27 Times Actors And Directors Just Put Their Family Members In Films Instead Of Casting Someone New

I can't decide if this is cute or just another example of nepotism.

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Movie casting can be a long, arduous process. So...it kind of makes sense that sometimes actors and directors will straight-up just throw their family member in front of the camera.

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Here are 27 times actors and filmmakers just used their family members rather than cast new actors for a part.

1. Tom Hanks's daughter appeared in Forrest Gump.

In Forrest Gump (1994), the girl on the bus who refuses to let Forrest sit next to her is played by Elizabeth Hanks, the daughter of Tom Hanks. from MovieDetails

2. Simon Pegg's and Edgar Wright's mothers appeared in Hot Fuzz.

In Hot Fuzz (2007), two of the ‘village of the year’ judges are played by the mothers of Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg. from MovieDetails

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3. Ralph Fiennes' nephew played Young Voldemort in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

In Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince (2009), the child version of Tom Riddle is played by Hero Fiennes Tiffin, the nephew of actor Ralph Fiennes, who played Voldemort. Nice little family connection. from MovieDetails

4. Emily Blunt's brother played a soldier in Edge of Tomorrow.

In Edge of Tomorrow (2014), when Rita (Emily Blunt) is first seen marching out of the hangar, a random soldier comes up & exclaims “Bloody hell! It’s the Full Metal...” but she shoves him down before he can finish saying “Bitch.” That soldier is played by Blunt’s real-life younger brother Sebastian. from MovieDetails

5. Dawn of the Dead makeup/special effects artist and actor Mike Savini's niece and nephew appeared in the film.

In Dawn of the Dead (1978), the two children who attack Peter (Ken Foree) are uncredited cameos by Donna Savini and Mike Savini, the niece and nephew of Tom Savini. Source in comments. from MovieDetails

6. Mark Hamill's children, Nathan, Chelsea, and Griffin, played three rebel soldiers in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

In Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), these rebel soldiers are played by Mark Hamill's children. From left to right; Nathan Hamill, Chelsea Hamill, and Griffin Hamill. from MovieDetails

7. Nathan also appeared in_ The Phantom Menace._

In The Phantom Menace (1999), Mark Hamill's son Nathan portrays a law clerk in Naboo identified as Rehtul Minnau. He would later appear in The Last Jedi (2017) as a Resistance member named Saile Minnau, implying that he is a descendant of his previous character. from MovieDetails

8. Stanley Kubrick's daughter and grandson both appeared in his film Eyes Wide Shut.

In Eyes Wide Shut (1999), Katharina Kubrick, the daughter of Stanley Kubrick, has a cameo at the doctor’s office. The boy is her son Alex. from MovieDetails

9. John David Washington (who has since become a star in his own right) played one of the kids who said, "I am Malcolm X!" in Malcolm X,_ starring _his father, Denzel Washington.

In Malcolm X (1992) starring Denzel Washington, the first child that stands up and says I’m Malcolm X is played by John David Washington, Denzel’s son and star of Tenet. https://www.capitalxtra.com/features/facts/john-david-washington/malcolm-x/ from MovieDetails

10. Director Jon Favreau's son, Max, played the little kid in the Iron Man mask in _Iron Man 2. _The character was later revealed to be a young Peter Parker.

In Iron Man 2 (2010), the kid in the Iron Man mask is played by Max Favreau, the son of director Jon Favreau. from MovieDetails

11. George Lucas's son, Jett, played a pretty badass Padawan in both _Attack of the Clone_s and Revenge of the Sith.

In Star Wars Episode 3: Revenge of the Sith (2005) the young Jedi who saves Bail Organa was played by George Lucas’ son Jett Lucas from MovieDetails

12. Morgan Freeman's son appeared in Freeman's film_ Se7en._

In Se7en (1995), Morgan Freeman's son Alfonso plays the fingerprint technician. from MovieDetails

13. Director Chris Miller's son voiced the Duplo in his film The Lego Movie.

In The Lego Movie (2014), the Duplo are voiced by Chris Miller's (then) three-year-old son, Graham Miller. from MovieDetails

14. The baby in_ Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping _is director Jorma Taccone's son.

In Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (2016), in home movie footage showing Conner4Real as a baby playing drums, baby Conner is played by writer/director/co-star Jorma Taccone’s infant son Wylie. from MovieDetails

15. The Iron Giant director Brad Bird's son Michael provided additional voices for the animated classic.

In The Iron Giant (1999), a young boy is voiced by Michael Bird, the son of director Brad Bird. Michael also did the voice of Hogarth in temp animation before production on the movie officially began. from MovieDetails

16. The Dark Knight Rises director Christopher Nolan cast his son Rory in the bus scene. 

In The Dark Knight Rises (2012), one of the children on the school bus on the bridge is Rory Nolan, the child of director Chris Nolan. Nolan touchingly named the working title of the movie, Magnus Rex, after another son, Magnus. from MovieDetails

17. And Nolan's daughter, Flora, very briefly appeared in his film Interstellar.

This shot is from Interstellar (2014). The child on the right is played by the director’s daughter, Flora Nolan. This is significant due to the fact that moments earlier, Dr Mann was talking to Cooper about his children. from MovieDetails

18. Steven Spielberg's daughter Sasha briefly appeared in his film The Terminal.

In The Terminal (2004), Sasha Spielberg (Steven Spielberg‘s daughter) plays the girl with the suitcase that Viktor tries to help. (Cameo) from MovieDetails

19. _Ghostbusters II _director Ivan Reitman cast his daughter Catherine in a small role in the film.

In Ghostbusters 2 (1989), the little girl in the laboratory is Catherine Reitman, the daughter of director Ivan Reitman. from MovieDetails

20. Chris Columbus, who directed the first two _Harry Potte_r films, cast his daughter in the minor role of Susan Bones. He also used her in his films Home Alone 2 and Rent.

In the Harry Potter film series, the character of Susan Bones was played by director Chris Columbus' daughter, Eleanor Columbus and was the only American kid on set. When Chris was replaced in the series for the 3rd film, the character was cut off. She only appeared in the 1st 2 films. from MovieDetails

21. Sean Astin's daughter actually appeared as Sam's daughter in the final_ Lord of the Rings_ film.

At the end of LOTR: The Return of the King (2003), Samwise Gamgee finally returns home and is hugged by his daughter, Elanor. That’s Sean Astin’s daughter in real life, Alexandra. from MovieDetails

22. The girl who played Clint's daughter Lila in the opening scene of_ Avengers: Endgame_ was director Joe Russo's daughter Ava.

In Avengers: Endgame (2019), Hawkeye’s daughter Lila Barton, showed in the opening scene, is played by Ava Russo, daughter of director Joe Russo from MovieDetails

23. Angelina Jolie's daughter Vivienne appeared as young Aurora in _Maleficent _because she wasn't scared of her mother in her costume, unlike the other actors they tried. Her kids Pax and Zahara also appeared as extras in the film.

In Maleficent (2014), the young Aurora was played by Angelina Jolie’s daughter Vivienne. The 5-year-old got the part because she was the only child who wasn’t terrified of Jolie in her Maleficent makeup. Several other younger children auditioned and wouldn’t go near her. from MovieDetails

24. And Jolie and Brad Pitt's child Shiloh briefly appeared in Pitt's film The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.

In The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), the baby playing Benjamin and Daisy’s infant daughter Caroline is Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s real-life daughter Shiloh in an uncredited cameo when she was just 10 months old. from MovieDetails

25. Alfred Hitchcock's daughter, Patricia, had a small part in his film Psycho.

Caroline, Marion's co-worker in Psycho (1960), is played by Patricia Hitchcock, the director Alfred's daughter. from MovieDetails

26. Two of Love Actually director Richard Curtis's children appeared in the film.

Two of the kids in the play at the end of 'Love Actually' (2003) are the children of writer/director Richard Curtis and his partner Emma Freud. Their daughter is one of the lobsters and their son is the boy in the Spider-Man make up. from MovieDetails

27. And finally, Lindsay Crystal appeared in her father Billy's film_ City Slickers_ as his daughter.

Billy Crystal's daughter in 'City Clickers' (1991) was played by his real life daughter, Lindsay. (And that little boy is Jake Gyllenhaal!) from MovieDetails

H/T: r/MovieDetails.

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