20 Hollywood Actors You Didn’t Realize Were Co-Starring With Their Own Kids

Most people would probably choose not to work alongside their mom or dad, especially if there was a whole crew of professionals watching — and filming — their every move. But for these A-list parent and child duos, they had to do just that. From 20-month-old babies being secretly cast under false names to real-life family feuds stealing the show, there are plenty of stars who team up with their kids without us even realizing it. These Hollywood households were put to the ultimate test when they had to act alongside perhaps some of their harshest critics.

1. Judy Garland & Liza Minnelli

There are few Hollywood mother-daughter relationships as iconic as that of Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli. Through roles in The Wizard of Oz and Cabaret, respectively, Garland and Minnelli both became titans of the silver screen. But while the pair famously performed together on TV in The Judy Garland Show, few can recall them appearing in the same movie.

Unrecognizable

The two did, though — albeit only once. Way before Minnelli came to fame as Sally Bowles, the star made her movie debut alongside her mom in 1949’s The Good Old Summertime. And at just three years of age, the star is completely unrecognizable in the role of Garland’s on-screen daughter. The worst was yet to come for the budding starlet, though. In an interview with Variety Minnelli noted how the hardest part of becoming famous “was getting to be known as myself as opposed to somebody’s daughter.”

2. Jerry Stiller & Ben Stiller

Born with comedy in his veins, Jerry Stiller ruled the airwaves alongside wife Anne Meara in the ’60s. His role as the hotheaded Frank Costanza on Seinfeld endeared him to 1990s kids as well. And if that wasn’t nearly enough, the star had yet another claim to fame: being the dad of equally-acclaimed actor and director Ben.

Family friction

Throughout his career, Ben gladly cast his pop in supporting roles — most notably Maury Ballstein, the title character’s agent in 2001’s Zoolander. But familial bonds didn’t prevent the odd on-set disagreement, as Jerry divulged to The New Yorker in 2012. “He wanted perfection, and I was getting a little huffy,” he said of his son’s directorial style. “I didn’t even want to be in the movie.” Yikes!