The Troubled Lives Of These Superhero Movie Actors' Kids
The following article includes references to alcohol and drug addiction, domestic abuse, sexual assault, and eating disorders.
It is often the case that actors who play superheroes aren't as squeaky clean as the characters they portray — take Robert Downey Jr., who was no angel when he joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe. His highly publicized addiction and arrests meant that Jon Favreau really had to fight for RDJ to play Iron Man. Although Downey Jr. turned his life around, his son, Indigo Downey, eventually faced similar issues.
Being a "nepo baby" should give you all the opportunities in the world, and for some, it has. Dan Levy, the son of Canadian actor Eugene Levy, has thrived by following in his father's footsteps, and together they created sitcom gold with "Schitt's Creek." However, sometimes the kids of such high-profile actors struggle to cope with being thrust into the spotlight, especially when they didn't ask for it. They're not immune from problems either, and it may be the case that some are passed from generation to generation.
Alongside RDJ, superhero movie stars like Marlon Brando and Michael Douglas ended up trying to support their kids, whose addictions wound up getting them in trouble with the law. Keep reading for the full details of the troubled lives of kids of famous superhero movie actors.
Harrison Ford's son went to rehab as a teenager
After decades of playing heroes like Han Solo and Indiana Jones, Harrison Ford will star in an actual superhero movie. He will replace the late William Hurt as General Thaddeus "Thunderbolt" Ross in "Captain America: New World Order," starring opposite Anthony Mackie and Sebastian Stan in 2024. This superhero movie actor, who is married to "Supergirl" star Calista Flockhart, has five children, including Flockhart's son Liam, who he adopted. Harrison shares sons Benjamin and Willard with his first wife Mary Marquardt, and later welcomed son Malcolm and daughter Georgia with his second wife, Melissa Mathison.
According to the Daily Mail, Malcolm Ford had a hard time with his parents' separation in 2001 and their subsequent divorce in 2004. He was a teenager at the time and began to struggle with marijuana use. However, the "Star Wars" actor did everything he could to help his son confront the matter at hand, including taking him to therapy sessions at a rehabilitation clinic, which his late mother also attended. A family friend told the outlet, "The kid had a big marijuana problem and the programme is specifically tailored to adolescents with addiction."
As he grew up, Malcolm pursued a career in music with his band, the Dough Rollers, who opened for the likes of Bob Dylan. In a 2013 chat with Interview, he shared that he has continued to smoke weed throughout his career.
If you or anyone you know is struggling 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).
Nick Nolte's son was arrested for driving under the influence
"The Prince of Tides" actor Nick Nolte made his Marvel debut in 2003 when he took on the role of David Banner in "Hulk," starring alongside Eric Bana, Jennifer Connelly, and Sam Elliott. But the self-described Hollywood "rebel" already had quite a rap sheet. Just a year previous, Nick was arrested and charged for driving under the influence.
Unfortunately, his son, Brawley Nolte, followed in his footsteps in more ways than one. In the same year, while Brawley was starting to forge an acting career for himself, he was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs. According to CBS News, the then-23-year-old landed in legal hot water after he hit a car while switching lanes on the Pacific Coast Highway.
Brawley made bail and later pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor charge, avoiding jail time. However, this was not the end of his legal troubles. In 2006, People reported Nick and Brawley Nolte settled a lawsuit with an underage girl who alleged that she was date-raped while at a party in their home in 2003. While the settlement meant that Brawley avoided any further legal repercussions, his friend Nicholas Woodring spent six months in prison after pleading no contest to having sex with a minor.
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).
Marlon Brando's son had a tumultuous life
Academy Award-winning movie star Marlon Brando died in 2004, leaving behind a legacy that included films like "A Streetcar Named Desire," "The Godfather," and "Superman," as well as many children and grandchildren. He welcomed his first son, Christian Brando, in 1958 with his then-wife Anna Kashfi. They divorced a year later and by the time their son was five, they were embroiled in a messy custody battle which went on until Christian was 13 years old. "When I got Christian, he was just a basket case of emotional disorders," Brando said, noting that his son had been using alcohol and marijuana as a child, per the Los Angeles Times. According to The Guardian, things took a serious turn for Christian when his mother had him abducted from boarding school. Although father and son were eventually reunited, the ordeal understandably stuck with Christian.
In 1990, things took another turn. While staying at his father's Hollywood Hills mansion, Christian accidentally shot and killed his half-sister Cheyenne Brando's boyfriend Dag Drollet. Christian said he grabbed his gun after witnessing Drollet being physically abusive toward Cheyenne, but did not mean to fire it. Christian eventually pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter and served out five years of his 10-year sentence in prison.
Christian was unable to find his footing upon his release. He died in 2008 at age 49 after being admitted to hospital with double pneumonia.
If you or anyone you know is struggling 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).
Nicolas Cage's son's difficult relationship with his mom
As the son of "Ghost Rider" star Nicolas Cage, Weston Coppola Cage is a member of one of Hollywood's most famous families. In 2005, Weston Cage followed in his father's footsteps, launching his acting career by starring alongside his dad in "Lord of War." From the outside looking in, Weston had it all, but in reality, he experienced the complicated side of growing up with famous parents. "There's a paranoia that can be in that world," he once said in the Daily Mail. "And then also there's no privacy."
Weston Cage's mother, Christina Fulton, told CNN that she was responsible for raising him while her ex was busy acting, but when he turned 18, Weston went to live with his father. But Fulton and Nicolas' tumultuous relationship came to verbal blows a few years later, publicly criticizing each other while their son was hospitalized in 2011 for a mental health evaluation.
As he dealt with his mental health and alcohol addiction, Weston's relationship with Fulton became more fractured. "Any problems that I have ever had is because of the relationship that I had with my mother," he said in a statement at the time. Weston's problems continued for years, culminating in a high-speed police chase in Los Angeles in 2017, and the actor filing for a restraining order against his mother in 2020, claiming that she had been psychologically abusive toward him, per In Touch. He has since retreated from the public eye.
If you or anyone you know is struggling 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).
Michael Douglas' son did time behind bars
As the grandson of classic cinema actor Kirk Douglas, and son of Marvel star Michael Douglas and his first wife Dianda Luker, Cameron Douglas is third-generation Hollywood royalty. With this impressive family status behind him, it's not surprising that Cameron pursued a career in the entertainment industry, working as an actor and a DJ in the early 2000s. However, Cameron later admitted to Variety that he was struggling with drug use at the time. "My loyalty was to my addiction. It was the one thing that I felt I could always count on," he recalled.
In 2009, Cameron was arrested in New York for possessing high quantities of crystal meth with the intent to distribute, The New York Post reported. The son of the "Ant-Man" star spent seven years in prison.
Prior to his arrest, Cameron recalled to Variety that he and his father were both seriously concerned that he was going to die. But, three years into his prison sentence, Cameron found himself making mental changes and focusing on his self-discipline. Since getting released from prison in 2016, he's focused on sobriety and gotten back into acting, starring in features like "Wire Room." The actor opened up about the experience in his memoir, "Long Way Home," which helped him take accountability for his actions. "That's what life is. It's a series of choices and then we deal with the consequences," he explained.
If you or anyone you know is struggling 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).
Laurence Fishburne's daughter has also had legal woes
Laurence Fishburne joined Michael Douglas in the MCU in 2018, when he joined the cast of "Ant-Man and the Wasp" as Dr. Bill Foster. In the film, he plays the surrogate father of Ava Starr (aka. Ghost), played by Hannah John-Kamen, whom he'll do anything for. Off-screen, Fishburne has a much more fraught relationship with his real-life daughter Montana Fishburne. Per Reuters, Montana told The Hollywood Reporter that her movie star dad refused to speak to her after she released her sex tape in 2010. Meanwhile, Montana explained that if her father couldn't respect her choices, their relationship wouldn't continue.
Montana had been aiming to follow in the footsteps of Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton. However, her film didn't garner her the response she was looking for, and Montana's reputation took another hit when reports surfaced that she'd been arrested on prostitution charges a year earlier. This was apparently just the start of the porn star's legal troubles, though. In 2010, TMZ reported Montana was arrested for beating up her then-beau Jerome Greene's ex-girlfriend. According to Today, she pleaded no contest and was ordered to pay $9,000 in restitution. Additionally, she was given probation and sentenced to 90 days in jail.
Montana also became a temporary fugitive in 2018 after traveling out of state and missing a mandatory drug test following her 2017 DUI. According to Radar, a warrant went out for her arrest, although it was later dismissed by a judge.
Eric Roberts' kid was arrested after a fight with her boyfriend
Emma Roberts is arguably even more famous than her dad Eric Roberts, who along with his role in the superhero movie "The Dark Knight" is best known for starring in "The Expendables." Emma's success knows no bounds, with shows like "American Horror Story" and "Scream Queens" maintaining their status as total crowd pleasers.
But amongst all of her success, Emma Roberts was embroiled in some legal troubles. In 2013, the 22-year-old was arrested after a fight with her then-boyfriend, actor Evan Peters, got physical. TMZ reported that the police were called after overhearing a commotion in her and Peters' hotel room in Montreal. According to the outlet, Peters had a bloody nose and some bite marks on his body. A source close to the "Valentine's Day" star alleged that the actors' fight got out of hand on both sides: "Emma and Evan were hitting each other, and she was arrested because he had obvious physical injuries." Emma was released shortly after her arrest because Peters didn't want to press charges.
This was the last of Emma Roberts' legal trouble, and Us Weekly reported that the couple were trying to work through the incident. They remained together until 2019, breaking up temporarily in 2015 and again in 2016.
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 on their website.
David Hasselhoff's daughter got a DUI
David Hasselhoff's most notable TV role saw him playing Mitch Buchannon on "Baywatch." However, The Hoff also got his chance to star in a Marvel movie later in his career, playing the titular character in "Nick Fury: Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D." The superhero movie actor helped his daughter Hayley Hasselhoff get her start in the entertainment industry. In 1999 she appeared in "Baywatch" alongside her dad, taking on a small role as child Tammi. Now the actor and model is best known for starring as Amber in the ABC teen drama "Huge."
In 2017, Hayley Hasselhoff made headlines for breaking the law. The "Pair of Kings" actor was arrested for driving under the influence at the age of 24 after she was found passed out on a freeway off-ramp, according to TMZ. The outlet later reported that she blew .14, twice the legal limit in California, on her breathalyzer test. Per TMZ, she pleaded no contest, got three years' probation, had to pay a small fine, and had to have a breathalyzer installed in her car.
If you or anyone you know is struggling 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).
Robert Downey Jr.'s son was arrested for drug possession
Robert Downey Jr. is one of the most famous superhero movie actors in the world, and certainly one of the highest paid. He took home $75 million on "Avengers: Endgame" — and that's just one of his Marvel movies. However, prior to joining the MCU, he had his fair share of addiction issues. This is something he says became a generational problem, and was also a struggle for his eldest son, Indigo Downey. "You're confronted with histories and predispositions and influences and feelings and unspoken traumas or needs that weren't met, and all of a sudden you're three miles into the woods," the actor once told People. "Pick a dysfunction and it's a family problem."
In 2014, 20-year-old Indigo Downey was arrested for cocaine possession. However, his conviction was dismissed 18 months later after the musician proved he was able to stay out of trouble and completed a rehab program, the Los Angeles Times confirmed. With the support of his dad and mother Deborah Falconer, he was able to get through it. RDJ celebrated his son's commitment to his sobriety and his music in a Facebook post, writing, "Congrats are in order for my firstborn, and I'm proud to oblige — Having braved the crucible of addiction (and pleased the court), his ongoing commitment to recovery continues to inspire and amaze."
If you or anyone you know is struggling 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).
Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith's son's health scare
Despite the drama in their relationship, there's no denying that Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith are a power couple in the entertainment industry, producing features like "Annie" and "The Secret Life of Bees" through their company Overbrook Entertainment. Although they've rarely acted together, both are DC stars: Will is Deadshot in "Suicide Squad" and Jada took on the role of Fish Mooney in the Batman prequel series "Gotham."
Off the screen, the couple are parents to Jaden and Willow Smith, who've followed in their footsteps as actors and singers. They've had plenty of success in their young careers, but Jaden did have a pretty troubling health scare. During an episode of Jada and Willow's talk show "Red Table Talk," Will Smith called an emergency family meeting to talk about Jaden's concerning vegan diet. "He just looked drained [and] depleted ... He wasn't getting nutrients," Pinkett Smith noted. Jaden conceded they were right, admitting he had only been eating one to two meals per day.
Thankfully, Jaden's parents intervened in time and he was able to start following a vegetarian diet, which allowed him to put on weight. "I was able to work with the doctors and really get my vitamins and get my supplements and protein shakes," he explained on another episode of "Red Table Talk," in 2021. "That's half of my diet. It's like a password that I have to find to my body."
If you are struggling with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).
Bruce Willis' daughter has struggled with sobriety
Bruce Willis has played a lot of iconic roles in his career, from John McClane in the "Die Hard" franchise to Butch Coolidge in "Pulp Fiction." He took on an equally impressive role in M. Night Shyamalan's "Unbreakable" superhero film. But Willis' most important role is being dad to his five daughters: Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel, and Evelyn.
Tallulah, Willis' youngest daughter with Demi Moore, has followed closely in her father's footsteps — not just with her short-lived acting career, but with her alcohol addiction, which was also a challenge for Willis. Tallulah's addiction began as a teenager. She revealed that she took her first drink at 14 on a family holiday. "It was champagne, it was very sweet. And then when I was 15, I almost died from alcohol poisoning," Tallulah recalled on an episode of "Red Table Talk" (via People). She continued to struggle with alcoholism for years, and her addiction was coupled with an eating disorder. "I had no regard for my life, I had no care," said of herself during this period.
Eventually, Tallualah agreed to let her sisters help her and they reunited her with Moore, who she'd been estranged from for years. This was her first step toward healing and she has since spoken about her eating disorder and sobriety, noting on Instagram that she, Rumer, and Scout are all sober.
If you or anyone you know is struggling 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).
If you are struggling with an eating disorder, or know someone who is, help is available. Visit the National Eating Disorders Association website or contact NEDA's Live Helpline at 1-800-931-2237. You can also receive 24/7 Crisis Support via text (send NEDA to 741-741).