Gregory Peck’s Grandson Followed In His Footsteps, And He’s The Spitting Image Of The Late Actor

In his personal life, Gregory Peck was married twice and had five children. His union with his first wife Greta Kukkonen produced three sons: Jonathan, Stephen, and Carey. The pair divorced in 1955, and a day after their split was finalized, he married Veronique Passani. They then went on to have two children together named Anthony and Cecilia. That family legacy had far-reaching implications.

After a lauded career in Hollywood, Peck died of bronchopneumonia while sleeping at his home in Los Angeles in June 2003. He was survived by his wife Veronique and most of his children, apart from his eldest son, Jonathan, who had died in 1975 at the age of 30. But while Peck was no more, his legacy continued in the most meaningful way.

In fact, Peck is still considered a legend of the big screen. Fans often cite his rugged charm, laid-back style, and handsome good looks as part of the actor’s enduring image. It’s through this – as well as his screen presence – that Peck continues to be remembered. But that’s not the only way the star’s legacy lives on.

Gregory Peck's grandson, Ethan, has followed his footsteps in Hollywood, and in more ways than one. Ethan has certainly had a lot to live up to: thanks to Gregory Peck's clear acting talents and handsome good looks, he became one of the top leading men in the movie industry throughout the 1940s and ‘50s. But despite him being a natural talent, the actor hadn’t always planned on having a career in front of the camera.

Born Eldred Gregory Peck in La Jolla, California, in April 1916, the talent was brought up by his maternal grandmother, as his mom and dad’s relationship was rocky. His parents Gregory Pearl Peck and Bernice “Bunny” Mae had separated when he was just three and went on to divorce some years later.

At the age of ten Peck enrolled in Los Angeles’ St. John’s Catholic Military Academy. However, he would later relocate in order to live with his father. During this time, the future star attended San Diego High School. After graduating he took up a place in the pre-med program at the University of California in Berkeley in the hopes of becoming a doctor.

But it was during his time in Berkeley that Peck's career took another direction. During his college days, he became interested in acting and took part in a number of the school’s productions. By the time Peck graduated in 1939, he no longer wanted to become a doctor, but an actor.

Peck then moved to New York City in order to pursue his new career path. He got a scholarship to the Neighborhood Playhouse, where he studied under the guidance of the well-renowned instructor Sanford Meisner. In the meantime, Peck took on various odd jobs to pay his way in the Big Apple before making his Broadway debut in 1943’s The Morning Star.

While The Morning Star wasn’t a hit with audiences, Peck's performance in the production won him critical acclaim. Not only that, but the role also kickstarted his acting career. Peck's first Hollywood role came in the 1944 movie Days of Glory. By then, his fame was firmly established.

But while Days of Glory boosted Peck's profile, it was his second movie that year – The Keys of the Kingdom – which earned him his first Academy Award nomination. More Oscar nods followed, first for his performance in the 1946 Civil War hit The Yearling and then two years later for his part in the Elia Kazan movie Gentleman’s Agreement.

Firmly cementing his status as one of Hollywood’s top leading men, Peck built upon his success during the remainder of the 1940s and ‘50s. Some of his most memorable movies from this time included the Alfred Hitchcock movie Spellbound and Roman Holiday, in which he starred alongside newcomer Audrey Hepburn.

However, Peck is perhaps best remembered for his role in the 1962 film To Kill a Mockingbird. In the adaptation of the Harper Lee book of the same name, the actor starred as Atticus Finch. And it was down to his iconic portrayal of the empathetic lawyer that he finally bagged his first Oscar.

For the remainder of his career, Peck continued to flex his acting talents across a range of genres. Some of his most famous roles during this era were in films such as Cape Fear, The Boys from Brazil and Other People’s Money. In the latter part of his career, Peck also took on TV work – starring in miniseries like Moby Dick and The Blue and the Gray.

Outside of acting, Peck was involved in a number of charitable, civic, and political endeavors, too. Among his roles, he was the chairman of the American Cancer Society, president of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and a board trustee for the American Film Institute. And as early as 1969 Peck was given the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Lyndon Johnson for his humanitarian work.

Unsurprisingly, a number of Peck's children — and one of his grandchildren, of course — have gone into show business themselves over the years. These include the actor’s second son, Stephen, who served in the Vietnam War before becoming a documentary filmmaker. And his latter choice of career had been inspired by his father.

Stephen attended Northwestern University in Illinois in order to study film. But he was drafted following his sophomore year. As such, while his peers were making plans for their lives post-college, he took up a place in the U.S. Marine Corps officer training program. Stephen spent 11 months serving in an infantry unit.

Stephen then pursued a career as a documentary filmmaker after returning from Vietnam. Inspired by his time in the military, his best-known work focused on the struggles facing his fellow veterans. He subsequently earned a master’s degree in social work and dedicated his working life to helping vets.

But while Stephen moved away from show business for an honorable cause, his son Ethan was also drawn to the bright lights of Hollywood – just as his grandfather had been before him. But as we’ll soon discover, it seems that a talent for acting wasn’t the only thing that Ethan seemingly inherited from his famous relative.

Ethan was born in Los Angeles in March 1986 to dad Stephen and abstract artist mother Francine Matarazzo. He showed a passion for acting from an early age, landing his first role in the crime drama series Charlie Grace in 1995 at the age of nine. But being a child star from a famous family came with some preconceptions.

In 2016 Ethan told the U.K.’s Evening Standard, “Some people assume I’m a spoilt trust fund kid who’s never had to work for anything, while others think the best of me because of the good experience they had with my grandfather. It’s difficult to digest the fact that they may never see me for who I am. I certainly strive to be a good, honest man and hopefully someday my qualities will be seen as my own.”

While Ethan’s connection to Peck was a big deal to some, for him it was second nature. In 2015 he told GQ magazine, “Growing up, he was grandpa. He was old, you know? As silly as that sounds, I knew him as just this wonderful man who had a great humility about him – which I think is what he was known for, being this classic gentleman.”

And as it turned out, having a famous relative did have its perks. Ethan told the Evening Standard, “I remember meeting Roger Moore at my grandfather’s house as a young boy and being impressed because I was such a big fan of 007. But I was young and I didn’t have a perception of what celebrity was, or who my grandfather was… I still don’t really.”

Growing up in L.A., Ethan attended the top private schools Campbell Hall and Harvard-Westlake, where he “saw a lot of excess.” The actor explained, “There were some destructive drug and alcohol habits. When there’s so much freedom – financially and otherwise – smart kids get themselves into trouble.”

And while the heady mix of privilege and opulence could have also led Ethan down the wrong path, he managed to keep his feet firmly on the ground. For that, the actor credits his mom and dad. He told the Evening Standard, “My parents did a good job of sheltering me from the negative aspects of wealth and success.”

One of Ethan’s first major roles was in the Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen film Passport to Paris. The movie was released on video in 1999 when Ethan was barely a teen. And in the film, he starred as Mary-Kate’s French love interest.

In Passport to Paris Ethan’s character rides around The City of Light on a scooter with Mary-Kate on the back. The scene is reminiscent of Peck's role in Roman Holiday, which saw him and his co-star Hepburn explore the Italian capital in a similar style.

Despite clear parallels between him and Peck, it seems that Ethan was determined to carve his own path in showbusiness. He later attended the Tisch School of the Arts in New York City. And as he progressed through his career, Ethan enjoyed stints in shows like That ‘70s Show, 10 Things I Hate About You , and Gossip Girl along the way.

However, it was in 2018 that Ethan bagged what was arguably his biggest role thus far. It was then that he was cast in the iconic role as Spock in the CBS series Star Trek: Discovery. And while Ethan felt honored to take on the part, he knew that he had big shoes to fill.

Spock is among the most iconic characters of the Star Trek franchise. And the half-vulcan, half-human scientist was memorably played by Leonard Nimoy between 1966 and 2013. Zachary Quinto has embodied the role in J.J. Abram’s take on the sci-fi classic since 2009. And nine years later Ethan was about to put his own spin on the character.

Ethan took to Instagram to respond to news of his casting in Star Trek: Discovery in 2018. He wrote, “It is with great honor and a sense of immense responsibility that I take on the iconic role that Leonard gave to us and that Zachary did brilliant justice to.” He also thanked the Star Trek family for “making me feel worthy, as I embrace and take into my heart the half-alien we know as Mr. Spock.”

Of course, Leonard and Zachary may have been tough acts to follow as Spock. But Star Trek: Discovery showrunner Alex Kurtzman felt that Ethan was easily up to the task. In a statement obtained by the U.K. newspaper The Telegraph in 2018, he was reportedly “thrilled to welcome [Ethan] to the [Star Trek] family.”

Alex added, “The great Leonard Nimoy, then the brilliant Zachary Quinto, brought incomparable humanity to a character forever torn between logic and emotion. We searched for months for an actor who would, like them, bring his own interpretation to the role. An actor who would, like them, effortlessly embody Spock’s greatest qualities, beyond obvious logic: empathy, intuition, compassion, confusion, and yearning.”

According to Alex, “Ethan Peck walked into the room inhabiting all of these qualities. [He was] aware of his daunting responsibility to Leonard, Zack and the fans, and ready to confront the challenge in the service of protecting and expanding on Spock’s legacy.” But while Ethan had big shoes to fill, it was comparisons to another icon that he couldn’t escape.

As Ethan’s profile increased, people couldn’t help but notice how much of a resemblance he bore to his famous grandfather. Fans pointed out that he looked like the Hollywood great, sharing his relative’s handsome looks – the same ones which had seen Ethan model for the likes of Ferragamo and Louis Vuitton in the past.

Ethan appeared to have inherited Peck's deep brown eyes, arched brows, and strong jawline. But while many would welcome comparisons to such a screen icon, Ethan admitted that it hadn’t always been easy to walk in his grandfather’s shadow. In 2016 he told Entertainment Tonight, “When I was a little bit younger it felt a little more burdensome.”

But it seems that Ethan had come to embrace the comparisons between himself and Peck. He admitted, “I’m really honored… I just feel like, how lucky to be born into this body and this city and this life, do you know what I mean? Like, the circumstances could be very different. I didn’t sign up for this, but if I could re-up I would.”

But while Ethan has come to appreciate the comparisons to his grandfather, he has downplayed the influence that Peck had on his career choice. As he explained to Entertainment Tonight, “It feels very, kind of, my own thing. And I feel that I discover more about him through myself.”

While Ethan admitted to GQ that he gets compared to his grandfather “50 percent of the time,” he added, “I don’t feel like I’m in the shadow of him.” Explaining what he meant by that, Ethan told the magazine, “I can’t control how people perceive me, but at the same time I feel very lucky to be born into this legacy. It’s a total situational thing.”

So while one of Gregory Peck's stand-out roles saw him embody the principled Atticus in the screen adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird, Ethan had his sights set on becoming another kind of hero. When asked by Entertainment Tonight where we would find him in the next five years, he quipped, “Just trying to play Batman.”

If you think following in the footsteps of your famous grandfather sounds intimidating, imagine that it's your own father who's world famous — and one of Hollywood's most respected actors. Add in decades of Oscar-nominated performances, fraught family relationships, and a surprising deathbed confession, and you get a story only Hollywood could tell...

Yes, the story of the Douglas family is truly one for the ages. The family's patriarch, Kirk Douglas, was one of Hollywood's oldest living and most respected actors until his death at 103 years old in 2020. And when his family saw what he'd stipulated in his will, they were shocked, to put it mildly.

Kirk’s family didn’t reveal the exact cause of his death, but it was well known that he’d had health issues for a long time. A major stroke back in 1996 had left him struggling to speak, and he had only partially regained the ability to express himself after months of therapy.

However, one detail that the family did release is that Kirk had passed away surrounded by family. The actor had welcomed four sons: Michael, Joel, Peter, and Eric (Eric predeceased Kirk). Kirk’s kids had also given him seven grandchildren: Cameron, Dylan, Carys, Kelsey, Tyler, Ryan, and Jason. Clearly, then, he was a man who loved his family.

And when news of Kirk’s death hit the internet, many naturally took to social media to pay sorrowful tributes. There was plenty to honor, too. Famously, the Hollywood icon had been one of the last remaining stars of the Golden Age of Hollywood, and some of the movies in which he had appeared, such as Lust for Life, Paths of Glory, and Spartacus, had since become classics. He family honored him, too, of course.

Among those paying homage to Kirk was his daughter-in-law Catherine Zeta-Jones. The two had always enjoyed a close relationship. On her Instagram account, the Oscar-winning actress and wife of Michael posted the simple words, “To my darling Kirk, I shall love you for the rest of my life. I miss you already. Sleep tight.”

Kirk’s friend Steven Spielberg also released his own statement to The Hollywood Reporter. The legendary director said, “Kirk retained his movie star charisma right to the end of his wonderful life, and I’m honored to have been a small part of his last 45 years. I will miss his handwritten notes, letters, and fatherly advice, and his wisdom and courage — even beyond such a breathtaking body of work — are enough to inspire me for the rest of mine.”

Understandably, many people also offered condolences to Kirk’s nearest and dearest — especially Anne Buydens, his wife of over half a century. She was the actor’s second spouse and reached the grand age of 102 before passing away a year after Kirk. Then there were those who demonstrated compassion towards Michael, who is the most visible member of Kirk’s large family.

Director Rob Reiner wrote on Twitter, “Kirk Douglas will always be an icon in the pantheon of Hollywood. He put himself on the line to break the blacklist. My love goes out to my friend Michael and the whole family.” Yet over the years, Michael has often spoken about his relationship with his legendary father — and apparently things were frequently complicated.

In 2010 Michael told AARP The Magazine, “I was the product of a divorced family. My dad was always torn; he was working really hard and would want to see us.” Michael went on, “But then, with all his Kirk Douglas passion, he’d try to be a father for a week, a summer, whatever. It was tough.”

He added, “I think it’s easier for me to be a good father. I’m not so concerned about my career.” At the time, the children he had with Catherine Zeta-Jones were still young. Yet Michael has also claimed that his father had placed his career over being a parent when his son was growing up.

In 2016 the actor told The Guardian that though he’d had “great times” visiting Kirk in Hollywood, his dad “was [a] film star first [and a] father second.” Michael admitted, too, that he and his brother Joel had been “much more emotionally attached to [their] stepfather” — a man named Bill Darrid.

Speaking further about his stepdad, Michael went on, “Bill was an extraordinary guy [and] the most important male influence through my teenage years. To his credit, Kirk always referred to him as my surrogate father. Step-parents often get a bad press. But it isn’t always true.”

Another step-parent in the mix was Anne. Of Kirk’s second wife, Michael told The Guardian, “She’s a wonderful woman — the opposite of a wicked stepmother — who has been an integral part of my life all that time.” But he also remembered his own mother, Diana Dill, who had passed away in 2015.

Of his parents’ divorce, Michael mused, “Whichever way you cut it, Kirk was a man who cast… an extremely long shadow. He was… incredibly dynamic, larger than life, sometimes aggressive, a very masculine man who loved women — as my mother quickly discovered. Within 18 months of him being in California, she had seen and read enough to call time on the marriage.” And in August 2018 Michael told Closer magazine that his dad’s fame had made him reconsider his own career path for a while.

He said, “I thought I could never be the actor dad was, so I avoided it for a while. Not a lot of actors’ kids make it. Hollywood is awash with failures. For a long time, I can’t say I really enjoyed acting. I was always censoring it, editing it, or analyzing it rather than just going with it.” But no matter what, the two men appeared to love each other.

In November 2018, for instance, Kirk made a relatively rare public appearance in support of Michael when his eldest child was granted a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. And during the occasion, Jane Fonda — Michael’s co-star in the film The China Syndrome — made a speech about how Michael had managed to emerge from his father’s shadow.

Fonda, who herself is from a famous acting clan, said, “Michael Douglas and I share something far more specific and unique than acting together... We both come from families referred to by the press as Hollywood royalty. Both of our fathers were movie legends, and thankfully Kirk Douglas is still with us.”

Fonda went on, “Stepping into a family business — any family business — is always challenging... Carving out your own identity in a world-famous family business is especially difficult when parent and child are the same gender. I believe it was easier for me to follow in my father’s footsteps than it was for Michael to follow in his father’s footsteps.”

“Michael has not only carved out his identity as a great, great actor with tremendous range but as a great producer as well,” Fonda concluded. “He has rightfully been bestowed with all of the awards Hollywood has to offer... and now, finally, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.” But Michael also had plenty to say at the Walk of Fame ceremony.

Naturally, Michael honored his beloved wife first. He called Zeta-Jones “the love of [his] life” before telling her, “I’m grateful for your support and your love and your patience. By the way, in another week we are celebrating our 18th anniversary, so thank you for the best 18 years of my life, sweetheart!” And then the star called out to his father, who was seated in a wheelchair nearby.

Michael said, “My dad is here. In a month, Kirk will be 102 years old! It means so much to me, Dad, that you’re here today. Thank you for your advice [and] inspiration, and I’ll say it simply and with all my heart: I’m so proud to be your son.” Those heartrending words were echoed in a statement that Michael made after his father’s death, too.

Of all of the tributes paid to the late star, his son’s was arguably the most touching of all. In his message on Instagram, Michael began, “It is with tremendous sadness that my brothers and I announce that Kirk Douglas left us today at the age of 103.” Michael then went on to talk about his father’s illustrious career.

He wrote, “To the world, [Kirk] was a legend, an actor from the golden age of movies who lived well into his golden years — a humanitarian whose commitment to justice and the causes he believed in set a standard for all of us to aspire to.” The Wall Street star also made sure to reference other family members who were similarly grieving the loss.

Michael continued, “To me and my brothers Joel and Peter, he was simply dad, to Catherine, a wonderful father-in-law, to his grandchildren and great-grandchild, their loving grandfather. And to his wife, Anne, [he was] a wonderful husband.” And Michael also mentioned his father’s achievements aside from acting.

He went on, “Kirk’s life was well-lived, and he leaves a legacy in film that will endure for generations to come [as well as] a history as a renowned philanthropist who worked to aid the public and bring peace to the planet.” Indeed, Kirk donated to multiple good causes throughout his life.

Michael concluded, “Let me end with the words I told him on his last birthday and which will always remain true. Dad — I love you so much, and I am so proud to be your son.” To this, Zeta-Jones replied in the comments section, “He loved you so very much, my darling.” Which makes Kirk's final will all the more surprising.

It turned out that Kirk donated the majority of his $61 million fortune to the Douglas Foundation following his passing. To be exact, The Mirror revealed that the star had bequeathed $50m to his charitable foundation. And while there was no word on where the remaining $11 million went, the newspaper did confirm that none of it was left to Michael.

In fact, the fortune went to places such as Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Westwood’s Sinai Temple (home to Kirk and Anne Douglas Childhood Center), St. Lawrence University, and the Kirk Douglas Theatre in Culver City. After all, the aim of the Douglas Foundation is to “help those who cannot otherwise help themselves.” But where did that leave Michael?

Well, let's not forget that Michael has an estimated net worth of $300 million himself, so he’s unlikely to be too disappointed. And Michael has always made a point of saying how proud he is of his father's charitable contributions. He has also followed his father's lead in that regard.

Kirk’s funeral took place two days after his passing and was held at the Pierce Brothers Westwood Village Memorial Park and Mortuary in Los Angeles. Michael and brothers Joel and Peter were all in attendance along with Zeta-Jones and Kirk’s widow, Buydens. Steven Spielberg, who of course had paid tribute to the actor on Instagram, was also present for the ceremony.

Kirk’s family released more statements after that, too. On February 7, 2020, Michael’s daughter Carys spoke about her grandfather on Instagram, saying, “My pappy was and forever will be my inspiration, my biggest supporter, and the best grandpa in the world. I remember I would send him videos of me from my dance competitions, and he would watch them on repeat.”

The young woman went on, “[Kirk] was, and still is, a tremendous inspiration to the world through not only his incredible acting career but [also] his philanthropy and generosity that moved mountains. Although he was adored by millions, to me he was my pappy — my superhero. He came from nothing, yet through his drive and determination [he] made a name for himself.”

Carys concluded, “He joined our family together and lived an incredible long life. I spent 16 years of my life loving and being loved by Kirk Douglas, and that is the greatest gift I could ever have. I will forever be saving that last dance for you, pappy. I love you.” Her mother also wrote beneath the post, “What beautiful words from your beautiful heart to your beloved pappy. He loved you so very much. What an extraordinary angel you have surrounding you.”

And on February 10 Michael took to Instagram again to express gratitude for all the condolences that the family had received. Alongside a sweet photo of himself and Kirk together, the actor wrote, “Thank you so much for your kind and thoughtful words. Our family is so grateful for your support, and we send our love to everyone!”

Cameron Douglas chose to speak about his grandfather to The Hollywood Reporter. Michael’s son said, “These past couple of years, I moved about 15 minutes away from [Kirk and Anne] and have been spending a lot of time with [Kirk] — bringing my daughter Vivian over on weekends. Just watching the bond between my daughter and grandfather was extremely special.”

Cameron added, “One of the motivating factors behind bringing my family out to Los Angeles was to spend more time with [Kirk]. That says a lot about the man that he was in my life and my desire to get my career going again soon enough so that he would be able to see the trajectory of my life starting to go in a positive direction. It’s what he called ‘functioning.’”

“Losing [Kirk] is one of those things that, even when you sort of see it coming — he was 103 — it’s still difficult,” Cameron continued. “I take solace in the pride of being his grandson and having had the opportunity to spend as much time with him as I have. When I look at his life, what he accomplished, and the way he carried himself, it’s hard for me to imagine anyone doing it any better.”

Not long after that, Michael’s youngest son, Dylan, also released a statement about his grandfather. He wrote on Instagram, “Though I am deeply [saddened] by the death of my dear pappy, all I know from my life is that I want it to be long and good. I know full well that the life of Kirk Douglas was the longest and greatest I have ever seen.”

Dylan added, “They say don’t meet your heroes, but what they don’t tell you is if you’re lucky enough you can have your heroes be family — and pappy, you are my hero, and you always will be! I love and miss you, and thank you for the immense impact you had on my life.”

The whole Douglas family clearly misses Kirk very much, but they can hopefully take solace in the fact that many others are also mourning his loss. And in perhaps the biggest tribute of all, Carys and Dylan apparently want to follow their grandfather’s lead by getting into the movie business themselves at some point — although they’ve got some mighty big shoes to fill.