Not everyone who shares the same last name is related. Growing up, some of us had no idea for years that singer Ashlee Simpson is the sister of famous singer, reality show star, and business owner Jessica Simpson. On the flip side, some people regularly ask how Cody and Jessica Simpson are related. Spoiler alert – they are not related. They share the same last name, as do many other stars who happen to have families who aren’t related. So, which of our favorite celebrities share a last name but nothing else? Read on to find out.
Priyanka Chopra and Deepak Chopra
Despite sharing the same name, these two are not related. It never even crossed our minds that the two share the same last name. The lovely actress and wife to Nick Jonas and the famous author are not families, but that didn’t stop Rosie O’Donnell from assuming they are. O’Donnell once told the young star she knows her father, Deepak. Except, these two are not related.
Venus and Serena Williams and Vanessa Williams
They have not only their last name in common but also the fact that they are all exceptionally talented at their jobs. The first two are sisters, and you know them for their exceptional work as athletes on the tennis courts. The latter is a famous actress who is well-known for her killer characters on shows such as Desperate Housewives. However, what they are not known for is their familial connection. That’s because there isn’t one.
Kerry Washington and Denzel Washington
They are both fantastic. Both are more famous than most people ever dream of being. Neither is related to the other. They share the same last name – as does our first president of the United States. We can’t say for sure, but we don’t think he’s related, either. However, people occasionally mistake these two for the family even though they are not related.
Katharine Hepburn and Audrey Hepburn
At the risk of sounding silly, we did think they were related. This is likely due to the fact that their careers were long before our time, though. These two famous actresses share many things. Their talent, for one. They are recognized as some of the world’s most elegant, gorgeous women. Their acting abilities and their fame are unmatched. Katharine Hepburn has four Academy Awards (all for best actress, and she holds the record for that). Audrey Hepburn has one. While they are both elegant, talented, and famous, they are unrelated.
Drew Carey and Mariah Carey
Perhaps Drew Carey might joke there is some family resemblance there, and these two are unrelated. The comedian and the superstar singer have the same last name. The only thing they share, aside from their name, is the fact that they started working on their careers around the same time.
Shawn Mendes and Camila Mendes
They’re not related. She is also not Camila Cabello, who is another famous singer along with Shawn Mendes. Camila Mendes once realized that her social media account was blowing up not because of her prominent role in the hit series Riverdale but because people thought Shawn Mendes and Camila Cabello got married, and she changed her name. However, she did have to announce that she was Camila Mendes, the human, not Camila Cabello turned Mendes (even though fans were hoping).
Randy Jackson and Any Other Jackson
He’s famous for being such a massive part of the entertainment industry. He’s also renowned for being one of the OG judges on the hit show American Idol. He’s the creator of the phrase “It’s a no from me, dawg,” that we all use daily. What he is not, however, is a Jackson. He is a Jackson, but he is not one of THE Jacksons. Or, to make it easier on everyone, he is not related to either Janet Jackson or Michael Jackson. There are a lot of Jackson siblings, it’s true, but Randy isn’t one of them.
Jennifer Lopez and Mario Lopez
They aren’t related, and we are left with one question. How do two people with the same last name and no relation end up that good-looking? They both won the lottery genes in the Lopez families – though not the same Lopez families. So they might not be related, but they share a few similarities. Such as aging backward over the years. The actor turned television host, and the musician and actress are not related, but they are both beautiful.