6 Celebrities Who Have Strained Relationships With Their Fathers

Many celebrities speak openly about the strong bonds they share with their children—Reese Witherspoon’s closeness with Ava and Deacon, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s pride in his daughter Ava Raine as she follows the family wrestling legacy, and Ethan Hawke’s deep affection for his daughter Maya all offer heartwarming examples of supportive parenting. But not every famous family story is so positive. For some stars, their relationship with their father is strained, complicated, or completely broken. In certain cases, the damage came from emotional distance, abandonment, or years of absence; in others, it stemmed from fathers who brought unwanted drama, public criticism, or constant controversy into their children’s lives. These fractured relationships often leave lasting emotional scars that fame can’t erase. Here are six celebrities whose relationships with their dads are anything but simple—and, in some cases, barely exist at all.

Vivian Jenna Wilson

When it comes to thoughts on her father Elon Musk, Vivian doesn’t hold back. The runway fashion model has described him as being a “manchild” and even declared that she no longer wishes to be related to him “in any way, shape, or form.” She has stated that growing up in extreme wealth in Los Angeles, even as the streets were full of homeless people, opened her eyes and made her question whether that was fair. Finally, she believes she was villainized in his biography as a way for him to create an “origin story” to explain his turn towards right-wing political ideology.