14 Famous Families Who Had Very Public Feuds, And Whether They Chose Forgiveness Or A Permanent Falling Out

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14 Famous Families Who Had Very Public Feuds, And Whether They Chose Forgiveness Or A Permanent Falling Out

Family drama is a familiar headline in Hollywood, playing out in the press the same way a non-famous family’s fallout may play out over Facebook.

Here are 14 celebs who had huge fallouts with their families (and whether they made up or not):

1. THE FEUD: In 1999, Jennifer Aniston’s mom, Nancy Dow, released a tell-all book, From Mother and Daughter to Friends, about her contentious relationship with her daughter. It resulted in a long estrangement between the two.

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They were back on speaking terms before Nancy’s death in 2016.

In 2015, Jen told the Hollywood Reporter, “We’re all fine. … She was critical. She was very critical of me. Because she was a model, she was gorgeous, stunning. I wasn’t. I never was. I honestly still don’t think of myself in that sort of light, which is fine. She was also very unforgiving. She would hold grudges that I just found so petty.”

THE FORGIVENESS: In 2022, she told Allure, “I forgave my mom. I forgave my father. I’ve forgiven my family.”

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In 2018, she told Elle, “My mom said those things because she really loved me. It wasn’t her trying to be a bitch or knowing she would be making some deep wounds that I would then spend a lot of money to undo. She did it because that was what she grew up with. ‘You want to be happy. It’s hard for big girls.’ She was missing what was [actually] important. I think she was just holding on and doing the best she could, struggling financially and dealing with a husband who was no longer there. Being a single mom in the ’80s I’m sure was pretty crappy.”

2. THE FEUD: After 1986’s A Time to Kill made Matthew McConaughey a bona fide star, his mom, Mary McCabe, began leaking personal stories he told her to the press. After she invited the Hard Copy tabloid news show to tour their family home, Matthew stopped talking to her for eight years.

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THE FORGIVENESS: After eight years, Matthew was ready to let her back into his life. He told Red Table Talk, “My boat was built well enough where I didn’t feel like she could sink it. I just took the reins off, and said, ‘Mom, hit that red carpet, talk to all of ’em, and tell them all the stories you want.’ And she’s been great about it ever since.”

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Appearing on the same episode as her son, Mary admitted that she’d been “enjoying his fame more than he was” at the time.

3. THE FEUD: After Meghan Markle got engaged to Prince Harry, her dad, Thomas Markle Sr., reportedly staged paparazzi pictures of himself, missed her wedding, gave an interview about a private conversation he had with the couple, and gave a letter she wrote him to the Daily Mail for publication without her knowledge or consent.

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Megan and Harry sued the Daily Mail for breaching the Data Protection Act 2018 and misusing private info as well as copyright infringement. The couple won the lawsuit.

THE FALLOUT: In her and Harry’s Oprah interview, Meghan said, “I look at Archie [her son], I think about this child, and I genuinely can’t imagine doing anything to intentionally cause pain to my child. So it’s hard for me to reconcile that.”

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She said, “We called my dad, and I asked him [if he was working with the tabloids], and he said, ‘No, absolutely not.’ I said, ‘You know, the Institution has never intervened for anything for us, but they can try to go in and kill this story. But if they do this once, we’re not going to be able to use that same leverage to protect our own kids one day. I said, ‘I just need you to tell me. If you tell me the truth, we can help.’ And he wasn’t able to do that. And that for me has really resonated, especially now as a mother.”

4. THE FEUD: In a now-infamous video from 2014, Solange Knowles attacked her brother-in-law Jay-Z in an elevator during a Met Gala afterparty. They were separated by a security guard as well as Beyoncé herself.

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People reported that Solange was “provoked” after an interaction with fashion designer Rachel Roy (who has long been speculated to be “Becky with the good hair,” aka the woman Jay-Z allegedly cheated on Beyoncé with).

THE FORGIVENESS: Ten days later, Jay-Z, Beyoncé, and Solange released a joint statement, saying, “Jay and Solange each assume their share of responsibility for what has occurred. They both acknowledge their role in this private matter that has played out in the public. They both have apologized to each other, and we have moved forward as a united family.”

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They continued, “The reports of Solange being intoxicated or displaying erratic behavior throughout that evening are simply false. At the end of the day families have problems, and we’re no different. We love each other, and above all, we are family. We’ve put this behind us and hope everyone else will do the same.”

5. THE FEUD: When Heather Graham started filming the 1997 film Boogie Nights, she stopped talking with her parents, Joan and James Graham. Their estrangement was a result of her rebellion against the way she was raised in a rigid Irish Catholic household.

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At the time, Heather’s parents told USA Weekend, “We wish her the absolute best. She does a great job [as an actor]. Our hearts and arms are open to her.”

However, in the same interview, Heather said, “It’s like saying if what they did didn’t hurt me, I could have a relationship with them. But I have to respect my feelings.”

THE FALLOUT: In 2013, Heather reportedly said, “Part of me longs to have a mum and dad who love and accept me for who I am, but, if they never do, it’s OK.” James alleged to the Sun that Boogie Nights “destroyed” their family.

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6. THE FEUD: In 2011, Adele’s father, Mark Evans, who walked out on the family when she was young, was tracked down by the Sun for an exclusive interview in which he discussed the challenges of their relationship. It resulted in a falling out between the two.

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He told the outlet that he was a “rotten father” when she needed him. After detailing the pain he felt from missing her, he also admitted that Adele’s claims that she cut contact with him since she was 11 were “lies” she told to protect him. 

THE FORGIVENESS: Before Mark’s death in 2021, he and Adele “forgave each other.” During her Adele One Night Only special, she told Oprah, “I felt that huge gaping hole filled… We found our peace together, and then I played the album to him on Zoom.”

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She also said, “My dad’s absolute lack of presence and effort… But I finally understood that it was the alcohol… It took my dad from me…”

7. THE FEUD: In 2011, Leighton Meester’s mom, Constance Meester, claimed that she and her daughter had an oral contract promising that Leighton agreed to send her $10,000 a month for life. However, Leighton sued Constance for allegedly using the monthly $7,500 stipend she sent to cover her little brother’s medical bills on cosmetic procedures for herself instead.

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Constance alleged that Leighton “hit her with a bottle” and countersued for $3 million. However, she later dropped the lawsuit.

THE FALLOUT: In 2012, the Los Angeles court ruled that Leighton didn’t owe Constance anything because there wasn’t a valid or enforceable agreement between them.

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8. THE FEUD: On Father’s Day 2015, Oliver Hudson posted an old picture of himself, his sister Kate Hudson, and their dad, Bill Hudson, on Instagram. He captioned it, “Happy abandonment day.”

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Kate also posted an Instagram picture with Kurt Russell, their mother Goldie Hawn’s long-term partner. She captioned it, “Pa, just simply…Thank you. Happy Fathers Day. I love you to the moon and back.”

After seeing both posts, Bill told the Daily Mail, “I say to them now, ‘I set you free.’ I had five birth children, but I now consider myself a father of three. I no longer recognise Oliver and Kate as my own. I would ask them to stop using the Hudson name. They are no longer a part of my life. Oliver’s Instagram post was a malicious, vicious, premeditated attack. He is dead to me now. As is Kate. I am mourning their loss even though they are still walking this earth.”

THE FALLOUT: In 2021, Kate told Sunday Today with Willie Geist, “I think that estrangement is unfortunately quite common. I think it’s important for people to talk about that.”

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9. THE FEUD: In 2013, the Jonas Brothers broke up their band, shocking fans ahead of their fifth album release and planned tour. Nick said he “couldn’t do it anymore” — but Joe and Kevin didn’t see the breakup coming.

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In 2019, Nick told CBS Sunday Morning, “I said, ‘You know, I feel like the Jonas Brothers should be no more, and we should go on inpidual journeys.’ And it didn’t go so well. … I feared that, you know, we — they would never speak to me again.”

In the band’s joint memoir Blood, Joe said, “I walked into that meeting like a tourist going to the beach,” he began. “I kicked back on the couch and said, ‘What’s going on?’ and put my feet up. I didn’t see the tsunami coming. I still remember the exact words he said. ‘My heart is no longer in this.’ It was like something our dad would say. Very pastor-like. Something an old-fashioned gentleman might say to his partner when getting porced. It felt formal, serious…and permanent.”

He continued, “The pressure kept building inside me, until Kevin set it loose. Kevin was going on about a breakup tour. ‘We can figure this out,’ he was saying. ‘We’ll just say, this is it. We’re breaking up and we’re going to do this farewell tour.’ … How could he be cool with this so quickly? It was all over, and he was trying to market it. This was not okay.”

THE FORGIVENESS: In 2019, the band reunited and released their comeback single, “Sucker.” They’ve been going strong ever since.

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10. THE FEUD: In 2008, Madonna’s brother Christopher Ciccone told Good Morning America that the “turning point” in their once-close relationship was “when she’s rolling around on [their] mother’s grave” in her documentary Truth or Dare. His tell-all book, Life With My Sister Madonna, led to further strain.

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He also told GMA that they clashed over finances when he felt Madonna wasn’t providing enough support for their grandmother. He said, “It’s difficult to trust people, you know, but someone like my grandmother, you know, you just do it. I wanted her to look after her, to get her a driver and a car. It seems like the easiest thing to do. Ultimately, so she, she gave her $500 a month and pays, and pays for her medical bills.”

THE FORGIVENESS: In 2019, Madonna and Chris put their feud to rest for their dad’s sake. Chris told RadarOnline.com, “We are at peace now and just spoke last week.”

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11. THE FEUD: Tatum O’Neal’s contentious relationship with her father, Ryan O’Neal, made headlines since they co-starred in 1973’s Paper Moon. They were estranged for 20 years.

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In 2004, Tatum wrote about their relationship in her memoir A Paper Life.

THE FORGIVENESS: The death of Ryan’s partner Farrah Fawcett in 2009 served “a very big role” in bringing him and Tatum back together. They documented their reconciliation in the 2011 reality series Ryan and Tatum: The O’Neals.

In her 2015 memoir, Wildflower, Drew wrote, “She had lost credibility as a mother by taking me to Studio 54 (so wrong, but so fun) instead of school. And I was out of control due to working since I was 11 months old and what that had done to my childhood, which made me grow up too fast. Work was a very positive thing in my life, and sadly it had been taken away, because my mother also put me in an institution because she felt helpless. But when people found out, they just wrote me off as damaged goods, and I sadly understood that.”

THE FORGIVENESS: On a 2021 episode of The Drew Barrymore Show, Drew revealed that she and Jaid “are good now.”

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She said, “There’s just some peace and respect and maturity there that could not have taken place maybe before. Timing is everything… I feel goodness toward my mom. I feel empathy and understanding.”

13. THE FEUD: In 2009, Candy Spelling alleged to 94.7 WMAS-FM’s Kellogg Krew that her daughter Tori Spelling “one day decided that she wasn’t speaking to” her parents and brother. She also said it was “what killed [her] husband [Aaron Spelling], actually.”

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Candy continued, “He just didn’t want to live after that. He [had] just done everything he could possibly do for his daughter, and she wanted no part of him once he couldn’t do anything for her.”

At the time, Tori told People, “It’s not like we’re not talking, we just haven’t talked. I love my mother. I’ve always loved her [and] no doubt she loves me. There’s no feud. We simply never meshed… My mother is who she is. I’ve become who I am. At some point I realized those two just didn’t go together.” 

She also alleged that she didn’t cut Candy off.

There was also reportedly tension between them because of Tori’s affair with Dean McDermott and her decision to elope with him.

THE FORGIVENESS: In 2022, Tori told SiriusXM, “We’ve had a good relationship, but it’s like next level right now. I’m really happy. And surprisingly our friend [Million Dollar Listing star] Josh Flagg really helped kind of bring us together.”

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She explained that they hadn’t spoken since the coronavirus pandemic. She said, “Then Josh was like, ‘Okay, we’re gonna do a family dinner at her place.’ So we went and we had a great night. And we’ve been together ever since.”

14. And finally, THE FEUD: In 2002, Angelina Jolie’s estrangement from her father, Jon Voight, reached the point that she decided to change her legal name from Angelina Jolie Voight to just Angelina Jolie.

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Her name change was granted a month after Jon told Access Hollywood that his daughter needed to get help for unspecified “mental problems” after her porce from Billy Bob Thornton. He also said that not being able to see his grandchild was “the greatest pain.”

In a response statement, Angelina said, “I don’t want to make public the reasons for my bad relationship with my father. I will only say that, like every child, [brother] Jamie and I would have loved to have had a warm and loving relationship with our dad. After all these years, I have determined that it is not healthy for me to be around my father, especially now that I am responsible for my own child.”

THE FORGIVENESS: In 2009, they reconciled. Jon told Us Weekly, “We’re in touch, but not regularly. We love each other and that’s the most important thing.”

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In 2017, Angelina told Vanity Fair, “He’s been very good at understanding they needed their grandfather at this time [after Angelina’s separation from Brad Pitt]. I had to do a therapy meeting last night and he was just around. He knows kind of the rule — don’t make them play with you. Just be a cool grandpa who’s creative, and hang out and tell stories and read a book in the library.”