Best (And Worst) Brothers in Hollywood

By Scott Harris Posted Oct 27th 2009 08:00AM

When you grow up with a brother, there are certain family rituals you go through together. Your first baseball game. Your first day of school. Your first Hollywood blockbuster.

Okay, so maybe not every group of siblings makes movies together, but when you grow up in Hollywood, all bets are off. Over the past few decades, some of the most popular film, television and music projects have come from brothers, like the Stallones in the 70's and the Jonas Brothers today. We examine at the benefits and pitfalls of brotherly love in our look at the best - and worst - brother teams in Hollywood.

Since breaking into the film business together with their 1996 film 'Bottle Rocket', Luke and Owen Wilson have gone on to head numerous film projects both together and separately, including 'Idiocracy', 'Old School', 'Starsky & Hutch' and 'Marley & Me'. The brotherly chemistry which propelled them to success can perhaps be seen best, however, in 'The Royal Tenenbaums'.

Unlike the Wilson Brothers, Ben Affleck and Casey Affleck had both appeared in film and television roles prior to their breakthrough performance together in 'Good Will Hunting'. Working together seems to bring out the best in both, however; Ben's directorial debut, 'Gone Baby Gone', which starred younger brother Casey, was a favorite of the awards scene when it landed in 2007. Warning: explicit language

Some of the most accomplished brother teams in Hollywood are behind the camera rather than in front of it, and among those, no siblings are as acclaimed as the Coen Brothers. Starting with 'Blood Simple' in 1984, co-directors and producers Joel and Ethan have turned out 14 films that have accumulated a total of 21 Oscar Nominations, including 2007's winner for Best Picture and Best Director, 'No Country For Old Men'.

Donnie and Mark Wahlberg have had parallel careers in not one but two industries, first in music (New Kids on the Block and Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch respectively, of course) and now in Hollywood. While Mark is perhaps better known for his acting roles in films such as 'The Departed', 'Planet of the Apes' and 'Boogie Nights', Donnie Wahlberg has carved out his own niche in films such as the 'Saw' franchise as well as the acclaimed HBO series 'Band of Brothers'.

The Wachowski Brothers (separately known as Larry and Andy) have been nearly inseparable since birth; prior to breaking into Hollywood, they ran their own carpentry business together and teamed up to write comics for Marvel. Thanks to 'The Matrix', however, the two became instant power players in the film business; their latest collaboration, 'Ninja Assassin', opens November 25.

Emilio Estevez and Charlie Sheen are more than just famous brothers - they're also famous sons. But while having Martin Sheen as their father may have helped them get roles such as Charlie's turns in 'Platoon' and 'Wall Street' and Emilio's in 'The Breakfast Club' and 'Young Guns', for the most part they have maintained separate careers, starring together in just one major movie: 'Men at Work'.

When 'Dumb and Dumber' came out in 1994 it became an instant blockbuster and helped launch the career of the Farrelly Brothers. Since then, Bobby and Peter have collaborated on numerous comedies, including 'Kingpin', 'There's Something About Mary' and their upcoming effort 'The Three Stooges'.

While many brother teams have benefitted from their relationship, perhaps the most famous group of Hollywood brothers is also the biggest cautionary tale. Since the '80s, the Baldwin Brothers have been a staple of television and film, but they have also been a staple of tabloids and reality shows. While eldest brother Alec Baldwin has maintained a respectable career with films such as 'The Hunt For Red October' and TV hits like '30 Rock', younger siblings Daniel, Billy and Stephen (collectively known as the Lesser Baldwins) have done as much to damage his reputation as burnish their own.