IMPORTANT HOLIDAYS

It’s the Middle Kids, Like Bella Hadid, Kristen Stewart, and Miley Cyrus, Who Always Come Out on Top


2017 iHeartRadio Music Awards - Show
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It’s a well-known fact that middle kids turn out the best. There are certain complexes that define oldest, youngest, and only children—but not middle children. Look no further than this illustrious crop of middle kids for evidence: Whether in fashion, film, or music, the middle kids, so often overlooked by the rest of the family, end up coming out on top. On the occasion of National Middle Child Day, an important national holiday, we take a closer look at a few of the middle children who have turned out anything but middling, including Bella Hadid, Kristen Stewart, Madonna, and Miley Cyrus, who happens to also be her little sister’s biggest cheerleader.

1
Gigi and Bella Hadid
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Supermodels Bella and Gigi Hadid are both the middle children of the Hadid clan—there’s younger brother Anwar, an emerging model in his own right, and elder half-sisters Marielle and Alana.

2
Miley Cyrus
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Pop star Miley Cyrus is squarely in the middle of a whole family of musicians. Her elder brother Trace is the bassist for Metro Station—the band still best-known for the middle-school dance anthem “Shake It”—and younger brother Braison Cyrus is an emerging model, having made his debut at Dolce & Gabbana’s millennial stampede of a Spring 2018 show. Her youngest sibling, sister Noah, is a pop star on the rise—while her oldest, half-brother Christopher Cody Cyrus, is neither musician nor model.

3
Kristen Stewart
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Actress Kristen Stewart is the only girl in a household of boys: She has one older, biological brother, Cameron, and two adopted brothers, Dana, who is her age, and Taylor, the youngest, who also accompanied her on the Twilight-era red carpet.

4
Katy Perry
Larry Busacca

W’s September 2017 cover star Katy Perry, née Katheryn Hudson, has a younger brother, Brandon, who accompanied her to the Grammys in 2014, and an older sister, Angela, here pictured at Perry’s wedding to comedian and actor Russell Brand.

5
Madonna
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Madonna, the mononymous singer born Madonna Ciccone, is one of eight siblings, and the third-oldest in age. She was preceded by Marty, once an aspiring rapper, and Anthony; after them came Christopher, once Madonna’s assistant and now an interior designer following a stint in rehab, Paula, a former model, Jennifer, her half-sister, Mario, her half-brother and the youngest of the family, and Melanie, a former music publicist.

6
Bill Skarsgard
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Bill Skarsgard, one of the Skarsgard family’s more recent additions to the big screen, is the brother of actors Alexander, Valter, and Gustaf, model Eija—the only daughter of the family—and doctor Samuel.

7
Jennifer Lopez
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J. Lo is the middle daughter of three. Her sisters Lynda and Leslie accompanied her to New York Fashion Week in 2005, when she showed her eponymous collection.

8
Sarah Jessica Parker
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Like Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker is one of eight children—three full siblings, including brothers Pippin and Timothy Parker, a theater director and actor, and four half-siblings from her mother’s second marriage.

9
Chris Hemsworth
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Actor Chris Hemsworth is the second of three brothers, all fixtures in Hollywood. The Thor actor, 33, comes between Luke, 36, best known for his work on Westworld, and Liam, 27, the Hunger Games actor and fiancé of Miley Cyrus.

10
Tom Hiddleston
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Noted middle child Tom Hiddleston grew up in a house full of women: He arrived into the fray between Emma, also an actress, and Sarah, a journalist.

11
Scarlett Johansson
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When Scarlett Johansson arrived at Planned Parenthood’s 100th anniversary gala earlier this year, it wasn’t with any new beau—instead, it was arm-in-arm with sister Vanessa Johansson, a fellow actress. Johansson is one of five—Vanessa is one of three older siblings, including Adrian and Christian, her half-brother; Johansson is the middle child by mere minutes, barely older than her twin brother Hunter.

12
Kate Winslet
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Both Kate Winslet’s sisters—the older, Anna, and the younger, Beth—are actresses; they also have a younger brother, Joss, who accompanied his sister to the 2002 premiere of her film Iris.

13
Anne Hathaway
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In 2008, middle child Anne Hathaway accepted the Ally Award from the Human Rights Campaign—she’s been an outspoken supporter of gay rights, and she’s been open about her family’s acceptance of her older brother Michael’s sexuality. “There are people who have said that I’m being brave for being openly supportive of gay marriage, gay adoption—basically of gay rights—but with all due respect, I humbly dissent,” she said in her speech. “I’m not being brave; I’m being a decent human being.” They have a younger brother, Thomas, as well.

14
Lily Aldridge
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Supermodel Lily Aldridge comes from a family of fashion-oriented kids: Sister Ruby and half-sister Saffron are both models, while half-brother Miles is a fashion photographer and artist. (Their baby brother Franco was born in 2004—so he has some time yet to make his Dolce & Gabbana debut.)

15
Britney Spears
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Britney Spears is one of three: Her older brother Bryan is a film and television producer—he produced Zoey 101, the Nickelodeon comedy that starred their baby sister, actress Jamie-Lynn Spears.