Meet Joe Anders: The 22-Year-Old Star of 'Cape Fear' With Two Oscar-Winning Parents

Joe Anders is stepping into one of his most prominent roles yet, and audiences tuning into Apple TV on June 5 will discover he comes from Hollywood royalty.

The 22-year-old actor and screenwriter takes on the part of Zack Bowden in the new limited series Cape Fear, where his character is the son of Amy Adams and Patrick Wilson's characters. The drama centers on happily married attorneys Anna and Tom Bowden whose lives are upended when Max Cady (Javier Bardem), a notorious killer they put behind bars, is released from prison and seeks revenge.

Anders is the son of Kate Winslet and Sam Mendes, two of the entertainment industry's most decorated talents. The pair married in May 2023 and welcomed Joe in New York City in December 2003.

Sam Mendes has earned acclaim as a director of major films including American Beauty, Revolutionary Road, Skyfall, Spectre, and 1917. He is currently helming the four-film The Beatles series. Winslet, an Academy Award winner, has built a legendary career spanning decades. The couple separated in 2010; Winslet subsequently married Edward Abel Smith, formerly known as Ned Rocknroll, while Mendes is now married to musician Alison Balsom.

Joe has already carved out his own path in the industry through collaborations with both parents. He made his acting debut in 1917, the World War I drama his father directed. He later appeared alongside his mother in the 2022 drama I Am Ruth and the 2023 biographical film Lee. His 2023 film Bonus Track, a British production, further showcased his range as an actor.

On the creative side, Joe co-wrote the screenplay for the Christmas drama Goodbye June, which his mother directed and in which she also stars. The film is available to stream on Netflix, marking a unique creative partnership between mother and son.

With Cape Fear set to premiere, Anders is poised to reach a broader audience and establish himself as a talent in his own right.