While Brody Jenner appeared on Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test, his mom Linda Thompson was going through a challenge of her own.
Linda said she “prayed every day” for Brody’s safety while he was on the show—during which celebrities train under an elite ex-military team—last year.
“I had an altar in my house with his photos and all these religious candles,” Linda, 74, told Us Weekly in an interview published March 4. “I lit candles every day. ‘Please God, let him come home.’”
Although Brody, 41, made it home safe—and even won the final challenge alongside Travis Kelce‘s ex and media personality Kayla Nicole—Linda was still anxious to watch and see if The Hills alum sustained any injuries while on the show.
“They get hurt,” she explained. “One of the guys got his nose smashed, and Carey Hart got hurt. They really get hurt. It’s no joke. I was really nervous about it. I knew he came home OK, but he was under NDA to not tell us exactly how he did.”
Linda, who shares Brody and son Brandon, 43, withexCaitlyn Jenner, initially begged her youngest not to compete on the show.
“I said, ‘I will sell Apple stock and give you the money. Maybe you don’t do it.’ I was so nervous,” she admitted. “I had seen a few of the shows, and it’s brutal. They put them through hell. It’s no joke. What we see is just a preview of what they go through, because they have to edit it down to just show just little snippets. He said it was brutal. He’d probably never do it again.”
Since Brody has been home, he’s been spending time with his fiancée Tia Blanco and their 19-month-old baby girl, Honey Raye Jenner.
And while Brody initially wasn’t sure if he wanted kids due to his own strained relationship with Caitlyn, he now knows his life has turned out just the way it was meant to.
“To be totally honest here, I didn’t really know if I could really have kids. I just had no idea,” he said in an August 2023 YouTube video. “Going into this relationship, Tia was the absolute perfect person. She is my better half. She is the most incredible woman I’ve ever met in my entire life, and I think the universe does things the way it’s supposed to.”
For a look into more surprising family dynamics, read on.
Lena Dunham & Larry David
On an April 2 episode of Finding Your Roots, host Henry Louis Gates Jr., revealed that Lena Dunham had a distant ancestor in common with Larry David on her mother’s side.
Stassi Schroeder & Gypsy Rose Blanchard
Genealogist Dr. Adina Newman, known on Instagram as My Family Genie, revealed Blanchard and the Vanderpump Rules alum are allegedly related on their paternal grandmother’s side dating back all the way to the 1600s.
Schroeder, a self-professed true crime fan, commented on Newman’s post, “Omg I’m unwell.”
Dakota Johnson and Antonio Banderas
The Mask of Zorro star was married to the Fifty Shades of Grey actress’ mother Melanie Griffith for 20 years before they ultimately split in 2015, but that doesn’t mean the stepfather and daughter’s bond has been severed.
Johnson got emotional when she presented an award to Banderas at the 2019 Hollywood Film Awards.
“I come from a family of many a marriage and I got very lucky,” Johnson, whose dad is actor Don Johnson, said. “I got a bonus dad who I realized that, over time, is actually one of the most influential people in my whole life,” she said. “When I was six years old, my mother married a man who brought an unbelievably bright light and a whole new world of creativity and culture—and one remarkably magical little sister into our family.”
Robyn Lively & Blake Lively
The Teen Witch star and the Gossip Girl alum are half-sisters who share the same mom, talent manager Elaine Lively.
Elle King & Rob Schneider
The “Ex’s & Oh’s” singer is the SNL vet’s daughter, born from his relationship with former model London King.
Ludacris & Monica
The Fast & Furious star is cousins with the R&B singer thanks to her stepfather, Reverend Edward Best, who happens to be the rapper’s uncle.
Conan O’Brien & Denis Leary
The late-night host and the Rescue Me creator are third cousins.
Steven Spielberg & Jessica Capshaw
The onetime Grey’s Anatomy doc has called the legendary director stepdad ever since he married her mom Kate Capshaw in 1991.
Yara Shahidi & Nas
The Grown-ish star calls the rapper her second cousin. She was even the flower girl in his 2005 wedding with now ex-wife Kelis!
Lea Thompson & Zoey Deutch
The actress is the daughter of the Back to the Future icon.
Kiefer Sutherland & Sarah Sutherland
Not only did the Veep vet make a name for herself playing a famous daughter on the HBO comedy, but she’s also a famous daughter in real life. The erstwhile Jack Bauer star is her father.
Phil Collins & Lily Collins
Some Emily in Paris viewers were très shocked to discover Lily is the daughter of the English Grammy winner.
Amy Schumer & Chuck Schumer
The comedian and the New York Senator are actually related, as he’s the first cousin of her father.
Kate Middleton, Dakota Fanning & Elle Fanning
According to a 2014 People interview, a family historian from Ancestry.com claimed that the Fannings and the Princess of Wales are all descendants of King Edward III, who ruled England from 1327 to 1377, making them very distant relatives—21st cousins, to be exact.
Jonah Hill & Beanie Feldstein
The actors are actually brother and sister!
Niecy Nash, Danielle Brooks & Sterling K. Brown
Talent runs in this family, as the Reno 911! alum, Orange Is the New Black actress and This Is Us star are all cousins.
“We are blood related!” Nash wrote on Instagram January 2024, sharing a photo of the trio at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Third Annual Fundraising Gala. “REAL cousins!”
Jason Sudeikis & George Wendt
The SNL alum calls the Cheers icon Uncle George whenever he sees him. At least, we assume he does.
Stephen Dillane & Frank Dillane
Yep, Game of Thrones‘ Stannis Baratheon is the real-life dad of Fear the Walking Dead‘s Nick Clark.
Lily Allen & Sam Smith
The brunette beauty and the “Stay With Me” singer are third cousins. During a radio interview, Smith admitted that the pair have never met because their family is “huge.”
Liev Schreiber & Pablo Schreiber
The Salt actor and the memorable Law & Order: SVU guest star are half-brothers.
Melissa McCarthy & Jenny McCarthy
You may not have guessed but the Bridesmaids comedian and the former View co-host are cousins.
Julia Roberts & Emma Roberts
The We’re the Millers actress has the perfect mentor in the Pretty Woman star, who happens to be her auntie.
Lacey Schwimmer & David Schwimmer
Who knew the stunning Dancing With the Stars pro is second cousins with the Friends alum?
Alexander Skarsgård & Stellan Skarsgård
The True Blood vampire caught the acting bug from his dear old dad who stars in both The Avengers and Thor franchises.
Sofia Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, Nicolas Cage & Francis Ford Coppola
The Ghost Rider actor comes from an extremely talented family. One of his cousins directed The Bling Ring, the other starred in Saving Mr. Banks and his uncle directed The Godfather.
Lily Allen & Alfie Allen
The outspoken British singer is the older sister of the Game of Thrones star. She even wrote a song about him titled “Alfie.”
Brooke Shields & Glenn Close
The Damages star and the Lipstick Jungle actress are second cousins.
Shirley MacLaine & Warren Beatty
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty actress originally inspired her baby brother to get into show business.
Rashida Jones & Quincy Jones
The Parks and Recreation actress is the daughter of the legendary music producer.
Tom Cruise & William Mapother
The Lost actor has a very famous cousin in the Mission: Impossible star.
