Sofia Vergara
Modern Family actress Sofia Vergara’s brother was recently deported from the US back to his native Colombia due to his extensive criminal record which included charges for public intoxication, assault and battery, grand theft and drug possession.
Sofia moved to the US with her mother, brother and sister in 1998, shortly after her older brother, Rafael, was killed in Colombia during a kidnapping attempt.
Charlize Theron
When Charlize Theron was 15-years-old her mother murdered her alcoholic father in self-defence.
Her mother has never been charged over her father’s death and the actress refuses to speak about the incident publicly.
Woody Harrelson
Harrelson’s father was a contract killer and was arrested after he shot dead Federal Judge John Wood Jnr when Woody was 18. His father was convicted and eventually died during his life sentence in prison.
Jack Nicholson
Actor Jack Nicholson was raised believing that his grandparents were his parents and that his mother was his older sister.
He found out the truth at the age of 37 through a journalist from Time magazine who was doing a feature on him. By this time both his grandmother and mother had passed away, leaving him with no idea who his father was.
“Only Ethel and June knew and they never told anybody.”
Jennifer Hudson
In October 2008 Jennifer Hudson’s mother and brother were murdered in their home. Her seven-year-old nephew was found dead days later in a car. All three had been shot. The estranged husband of the singer’s sister Julia was charged with first-degree murder in the killings.
Hudson has never spoken publicly about the incident but said on Oprah that she still tries to make her mother proud.
Rihanna
Pop star Rihanna reveled she has a secret family in Barbados including two older sisters and an older brother from her dad’s womanising past.
She also has two younger brothers from her father’s marriage to her mother.
Kevin Spacey
Actor Kevin Spacey has never spoken about his family secrets, but his brother Randall has. He spoke out claiming that their father was a member of the American Nazi Party and had sexually abused Randall as a child.
Spacey has never commented on their claims.
Oprah
In January 2011, after years of sharing other family’s secrets, Oprah shared with the world her own secret — her half-sister who her mother put up for adoption 50 years ago.
Winfrey’s mother, who had lied by saying two of her children had died, introduced Oprah to Patricia a year earlier when her half-sister tracked her down.
Lindsay Lohan
Lindsay and her siblings grew up not knowing that they had a secret half-sister Ashley Horn. Lindsay’s father Michael Lohan had an affair during his marriage to their mother resulting in a love-child.
Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey’s older sister Alison Carey works as a female escort.
She is HIV positive, a former drug addict and has been arrested for prostitution in the past.
Lionel and Nicole Richie
In 1983 Lionel informally adopted two-year-old Nicole Camille Escovedo, who he raised as Nicole Richie.
The pair have never spoken about who Nicole’s biological parents are, but it is believed that Lionel was friends with them prior to adopting Nicole and some reports say her biological parents were members of his band.
Arnold Schwarzenegger
After 25 years of marriage with Maria Shriver, Arnold Schwarzenegger revealed he had fathered a love child 10 years ago with a member of staff who worked with their family.
Kathy Griffith
In the past Kathy Griffith has revealed details of her now-late brother’s drug addiction and violent behaviour.
“My brother Kenny, who is now passed away, was a paedophile and went to prison and obviously wreaked a lot of havoc on my parents and the family … had an extremely profound impact on me,” she said in an interview .
“He was extremely sexually inappropriate with me ever since I was a teeny kid.”
Liv and Steve Tyler
While growing up Liv’s mother lied to her telling her that her father was rock star Todd Rundgren. She didn’t discover that she was Steve Tyler’s daughter until she met him aged nine and realised she had great similarities to his daughter Mia.
After approaching her mum about her suspicions, her mother confirmed that he was in fact her father, but Liv continued to keep it a secret for another five years.
Adrian Grainer
The Entourage star grew up not knowing who his father was. It wasn’t until he became famous that he decided to actively seek out his father, making his journey into a documentary.
The pair, who were estranged for 18 years, now maintain a warm relationship.