Beloved '80s movie stars who worked with their children — do you remember any?

Bring your child to work day goes a little bit differently when you're walking the red carpet – find out which celeb children joined their '80s star parents onscreen

© FilmMagic
Daisy Finch
Daisy FinchAudience Writer
2 minutes ago
LEAVE A COMMENT
Share this:

Plenty of celebrity children decide to follow their parents' footsteps into the world of showbiz, whether in front of the camera, behind the scenes or up in the writers room. But some second (or third) generation actors take things a step further, working alongside their parents to really make things a family affair.

Read on to find out which iconic '80s celebs have starred alongside their own children, from Brat Pack regulars to those bringing their children into the rebooted fold of their best-loved hit. 

Dylan Penn and Sean Penn stand with an arm around one another. Dylan wears a black suit with while piping while Sean wears a black jacket over a denim shirt.© Getty Images

Sean and Dylan joined forces on 2021 drama 'Flag Day'

Sean & Dylan Penn

Before Milk and Mystic River, Sean Penn brought the laughs in Fast Times at Ridgemont High, a classic in the competitive field of '80s coming-of-age features. 

But Sean is certainly not the only famous name in the Penn family: daughter Dylan has made a name for herself on-screen and even joined dad Sean in 2021's Flag Day, which her father also directed.

Wyatt Russel holds an arm around father Kurt's shoulders. Wyatt wears a brown double breasted jacket while Kurt wears a grey top and black jacket with blue trim.© FilmMagic via Getty Images

Kurt and Wyatt have played the same character several times

Kurt & Wyatt Russell

Who better to play a younger version of a famous face than their lookalike child? Wyatt Russell joined his father Kurt for his first roles on the big screen, which included playing his father in Soldier (1998).

Over 20 years later, Wyatt returned to his roots in Monarch: Legacy of Monsters to play the younger version of Kurt's Lee Shaw in a dual timeline drama.

Diane Ladd in a black coat and satin vneck dress standing next to daughter Laura Dern in a black dress with a peter pan collar and a camel overcoat.© Getty Images

Diane and Laura as are as close as can be and enjoy collaborating on new projects together

Diane Ladd & Laura Dern

Diane Ladd appeared in several hit '80s family comedies like National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and TV sitcom Alice. Family features are obviously extra important to the actress as daughter Laura Dern got her start as a child on a few of her mother's early projects.

The pair truly crossed paths in David Lynch's Wild at Heart (1990). In 1992, they made history as the first mother-daughter duo honoured by the Oscars for the same film.

Ethan Hawke and Maya Hawke stand together on the red carpet. Ethan wears a black turtleneck and check grey jacket while Maya wears a strapped black, square neck dress.© Getty Images

Ethan and Maya have worked as co-stars and on a director-actor basis

Ethan & Maya Hawke

Ethan Hawke got his start in the mid '80s and closed out the decade with a role in Robin Williams' iconic coming-of-age drama Dead Poets Society (1989). 

The four-time Oscar nominee has collaborated with daughter Maya Hawke several times: in 2020, they co-starred in period miniseries The Good Lord Bird and in 2023, as Ethan directed Maya's Flannery O'Connor in Wildcat.

Rob Lowe and John Owen Lowe at the premiere of 'Grace Point'. Rob wears a black top and black open zip jacket. John wears.a black top and black leather jacket.© WireImage via Getty Images

Rob and John joined forces to create, produce and star in workplace comedy 'Unstable'

Rob Lowe & John Owen Lowe

Brat Pack regular Rob Lowe was joined by son John Owen Lowe in their original workplace comedy Unstable, which ran for two seasons from 2023.

Building on their real-world relationship, the pair explored the life of a smug biotech entrepreneur who struggles to cope with the loss of his wife and is subsequently joined at his company by his socially awkward son. 

Kurt Russell i a suit and tie with daughter Kate Hudson who wears a black dress, o the red carpet.© Getty Images

Kurt and Kate have acted together and Kurt even starred in Kate's first directorial project

Kurt Russell & Kate Hudson

The How to Lost a Guy in 10 Days star joined her famous stepfather Kurt Russell in 2016's Deepwater Horizon but Kurt's also very willing to put his acting talent in his daughter's hands.

In 2007, the father-daughter pair worked together on Kate's first directorial project, short film Cutlass, which Russell starred in.

Ralph Macchio poses with daughter Julia in a blue patterned suit jacket, black tshirt and dark trousers. Julia wears a strapless pink dress. © WireImage via Getty Images

Ralph's daughter Julia joined her father on screen as Daniel LaRusso's cousin

Ralph & Julia Macchio

Ralph Macchio's star role in The Karate Kid earned him unparalleled fame in the '80s, so it's no surprise a reboot series was commissioned and has continued to build on its original fanbase.

Ralph was joined on Cobra Kai in season four by daughter Julia Macchio as his cousin, Vanessa LaRusso who gives him and his on-screen wife a bit of a talking to.

Andie MacDowell in a sleeveless white dress looks back over her right shoulder into the camera while daughter Margaret Qualley weears a a green sequin gown with short sleeves.© Corbis via Getty Images

Andie MacDowell and Margaret Qualley are on- and off-screen mother and daughter in 'Maid'

Andie MacDowell & Margaret Qualley

She might be best-remembered for '90s hits like Four Weddings and a Funeral, but Andie MacDowell made it big the previous decade with St. Elmo's Fire and Sex, Lies, and Videotape. 

Her daughter Margaret Qualley seems to have inherited the same big-screen talent, starring with Demi Moore in The Substance, and has joined her mother on screen in Maid, where Andie plays her on-screen mum. 

More US
See more
Read More