Fans Claim Marnee Carpenter Might Be Related to Meryl Streep — Who Are Her Parents?

In Clarice, Marnee Carpenter plays Catherine Martin, a young woman still grappling with the lasting impact of her encounter with Buffalo Bill. The latest The Silence of the Lambs spinoff on CBS sheds new light on Catherine's relationship with her mother, Senator Ruth Martin (Jayne Atkinson), while also exploring how the harrowing incident impacted her bond with FBI agent Clarice Starling (Rebecca Breeds). So, what's there to know about Marnee's real parents? What are they like? 

Clarice plunges viewers into the aftermath of Buffalo Bill's killing spree, capturing how Catherine and Clarice were affected by the unprecedented atrocity. Season 1 of the show focuses on the titular character's attempts to prove herself in the workplace and show to her colleagues that she has what it takes — regardless of the traumatic effect of her brush with Buffalo Bill. Meanwhile, Marnee's character, Catherine, is struggling to find her feet. But so, who are Marnee's parents in real life?

An avid social media user, Marnee frequently takes to Instagram to provide updates on her latest adventures and share photos about her experiences as a dog fosterer. She also posts snaps about her nearest and dearest, including her mom and dad. A relatively private person, it appears that Marnee has yet to divulge further information about her parents to the press. Their name, occupation, and personal interests are unknown. 

Over the past few years, Marnee has posted several photographs of her parents on Instagram, however. As these attest, she frequently meets up with them to go on strolls or visit little-known tourist gems like the Sterling Vineyards near Calistoga, Calif.

Over her almost decade-long career, Marnee landed roles in hit shows like Criminal Minds and Good Girls. It's easy to see why her artistic talents and beautiful looks might remind fans of A-listers like Meryl Streep. 

While Marnee might look similar to Meryl's youngest daughter, 29-year-old Louisa Jacobson — who, it so happens, is also an actor — the list of similarities likely ends there. Some fans believe that Marnee and Meryl could be related, but there's little information available to support this hypothesis. 

Meryl and her husband of 43 years, Don Gummer, share four kids: 41-year-old Henry Wolfe, 37-year-old Mamie Gummer, and 34-year-old Grace Gummer. Don earned recognition as a sculptor and as the creator of public art pieces like the 2011 Open Eyes or the 2014 Mondrian. Meanwhile, Henry is a celebrated singer-songwriter behind albums like Linda Vista. 

Mamie and Grace are successful actresses, too. Following her 1986 debut in Heartburn, Mamie landed roles in hit shows like The Good Wife and True Detective. Meanwhile, Grace has appeared in TV shows like Mr. Robot and The Hot Zone, and in movies like Frances Ha. It's uncertain if they've ever met Marnee, though it's perfectly possible that they are a part of the same artistic circuit. 

Catch new episodes of Clarice every Thursday at 10 p.m. EST on CBS.