Family Movies

At some point, many B-list stars turn to family movies, either to restore their former fame, or to make something their children can see. Most children’s movie stars are male, but there are a few women among the bunch. We’re not sure why – but maybe it’s easier to laugh at the shenanigans of the dumb dad than it is to laugh at a bumbling mom. It’s okay for her to be a little clueless about her superhero kids, but never dumb and bumbling. Here’s our list of ten stars who’ve appeared in several movies for kids, or are kids themselves.

Eddie Murphy
He’s gone from Raw and non-stop obscenity, to a string of solid family films like Shrek, Daddy Day Care, and Dr. Doolittle. He’s not afraid to look silly for the kids, or act like a kid himself, which makes him the perfect children’s movie star.

Mike Meyers
Shrek is Mike Meyers’ major contribution to family movies, but he’s also appeared in The Cat in the Hat (as no less than the Cat himself.) You could even argue that the Austin Powers franchise is just silly enough to keep older kids entertained for hours. He’s got an infectious silliness that keeps you rolling in your seat.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
I doubt anyone predicted that the WWE would spawn a children’s movie star, but The Rock defies classification. Although he appears in action movies, he’s also willing to look ridiculous in child-friendly fare like The Game Plan and Race to Witch Mountain.

Ice Cube
A thug rapper in a movie aimed at families? It works if it’s Ice Cube in a trio of films about a man trying to adapt to the role of fatherhood, facing amusing challenges, and struggling — without success — to control the chaos.

Daniel Radcliffe
He’s only barely an adult himself, but Daniel Radcliffe secured his place in the children’s movie world with his role as Harry Potter. He’ll no doubt move on to more adult fare soon, but he’s still got two Harry Potters left.

Tim Allen
Before Home Improvement, Tim Allen was a fairly raunchy comic. Now he’s a true children’s movie star. In addition to being the voice of Buzz Lightyear, he’s played Santa, a superhero professor, and a dog. He’s made a few forays into serious films, but his persona lends itself well to all things child.

Miley Cyrus
Miley Ray Cyrus has hit the big screen in a big way. First there was her uber-successful concert film, then she voiced Bolt. Now she tries a more mature role in a serious movie: The Last Song.

Abigail Breslin
Although children usually appear in family movies, they aren’t often the lead star. After her rise to fame with Little Miss Sunshine, Abigail Breslin has embraced numerous sweet children’s roles, in keeping with the fact that she’s an actual child.

Jim Carrey
Jim Carrey is at home in children’s movies and adult movies alike, but his elastic face and innate silliness are ideal for entertaining the younger set. In addition to roles as the Grinch and Lemony Snicket’s Count Olaf, he’s also been a voice in Horton Hears a Who. Some of his adult-oriented films, like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective, are also suitable for older children.

Brendan Fraser
He’s not the first guy you think of when it comes to family films, but he seems to star in an awful lot of them. Journey to the Center of the Earth, Inkheart, and now Furry Vengeance.  While he’s not exclusively child-oriented, he’s willing to look stupid in front of the young ones.

Very few stars appear exclusively in children’s films, but you can trust that the family movies they choose to star in will keep your kids entertained without forcing you into any uncomfortable conversations.