> At a Glance
> – Vanessa Redgrave‘s acting bloodline stretches to the 1800s and lives on through her three children.
> – Natasha Richardson won a Tony, Joely Richardson ruled TV, Carlo Nero crafts films behind the camera.
> – Natasha’s 2009 death at 45 left the family “shattered on a cellular level,” Joely says.
> Why it matters: Shows how one family has shaped British and global entertainment for more than a century-and how personal tragedy reshaped their lives.
From 19th-century music-hall turns to modern streaming dramas, the Redgrave-Richardson-Nero clan keeps the spotlight burning. Vanessa Redgrave’s three children each carved a distinct path, yet all orbit the same craft that made their surname legendary.
The Family Tree on Stage and Screen
Redgrave’s grandparents performed in silent films and theater in the 1800s. Her parents, Sir Michael Redgrave and Rachel Kempson, carried the torch, and Vanessa passed it to Natasha (1963), Joely (1965) and Carlo Gabriel Nero (1969).
- Natasha and Joely entered film as toddlers in 1968’s The Charge of the Light Brigade, directed by their father Tony Richardson.
- Carlo split childhood between London and Italy, inspiring his later documentary Sea Sorrow about migrant rights.
Natasha: Broadway Royalty Lost Too Soon
After moving to New York to escape the “Redgrave” shadow, Natasha won a 1998 Tony for Cabaret and charmed millions as the twins’ mom in The Parent Trap.
Natasha told The Guardian:
> “It just didn’t matter how much work I did in England, I continued to be seen simply as a Redgrave.”
She married Liam Neeson in 1994; their sons Michéal and Daniel survive her. A ski accident on Mont Tremblant ended her life at 45.
Vanessa Redgrave told News Of Los Angeles a decade later:
> “Time does not heal; it never becomes OK.”
Joely: From Tennis Courts to Nip/Tuck
Teenage tennis ambitions in Florida gave way to film when Joely landed Drowning by Numbers (1988) and the risqué Lady Chatterley (1993). She became a household name as Julia McNamara on FX’s Nip/Tuck and starred opposite Jonathan Rhys Meyers in The Tudors.
Mother and daughter shared the screen four times, including 2011’s Anonymous where Joely played the younger version of Vanessa’s character.
Joely told The Telegraph in 2015:
> “People would say, ‘Oh, you’re from this big theatrical dynasty,’ and I’d think, ‘Well, I’m doing an American TV show.’ I felt like a phoney.”
Natasha’s death refocused her priorities:
> “The shock shatters you… I cannot imagine a day I don’t think of Tasha.”
Carlo: Behind the Camera, Telling Global Stories
While his sisters acted, Carlo Gabriel Nero trained in Italian and New York film schools, then wrote, produced and directed. His 2004 drama The Fever starred both Vanessa and Joely.
Mother and son later co-founded Dissent Projects, releasing the refugee-themed documentary Sea Sorrow in 2017.
Vanessa told The Times:
> “He’s my son, but he’s also a great director who’s earned respect through hard graft.”
Carlo and wife Jennifer Wiltsie have three children, extending the dynasty to a sixth generation.
| Family Member | Born | Signature Work | Awards/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natasha | 1963 | Cabaret (Tony), The Parent Trap | Died 2009, age 45 |
| Joely | 1965 | Nip/Tuck, The Tudors | Still active in TV & stage |
| Carlo | 1969 | The Fever, Sea Sorrow | Director-producer, 3 kids |
Key Takeaways
- The Redgrave acting lineage now spans six generations, from 19th-century theater to 21st-century streaming.
- Each sibling escaped the family shadow-Natasha via Broadway, Joely through American TV, Carlo through socially conscious filmmaking.
- Natasha’s death reshaped the family’s outlook; Joely calls every birthday “a gift” and Vanessa rejects the idea that “time heals.”
Love, loss and limelight keep the Redgrave dynasty alive-on stage, on screen and in the values they pass down.
