The reason why some people choose partners who look like their parents is a phenomena science hasn’t quite put its finger on.
And the eyebrow-raising trend hasn’t escaped the world of celebrities.
The somewhat uncomfortable theory was first brought forward more than 100 years ago by Austrian neurologist Sigmund Freud.
Experts have previously claimed dating someone who bears a resemblance to a parent can signal ‘unconscious desires to recreate or heal past relationships’ – but the real reason is widely disputed by scientists.
Holly Ramsay has recently tied the knot with Olympian Adam Peaty, who looks a lot liker her father Gordon, while Cruz Beckham’s girlfriend Jackie Apostel is a dead ringer for his mother Victoria.
But do you agree with these lookalikes?
The celebrities who have dated people who look just like their parents – including Holly Ramsay and her husband Adam Peaty
Holly Ramsay and Adam Peaty
Adam Peaty makes his ties to the Ramsay family clear, but he also bares a striking resemblance to his new father in law, celebrity chef Gordon (Adam seen at his wedding left and Gordon at his right)
They have been at the heart of a media storm surrounding their recent wedding after it was revealed Olympian Adam Peaty had banned his family from his wedding to Holly Ramsay.
Adam makes his ties to the Ramsay family clear, but he also bears a striking resemblance to his new father in law, celebrity chef Gordon.
Swimmer Adam, 31, tied the knot with influencer Holly, 25, at Bath Abbey on Saturday with a reception following at the swanky Kin House – amid his bitter fallout with his family which saw his mother Caroline uninvited from proceedings.
Sitting at home more than 130 miles away in Staffordshire, Adam’s broken–hearted mother Caroline was said to be ‘beside herself’ with grief at missing what should have been one of the happiest days of her life.
The Peaty family were all uninvited from the nuptials, aside from Adam’s sister Beth who was a bridesmaid.
Adam later made a huge statement about his future family ties by changing his name on social media to Adam Ramsay Peaty.
He has been making his connections to the Ramsay family clear in the years since he and Holly started dating – and Adam has formed a strong bond with his father-in-law Gordon.
Cruz Beckham and Jackie Apostel
Cruz Beckham has been dating Jackie Apostel since June 2024 – but during their romance, Jackie has been accused of being Victoria’s doppleganger on numerous occasions
Cruz Beckham has been dating German-Brazilian songwriter Jackie Apostel, who is ten years his senior, since June 2024.
But during their romance, Jackie has been accused of being Victoria’s doppleganger on numerous occasions.
She looked a dead ringer for his mother in black sportswear and a baseball cap as they stepped out in London in May.
Jackie showed off her uncanny resemblance to Cruz’s fashion designer mother, 51, as she donned a black jacket with a matching sports bra and leggings.
She left her long straight brunette tresses loose under a white baseball cap and kept comfortable in a pair of coordinated trainers.
Meanwhile Jackie’s resemblance to the Spice Girl was again referenced when she attended Victoria’s Paris fashion show last year in a satin white dress.
This is not the first time that Jackie has been accused of being Victoria’s dead ringer as she attended her Paris fashion show last year in a satin white dress
Jackie looked stunning for the show in a sleek white satin gown with her dark brown locks tossed up in a loose bun.
But the look was reminiscent of a picture of Victoria in a similar backless satin gown and topknot hairdo as she looked over her shoulder by a mirror.
Elsewhere last October, Jackie once again showed off her resemblance to Cruz’s mother, as she donned a chic little black dress, reminiscent of those worn by Victoria during her Posh Spice era.
And with her slender frame, glossy and poker straight brunette locks and stunning bone structure, she bore an uncanny likeness to Victoria at the height of her fame in the 90s.
Justin and Hailey Bieber
Hailey shares a very close bond with Justin’s mother Pattie Mallette – who once said the model was a ‘gift’ to her family – and similarities between the pair haven’t gone unnoticed
They have been plagued by marriage woe rumours this year, but Hailey and Justin appear to be closer than ever after a cosy Christmas.
Hailey shares a very close bond with Justin’s mother Pattie Mallette – who once said the model was a ‘gift’ to her family.
‘Happy Mother’s Day Hailey, you are such a gift to our family—graceful, strong, and full of love,’ Pattie wrote. ‘Watching you step so fully and beautifully into motherhood has been such a joy. I love you ❤️.’
But the striking similarity in appearance between Pattie and her daughter-in-law Hailey have not gone unnoticed by fans, with their pair sharing similar facial features.
Justin and Hailey meet for the first time when they were aged just 14 and 12.
After his split from Selena Gomez, Justin and Hailey’s friendship turned to romance in 2018 – and just a month later, in July of that year, were engaged.
The pair tied the knot just two months later at a courthouse in the September and welcomed their first child, a son called Jack, in August 2024.
Florence Pugh and Zach Braff
Scrubs star Zach Braff and actress Florence Pugh were first introduced while on the set of a short film he was making, but it wasn’t until April of 2019 that they were linked (Seen together in 2023)
Scrubs star Zach Braff and actress Florence Pugh were first introduced while on the set of a short film he was making, but it wasn’t until April of 2019 that they were linked when they were spotted holding hands.
However, the couple split for good in 2022 after three years of dating.
During their relationship, the couple — and particularly Florence — experienced a torrent of abuse on social media due to their 21-year age gap, though the Little Midsommar star defended her right to choose to be with Zach.
But that wasn’t the only controversy during their relationship, as fans noticed back in 2021 that Zach was the spitting image of Florence’s father Clinton Pugh.
But that wasn’t the only controversy during their relationship, as fans noticed back in 2021 that Zach (Seen left) was the spitting image of Florence’s father Clinton Pugh (Seen right)
Fans were so startled by the resemblance, many said at the time they had assumed a picture of Zach and Clinton was of the actor and his own father.
Zach and Florence’s relationship was plagued by outside noise, with Florence hitting back in 2020.
‘I have the right to hang out and be with and go out with anyone I want to,’ she asserted during a 2020 interview with Elle UK.
‘I’ve always found this part of what people do really bizarre.’
AnnaLynne McCord and Dominic Purcell
90201 star AnnaLynne McCord and Dominic Purcell first got together in July 2011, when she was 23 and he was 41 (Seen together in 2016)
However the Prison Break actor is the spitting image of AnnaLynne’s father David McCord (left)
90201 star AnnaLynne McCord and Dominic Purcell first got together in July 2011, when she was 23 and he was 41.
They split in December 2014, rekindled their romance in 2016, and split again in January 2018.
Though they demonstrated PDA in September of 2020, AnnaLynne confirmed they are no longer together — but he is still quite special to her.
However the Prison Break actor is the spitting image of AnnaLynne’s father David McCord.
