Minka Kelly is back in the spotlight with the second season of Netflix’s Ransom Canyon, but the actress has a surprising connection to one of rock music’s biggest names.

Kelly, best known for her role as Lyla Garrity on Friday Night Lights, stars in Ransom Canyon as former concert pianist Quinn O’Grady. The series returns for its second season with eight new episodes arriving on Netflix on July 23, 2026.

As Kelly steps back into the spotlight, fans may be surprised to learn that her father, Rick Dufay, was once part of one of the biggest rock bands of the 1980s.

Minka Kelly’s Father Played Guitar For Aerosmith

Kelly’s father is French-American musician Rick Dufay, now 74. Rock fans will remember him as a guitarist who briefly played with Aerosmith in the early 1980s.

Dufay joined the band in 1981 after guitarist Brad Whitford stepped away. At the time, the lineup included lead singer Steven Tyler, bassist Tom Hamilton, drummer Joey Kramer and Jimmy Crespo, who had replaced Joe Perry as lead guitarist.

Dufay was credited on Aerosmith’s 1982 album Rock in a Hard Place and toured with the group throughout North America.

His time with Aerosmith was relatively short-lived. He served as a temporary replacement until Whitford returned to the band in 1984. Dufay continued pursuing music after leaving Aerosmith, later becoming a member of the 1990s blues group Blue by Nature.

Rick Dufay Had A Role In Aerosmith’s Reunion

Dufay’s connection to Aerosmith extended beyond his time as a guitarist. He also became involved in the circumstances that eventually helped bring the band’s original members back together.

Joe Perry had left Aerosmith in 1979 following tensions within the group. Whitford departed in 1981 and went on to form Whitford/St. Holmes.

The two musicians eventually reunited with the rest of Aerosmith after a backstage meeting at a 1984 show.

Perry later discussed Dufay’s role in the reunion during a 2024 interview. According to Perry, Dufay encouraged the band to bring its former members back, telling him that things were not working without them.

Dufay also offered his own account of what happened during a 2008 interview. He said he essentially pushed Steven Tyler and Joe Perry into a room together and told them they needed to work things out.

Although Dufay said some members of the band and its management were unhappy with his actions at the time, he believed he had done the right thing.

Minka Kelly And Her Father Eventually Reconnected

While Dufay had a notable career in rock music, his relationship with his daughter was complicated during her childhood.

Kelly was raised by her single mother, Maureen Dumont Kelly. She first met her father when she was three years old and later moved to Los Angeles to reconnect with him.

Maureen became estranged from Kelly in later years and died in 2008.

Kelly spoke openly about her relationship with her father on social media in 2018, describing their reconciliation as difficult at first but saying they eventually found their way back to each other.

She acknowledged that they still got on each other’s nerves at times, but said she was grateful to have him in her life.

In an interview with People, Kelly also said that she loved her father and described him as wise and smart. She credited him with helping her navigate life in Los Angeles and her career in the entertainment industry.

Dufay has also spoken warmly about his daughter, saying in 2008 that he was very proud and happy about her.

Now, as Kelly continues her career with Ransom Canyon, her connection to a major chapter in Aerosmith’s history remains one of the more unexpected stories behind the actress’s family background.

Source: Compiled from various sources