We’re all aware of the headline acts – whether it’s David and Richard Attenborough or Noel and Liam Gallagher. But behind many famous families are siblings whose lives and careers took a very different path, away from the public eye.
Some chose privacy by choice, while others simply followed careers in different industries. These are the stories of the lesser-known siblings you’ve probably never heard of – but whose lives are just as interesting.
Unsung siblings from famous families
John Attenborough
David Attenborough might be the most famous Attenborough around these parts, but his brother Richard Attenborough was equally famous as a highly respected actor, film director and producer, with two Academy Awards, seven BAFTAs and six Golden Globes to his name. Both David and Richard were knighted for services to television and film respectively. In fact, David Attenborough has been knighted twice, as he was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George in 2022 for his documentaries and campaigning for climate change and conservation awareness.
But have you heard of their brother, John Attenborough? He was the youngest of the Attenborough brothers, but worked away from the public eye in the motor industry, with top jobs at Rolls-Royce and Alfa Romeo. In his later years, he moved out of the motor business and became a financial advisor.
Paul Gallagher
Liam and Noel Gallagher are household names, but they were actually only two of the three Gallagher boys, with an older brother named Paul. Unlike his two attention-loving younger brothers, Paul has generally remained out of the public eye – working as a photographer and in the music industry more widely. In 2025, he unwillingly ended up in the spotlight when he appeared in court to deny a rape charge.
Edward Brownlee
The Brownlee brothers are decorated triathletes and were some of the most dominant triathletes of the 2010s, winning three Olympic gold medals, one silver and one bronze medal between them. But Jonny and Alistair aren’t the only Brownlee brothers. Their brother, Edward Brownlee, has stayed away from the professional triathlon scene, instead working as a veterinary surgeon.
Frankie Jonas
When we think of the Jonas brothers, a clear trio comes to mind: Kevin, Joe and Nick. In fact, in recent years, you probably only think of Joe and Nick. But before the Disney pop trio came to fame, Kevin, Joe and Nick were three of the four Jonas brothers from down the road. And Frankie Jonas was there too. Eight years younger than Nick, the youngest Jonas brother, Frankie was only five years old when the Jonas brothers hit the big time on the Disney Channel.
But he enjoyed a taste of fame too, featuring alongside his brothers in Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam, and has produced his own music. He studied astrophysics at Columbia University and is now touring with his band, Franklin Jonas & the Byzantines.
The Baldwin brothers (and their two sisters)
While all four of the Baldwin brothers – Alec, Daniel, William and Stephen – are prominent Hollywood actors, some are definitively more famous than others. Alec, the eldest and best known of the siblings, has been nominated for an Oscar and has a clutch of other awards to his name. Surprisingly, perhaps, their parents weren’t in Hollywood or the entertainment industry.
Their father, Alexander Rae Baldwin Jr, was a social studies teacher. The four brothers also have two sisters, Elizabeth Keuchler and Jane Sasso, who aren’t involved in the film business.
