and I (and others) were helping out. Brought food, drove her to the hospital, things like that. She was terminal, single, had a daughter, mortgage and other debts associated with life. We found out that she had a cousin who she had been close to and who was a famous actress and was married to a famous actor. The person overseeing her well being and care at our church had her contact information and reached out to the actress to bring her up to speed. Shortly thereafter her financial issues were resolved and her daughter's future was secured. She was a decent person who helped out and did not make it PR moment.
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270points
#8

My great great grandfather is Andrew Carnegie, I'm named after his daughter. My mother spent her summers as a child at his castle, Skibo, in Scotland. I've visited a couple times as well, but the castle isn't in our family anymore (my great grandmother ended up selling it partly because her son, my grandfather, passed away very young). As most people know, Andrew was a philanthropist. He gave away most of his money and built a bunch of libraries around the world and started many foundations. Education was very important to him. That being said, my family has never been CRAZY rich, but comfortable. I grew up in the suburbs in a small town in a modest house. Starting working in high school and am now a nurse. Andrew did leave all of his descendents (mine being the last generation to receive it) a trust fund specifically for educational purposes. My siblings and I have used that that for some of our tuition fees but now I am paying for my own school. I feel honored to be a Carnegie and am pursuing a career in nursing and public health in hopes of starting my own non profit one day.
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239points
#9

My sister's best friend is Ryan Reynolds' niece. She went to the wedding with Blake Lively. Ryan came to our school one time, A+ guy and he is still close to his family.
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237points
#10

My wife is a distant relative of Tom Hanks. It doesn't affect her at all. It affects me because she reminds me of it every time he is mentioned on the TV.
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211points
#11

My husband is Jason Rubin creator of the video game Crash Bandicoot and the company Naughty Dog. I'm very proud of him he is a very kind person and also the smartest human I've ever met, also very funny. Sometimes people recognize him and that's makes me very proud.
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207points
#12

My cousin is Dani Mathers, the playboy model who took that picture of the woman in the gym. We hate her.
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205points
#13
Not me, but one of my friends is an Indian woman who moved here with her family when she was a little kid. When she graduated college, her parents started asking her when she was going to get married, and introducing her to the sons of their friends hoping they'd hit it off. Eventually it worked, they introduced her to a really nice guy who was also born in India but lived in the same state as us most of the year.
She didn't find out until a month or two into the relationship that he's a famous Bollywood star, he's just completely unknown in the US. They're married now, and it seems like such a strange dichotomy. When they're in the US they live the same as any other (wealthy) American couple. But, Indian tabloids covered their wedding, and interviewed her to see what kind of woman would attract such a star. When they walk into a restaurant in his hometown in India the owner will sometimes shut it down so they can eat alone, and will give them the meal for free, because it's worth it just for the publicity that they ate there.
My friend is pretty quiet and a bit shy, so I think she's really glad they live in the US most of the time, but it's definitely an interesting life. Not to mention her parents are very happy.
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200points
#14

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.
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199points
#15

Related to Keanu Reeves. We have a Reeve's Ohana gathering every year in Hawaii 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.
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172points
#16
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.
Also, I am distantly related to Abraham Lincoln, but that doesn't affect me as much.
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166points
#17

My wife is childhood friends with family of Viggo Mortensen. She got to hang out with him after he shot Lord of the Rings but before it was released. Said he was a very cool guy, extremely laid back, and fun to have a beer with. Her friend spent her childhood hanging out with him on summer vacations and has yet to have a bad thing to say about him.
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158points
#18

Apparently Janet Horne, the last witch to be executed in Britain is my 4th Great Grandmother. Only recently just found out after her name was scored out of the old family bible (tree), my 105 year old great grandmother was not allowed to talk about her when she was younger.
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154points
#19

My Uncle is Steve Smith AKA Red Green, the Canadian handyman comedy show from the '90's. We used to all gather in the 90's and 00's when our generation had wedding season. He was always the life of the party without ever trying. If there was a lull in conversation he'd pipe in with something hysterical and have the whole table laughing. Never tried, he was just a natural and would never interrupt anyone else. He's a very kind and wonderful guy.
We'd go to tapings of the show and would howl, not only at the show but at the "countrified" studio audience. It was all in good fun. I think the only effect it had at gatherings were on our very excited SO's meeting him for the first time. We only gather once in awhile now as he's winding down a bit - he's in his 70's now and enjoying semi-retirement (still doing shows). The fam tells me we bear a strong resemblance which is nice.
153points



