Marlo Thomas Shares Rare Photo of Look-Alike Granddaughter after She Refused to Be 'Villain' Stepmom

• Marlo Thomas and Phil Donahue couldn't have been more different when they met, yet they have made it to 42 years of marriage.

• The "That Girl" star didn't want to be a villain stepmom and chose her mother's approach to raising Phil's five kids.

• Marlo shared a photo of her granddaughter, who looks much like her.

"That Girl" star Marlo Thomas is her granddaughter's lookalike, yet the two are biologically unrelated! Fans noticed the uncanny resemblance after the star shared a photo of her granddaughter.

Thomas, who recently celebrated her 85th birthday, has come a long way to becoming a grandma. She gained her new family when she married her husband of 42 years, Phil Donahue, despite initially being against marriage.

When Thomas and Donahue met, Thomas had long given up on love. Their love story began when the actress agreed to appear on "The Phil Donahue Show" in 1977, unaware that she was meeting the love of her life.

They could not be more worlds apart. Donahue was a divorcée with five children, while Thomas wanted nothing to do with marriage. She always imagined marriage to be where she would have to change herself and live a lie. She shared:

"My impression was that you had this jailer that you had to please."

However, she was smitten when she set her eyes on Donahue that first time on his show. They spoke deeply about marriage, divorce, and babies—all of which Donahue had and Thomas didn't—and despite their differences, their connection was instantaneous.

They did not waste time and went on their first date the following evening. Thomas admits her fears of marriage had been misplaced, and today, 42 years later, the two are still together and going strong.

What Relationship Does Marlo Thomas Have with Her Stepchildren?

With Thomas' marriage came another role she had been unprepared for—that of a stepmom. While she never had her own children, she fully embraced her role as a stepmom to Donahue's children.

Thomas knew from the get-go that she did not want to take their mother's place or become the typical villain storybook stepmother. Instead, she chose to be their friend, having grown up in a household that emulated that parenting model.

Thomas' mother was friends with her and her siblings. Growing up, the actress knew she had someone to talk to and joke with. Even though she and her mother did not agree on everything, Thomas always knew that their friendship would remain intact and nothing would ever harm their relationship.

And that's exactly what Thomas wants for her and her stepkids. She says: "So I used that model with Phil's kids, and I'm proud to say that the friendships I established with them are as strong today as they were 30 years ago — even stronger."

While she had admitted to liking Donahue's kids long before she and her husband were married, she says their friendship has grown over the years, and they are very close.

She also has a very close relationship with her grandchildren and often shares photos of them on her social media platforms, calling them her own.

Why Did Fans React to a Photo of Marlo Thomas' Granddaughter?

A recent photo of Thomas' granddaughter Kenzie has stirred fans' reactions after they noticed the uncanny resemblance between them despite being unrelated biologically.

In the photo, dated November 27, Thomas' granddaughter Kenzie is sitting with her grandfather, Donohue, and they're staring and smiling at the camera.

The resemblance did not go unnoticed. Fans in the comment section were shocked at how alike the grandmother-granddaughter duo was, with many noting that Kenzie was the replica of a young Thomas.

One fan complimented Kenzie on how gorgeous she looked then noted that she looked so much like the younger version of the "That Girl" star. A different fan wrote:

"This is crazy Marlo, but Kenzie looks so much like you!"

Thomas often shares photos of her children and grandchildren, and besides Kenzie, she has also previously shared pictures of her grandson Connor.

In a photo posted in 2019, the actress referred to Connor as her soulmate, adding how much she loved him. The images also featured Connor's mom, Reed, posing with her father.

The "Nobody's Child" actress also previously shared a photo from Thanksgiving 2011, showing her husband holding the Thanksgiving turkey as she, Kenzie, and Connor stood around him.

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