At a Glance
- Nicola Peltz Beckham is the third youngest of eight siblings born to billionaire investor Nelson Peltz and Claudia Heffner Peltz.
- The family’s business reach spans investment, food distribution, and sports franchises, while the parents keep a low Hollywood profile.
- A 2022 lawsuit over wedding planning sparked a public dispute that ended in a settlement and a charitable donation.
**Why it matters: The story shows how a high-profile celebrity’s family life intertwines with a multi-industry empire, revealing both personal dynamics and business strategy.
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Family Roots and Early Life
Nicola Peltz Beckham, born January 9, 1995, grew up in a household that balanced business ambition with a love for sports and the arts. Her parents, Nelson and Claudia, married in 1985 and have since raised eight children: Matthew, Will, Brad, Brittany, Diesel, Nicola, Zachary, and Gregory.
During a March 2023 interview with Cosmopolitan, Nicola described her parents’ long-standing romance:
> “My parents have been together more than 40 years, and they always make fun of each other. My dad is just so cute. When my mom leaves the room, he’s always just like, ‘She’s so beautiful,’ ” she said. “They still act like young kids in love. Literally, they’re always making out, to the point where my brother’s like, ‘I’m closing my eyes. Stop making out.’ They’re so in love, and being able to grow up with that is so beautiful.”
The couple’s public appearances, such as the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Humanitarian Award Dinner on March 28, 2011, illustrate their philanthropic side.
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Sibling Careers
The Peltz siblings have pursued diverse professions:
- Matthew earned a degree from Yale and works for his father’s investment firm, Trian Fund Management, serving as the non-executive vice chairman of Wendy’s.
- Will is a model and actor, with roles in Sierra Burgess Is a Loser, In Time, and Unfriended.
- Brad transitioned from a professional ice-hockey player for the Ottawa Senators to founding the automated scheduling platform Mymo in 2016.
- Diesel co-founded the location-tracking app Twenty and the health-tech app Healthy Together.
- Brittany studied at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts and now leads the interior-design studio SENA Lifestyle Studio.
- Zachary and Gregory are twin ice-hockey players who keep a low profile.
Nicola herself broke into acting with Bates Motel and Transformers: Age of Extinction, after persuading her parents to allow her to pursue the craft.
> “I grew up playing ice hockey, and my dad really wanted me to focus on playing ice hockey. Then, when I was 11, I asked my mom if I could try acting. My parents were very against it at first.”
She eventually convinced them after landing a role in Blackbird at the Manhattan Theatre Club.
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Nelson Peltz’s Investment Empire
Before founding Trian Fund Management in 2005, Nelson dropped out of the Wharton School to work for the family’s food distribution business. He has served on boards of major companies, including H.J. Heinz Company, Mondelēz International, and Unilever PLC (since 2022). He was the non-executive chairman of Wendy’s from 2007-2024 and has directed Madison Square Garden Sports Corp since 2015.
These positions illustrate the breadth of his influence across consumer goods, food service, and sports entertainment.
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Parent-Child Dynamics
Nicola’s relationship with her parents contrasts sharply with her husband Brooklyn Beckham’s strained ties to his own parents. In a January 2026 Instagram post, Brooklyn wrote:
> “I do not want to reconcile with my family. My parents have been trying endlessly to ruin my relationship since before my wedding, and it hasn’t stopped.”
In February 2024, Nicola reflected on her parents’ long-term marriage during an interview with Byrdie:
> “Anyone who has been married for a long time, it’s such a beautiful thing. My parents, their love inspires me every day.”
She also receives style advice from Claudia, preferring her mother’s input over a professional stylist.
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Legal Battle Over Wedding Planning
Ahead of Nicola’s wedding to Brooklyn, Nelson filed a lawsuit against wedding planners Nicole Braghin and Arianna Grijalba in December 2022. He claimed he never received his $159,000 deposit and questioned their experience.
Braghin and Grijalba countersued for breach of contract and alleged that Claudia hid the real cost of the wedding from her husband.
In September 2023, Nelson settled the lawsuit. As part of the settlement, the planners’ employer, Plan Design Events, donated to the CARE Ukraine Crisis Fund in Nicola and Brooklyn’s name.
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Keeping a Low Profile
Despite their wealth, Nelson and Claudia prefer to stay out of the spotlight. Nicola described them as “anti-Hollywood” in a 2022 Grazia interview, noting that they grew up in a hockey-centric environment rather than Los Angeles.
She emphasized how the family’s grounded nature supports her career:
> “It’s funny to be the first person in your family to venture off and try something new. My six brothers are happy for me, but they just look at me as their sister. My family keeps me very, very grounded.”
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Support at Hollywood Events
The family’s public support for Nicola’s work was evident at the February 2024 premiere of Lola, a film she wrote, directed, and starred in. She posted photos of the family at the after-party and shared moments with her mother.
In a February 2024 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Nicola expressed gratitude:
> “For everyone to come out and support me meant the absolute world.”
She also revealed that Claudia was present on set every day, saying:
> “My mom was with me every single day on set. I kidnapped her and made her come to L.A. and be with me, and I couldn’t have done it without her.”
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Key Takeaways
- Nicola Peltz Beckham’s family blends a powerful investment legacy with a supportive, low-profile upbringing.
- The 2022 lawsuit over wedding planning highlighted tensions between personal and business decisions.
- Despite their wealth, the Peltz parents maintain a grounded, anti-Hollywood stance, which continues to influence Nicola’s career choices.
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