Geoffrey Lewis and Juliet Lewis both wearing suits at a red carpet event in 1992© Getty

Yellowjackets star Juliette Lewis' father was a major Hollywood star – details

The actress' father appeared in over 200 films and television shows

TV Writer
April 26, 2023

Juliette Lewis became one of cinema's 'it girls' in the 1990s thanks to her critically-acclaimed performances in Indie flicks and arthouse films, including Cape Fear, Natural Born Killers and Husbands and Wives. But she made her first ever on-screen appearance in Bronco Billy (1980), a Western comedy-drama starring her famous father – the late Geoffrey Lewis

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Who is Juliette Lewis' famous father Geoffrey Lewis? 

Geoffrey Lewis was an American actor famed for his portrayal of villains and oddballs. Throughout his decade-spanning career, the Hollywood star worked alongside Clint Eastwood on numerous occasions. Their films together include Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Pink Cadillac, Any Which Way You Can, Bronco Billy, Every Which Way but Loose, Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, and High Plains Drifter.

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Geoffrey Lewis in Wildside. © Getty
Geoffrey Lewis was an American actor famed for playing villains

Among his many TV credits, Geoffrey also appeared on Starsky & Hutch, Little House on the Prairie, The Golden Girls and Dawson's Creek

Following Juliette's acting debut and subsequent high-profile roles in the 1990s and early 2000s, the father-daughter duo also co-starred in films together, including The Way of the Gun (2000) and Blueberry (2004). 

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Geoffrey Lewis pictured alongside his Every Which Way But Loose co-stars Clint Eastwood and Beverly d'Angelo

Speaking about her childhood in an interview with The Guardian, the Yellowjackets star has credited both of her parents with cultivating "that sense of belief in one's artistic abilities" from a young age. She even recalled a sweet memory in which her dad took her out of school to see the dentist, before revealing that they were actually on their way to watch Star Wars at the cinema. 

© Getty
Juliette and Geoffrey co-starred in several films together

Asked whether she'd consider her childhood to have been 'bohemian' Juliette told The Telegraph: "I don't know if the word "bohemian" is quite right; they're kind of progressive. My dad instilled in me to naturally question all authority. I don't follow anything blindly. That's religion, cops, doctors, schools, you name it."

© Getty
The father-daughter duo shared a close bond

Juliette and Geoffrey shared an incredibly close relationship, and a few years before his death, the actress revealed that she and her sisters had nursed him back to health following an illness. However, in April 2015, it was later announced that Geoffrey had passed away at the age of 74, following a heart attack.  

Penning a heartbreaking tribute to her beloved father, Juliette wrote: "My dad. My dad my dad my dad my dad. My love my dad. My dad. My hero. My dad. My dad my love my loving father. My strength my might. My friend. My hugs. My laughter. My love. My dad. Oh my heart. My heart. He loved us so. He loved us so. So so much. I am forever my father's daughter and he will never been gone." 

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