Celebrities Who Don't Speak To Their Parents

Macaulay Culkin was thrust into Hollywood at a young age by his parents, Kit Culkin and Patricia Brentrup. In a 2001 interview with New York magazine, Culkin shared that he never wanted to lead a life in the spotlight. His relationship with his parents, who became his managers, was strained — especially his relationship with his father, who was constantly pushing him to do more and leeching off his success. 

According to the Los Angeles Times, in 1995, Culkin's parents split up and became involved in a bitter custody battle over the "Home Alone" actor and their six other children. Winning custody of the Culkin children meant the parents would continue profiting from their success. However, at age 16, Culkin "divorced" both his parents and emancipated himself. After learning that he was worth an estimated $50 million, he decided it was time he took control over his own money, per New York magazine. Culkin hasn't spoken to or seen his father since the trial. He mostly took a break from acting in 1994 after starring in "Richie Rich" and returned in 2003 with the movie "Party Monster."

In January 2018, Culkin shared grimmer details of his childhood with Marc Maron on his "WTF" podcast. The actor described his father as allegedly "jealous" of his son's career. "He was a bad, abusive man," Culkin stated, while also expressing love for his mother. In 2016, the star's father told the Daily Mail, "I don't consider him a son anymore." 

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

According to the Daily Mail, Heather Graham was raised by a Catholic family with an FBI father and a mother who was a school teacher. She told the outlet that her parents threatened to send her off to become a nun. Instead, Graham appeared in "Drugstore Cowboy," which had the actor playing the role of a drug-addicted runaway, and "Boogie Nights," in which Graham portrayed a porn star. 

Graham told The Guardian in 1999, "My parents, they didn't really want to hear my point of view. I think they were willing to hear it, but they would just then tell me about how their point of view was right and mine was wrong." The actor left home after high school and eventually stopped speaking with her parents. She didn't care to dwell on the estrangement too much. Speaking with Cinema.com in 2001, Graham declined to talk about her mom and dad, worried that her words would be misconstrued.

In 2013, the actor's mom and dad allegedly told The Sun that they never pressured their daughter to become a nun and don't understand the reason behind their rift. Her father Jim believed that reports of Heather's "strict" upbringing were a narrative perpetuated by her or her publicist: "Like most other actors, there had to be some drama, strife and struggle," he said. Jim added, "Up until 'Boogie Nights,' we were a close, happy family. Then the movie came out, and everything changed. It is safe to say that movie destroyed our relationship — that film is the anniversary of when Heather decided to take a break from us."

Demi Lovato is an open book. She has spoken candidly about her struggles with drug and alcohol addiction and has also talked about her abusive father, Patrick Lovato, who died in 2013 from cancer. 

In a video discussing their song "Father" from their 2015 album "Confident," Lovato admitted to having mixed feelings about their dad's death. "I was very conflicted when he passed because he was abusive. He was mean, but he wanted to be a good person, and he wanted to have his family. When my mom married my step-dad, he still had this huge heart where he would say, 'I'm so glad Eddie's taking care of you and doing the job that I wish I could do,'" they said. Lovato revealed that Patrick had a mental health issue that inhibited his role as a father. According to People, Lovato's mother, Dianna De La Garza, married Eddie De La Garza in 1995.

Lovato's mother touched upon her ex-husband's abusive ways in her 2018 memoir "Falling With Wings: A Mother's Story." "I thought I could change him, and I think victims of domestic abuse often feel the same way. You're not always going to be able to change someone, no matter how much you want to," Dianna said (via People). 

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

Vanessa Lachey has been estranged from her mother for quite some time. The former MTV "Total Request Live" host's mom left her at a young age, and that played an integral part in how Lachey has promised to raise her three children, whom she shares with 98 Degrees boy band member Nick Lachey. She shared with People in 2021, "What I've taken out of it is how it's ultimately made me a better mom, a better wife, and hopefully a better person. I will never take my family for granted."

People reported that Vanessa's mother, Helen Bondoc, split from her father, Vincent Minnillo, when she was three. When Vanessa was nine, Bondoc left her daughter with Vincent and never returned. The last time Vanessa saw her mother was when she was 18 years old. The "NCIS: Hawai'i" star has thanked her husband for being her rock when feelings of insecurity or self-doubt arise. Nick shared, "One thing I've learned about my wife is that she's a fighter and so resilient. If nothing else, [her experience] gave her a real appreciation for how important her kids are to her."

The Lacheys wed in July 2011. At the time, Star magazine (via Radar) was able to locate Vanessa's mother, who said she had no clue her daughter had gotten married. "It would be nice to a have a relationship with her now, but I don't know how she'd feel if I called her," Bondoc said. In her People interview, Vanessa shared that she was open to speaking with her mother. 

When Meghan Markle joined the British royal family after her November 2017 engagement to Prince Harry, the tabloids attacked the "Suits" actor. Sadly, her own family took it upon themselves to make regular public comments about her and sell stories to the press. Markle's father, Thomas Markle, had been highly outspoken about the Duchess of Sussex, from criticizing Meghan for stepping down from her royal duties to wanting to take legal action to see Meghan and Prince Harry's two children, Archie and Lilibet. 

According to the Daily Mail, Meghan's relationship with her father became strained when he was caught staging photos with the paparazzi before his daughter wed Prince Harry in 2018. Meghan urged her parents not to discuss her relationship with Harry with the press. She told Oprah in March 2021, "I look at Archie, I think about this child... I genuinely can't imagine doing anything to intentionally cause pain to my child. I can't imagine it. So it's hard for me to reconcile that." 

In October 2021, Thomas spoke with "Good Morning Britain" about wanting to fix his relationship with Meghan for the sake of his grandchildren. He shared, "My message for the kids is that they have two loving families ... and eventually, they're going to grow up and they're going to want to know more about them." Thomas also added that he would continue to speak to the press until Meghan reached out to him. 

Actor Anthony Hopkins welcomed his only child, a daughter named Abigail Hopkins, with his first wife, Petronella Barker, in 1968. According to The Telegraph, before Hopkins and Barker ended their marriage in 1972, he also ended his connection to his young daughter. In a 2002 press interview for "Red Dragon" (via Philstar), Hopkins responded to an assumption that he was "self-possessed": "I may have screwed up a lot of my life, I may have hurt a few people, I'm not a very good husband, I'm not a good father," he said, in part.

In her interview with The Telegraph in 2006, Abigail shared that she infrequently saw her father when she was a child. She had a brief reunion with him when he cast her in cameos for "Remains of the Day" and "Shadowlands." Abigail made mention of an argument they had when she was 16, downplaying mental health struggles from her younger years. She was still open to having a relationship with her famous father, but only if it was mutual. 

In a 2018 interview with the Radio Times, the "Silence of the Lambs" actor had no intention of reconciling with his only daughter. "People break up. Families split, and you know, 'Get on with your life.' People make choices. I don't care one way or the other.'" Further explaining their estrangement, he told The Times (via People), "I've got no blame. People do what they do. And I don't understand it, and it doesn't bother me. I can't waste my time worrying about it. And I'm not cold, I'm just thinking, 'Oh well, that's the way it is.'"

If you or someone you know needs help with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.

Meg Ryan's feud with her mother, Susan Jordan, began after the "When Harry Met Sally" actor became involved with Dennis Quaid in 1990. According to the New York Post, Jordan became concerned about her daughter's relationship with Quaid when she suspected him of misusing drugs, which Ryan had denied. Jordan explained, "I had no idea why until months later I thought she might have thought I knew about this drug problem. Did she think, 'what is it going to look like if America's sweetheart is engaged to a drug addict?'"

Ryan did not invite her mother to her 1991 wedding to Quaid. However, as her mother said, Quaid entered rehab for his drug addiction before the two could wed (per The Telegraph). In July 2000, the couple split, with Susan telling the New York Post she hoped that meant she and her daughter could restore their relationship. "If she called me now, I would tell her that I love her. It would give me peace to know that she is leading a happy life," Jordan said.

According to Page Six, Jordan's 2001 autobiography, "The Immune Spirit: A Story of Love, Loss, and Healing," did not paint a pretty picture of her famous daughter, especially after allegedly wanting to make amends. It read, "The image [Meg] has of the innocent, dizzy girl-next-door could not be further from the truth. In real life, she's a cold-hearted, cruel manipulator." 

If you or anyone you know needs help with addiction issues, help is available. Visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration website or contact SAMHSA's National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).

Dylan Farrow is the adoptive daughter of actor Mia Farrow and director Woody Allen. Though she was raised by one of Hollywood's most influential couples at the time, she later exposed her adoptive father for sexually abusing her as a child. 

Allegations that Allen molested Dylan when she was seven made headlines in 1992 in an article for Vanity Fair, in which Allen denied any wrongdoing. According to The New York Times, a criminal investigation had taken place, but charges against Allen were later dropped. Earlier that year, it was also revealed that the director was having an affair with the couple's adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn, whom he later married in 1997.

Years later, Dylan again exposed Allen in a 2014 open letter in The New York Times: "For as long as I could remember, my father had been doing things to me that I didn't like ... That he got away with what he did to me haunted me as I grew up." In 2021, Dylan was interviewed for Elle and shared, "I don't feel like I have a father," while even joking that she didn't know what to call her adopted sister or father. "There's no support group for people whose sisters marry their fathers. Or is he my brother-in-law? And is she my stepmom?" Dylan has continued to speak out about the sexual abuse allegations against Allen, including in the 2021 documentary "Allen v. Farrow." 

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

"Arrow" actor Katie Cassidy's father was '70s teen sensation and "The Partridge Family" star David Cassidy. However, Katie's relationship with her famous father has always been complex. "I feel like there's this preconceived notion that I come from a family of wealth and celebrity, the Cassidys, so I think people have this misconception of myself when the reality is that I actually didn't grow up with my biological father. I didn't know him until I was in fourth grade, and then he became a good friend of mine," Katie told People.

Though they developed a minimal relationship over the years, David told People in 2017 that they were no longer on speaking terms. "I've never had a relationship with her. I wasn't her father. I was her biological father, but I didn't raise her. She has a completely different life," he shared. Despite this, he did add that he was proud of his daughter's acting career.

Katie and David reunited before his death in November 2017. However, the actor was left out of her father's will. Despite this, there doesn't seem to be any ill will, with Katie tweeting a touching message after her father died. "My father's last words were "So much wasted time." This will be a daily reminder for me to share my gratitude with those I love as to never waste another minute ... thank you," Katie wrote (via Today). 

Actor Samuel L. Jackson has continued to have an extraordinary career in Hollywood, but his life hasn't always been so celebratory. The Marvel actor grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee, during a time of segregation and was raised by his grandparents, aunt, and mother. In an interview with The Guardian, Jackson spoke about his strict upbringing and having only ever seen his father twice in his life. 

Jackson recalled only seeing his father once when he was a child and a second time when his daughter, Zoe, was six months old. Jackson was part of a show at a theater near his paternal grandmother's home and decided to meet her. He was surprised to learn that his father was also there at the time. "There was no way I thought of him as my father," Jackson shared, adding, "We had a conversation, and he said something like, 'You can't talk to me that way, I'm your father,' and I said, 'No, you're not — we're just two people talking.'"

Though he did not have his biological father growing up, Jackson did share that his maternal grandfather stepped in as a father figure. Speaking to The Telegraph in 2012 about his childhood, "The Banker" shared that not having his real father there did not bother him. "It was fine. One of the things that disturbs people about me is that I don't have separation anxiety." He also shared that, unlike his biological father, he will always be a part of his daughter's life.

Actor Leighton Meester's upbringing was the opposite of her "Gossip Girl" character Blair Waldorf. Meester was born in prison after her mother, Constance, served time for smuggling drugs. In fact, her father, Doug, was also involved in the drug ring along with Constance's sister, Judy. According to Fox News, though her mother was sentenced to ten years in prison, she was released after 16 months and was able to reconnect with her daughter. Speaking about their tight-knit relationship, Meester told Us Weekly (via Fox News), "She's always there for me no matter what. I swear, this woman knows everything."

However, their bond seemed broken after Meester sued her mother in 2011. According to TMZ, the actor would send her mother $7,500 a month to care for her brother Lex. However, Meester learned that her mother was using the money on cosmetic procedures and beauty treatments. Meester sued her mother after Constance claimed, "They had an oral contract requiring Leighton to pay her $10,000 a month for life."

In 2012, a judge ruled in the actor's favor, with ABC News reporting that Meester "was not contractually bound to pay her mother money." Since then, Meester hasn't spoken about her mother.