The world of celebrities has always been filled with fascinating stories and connections, but did you know that some of your favorite stars can trace their roots back to equally famous ancestors? Here are 14 celebs that prove fame runs in the family.
Tom Hanks and Abraham Lincoln
According to Ancestry.com, Tom Hanks is a distant cousin and descendant of Abe Lincoln.
The connection lies with Abraham Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks, making Tom Hank s a 3rd cousin of the President, four times removed.
Brooke Shields and Queen Elizabeth II
There are several notable Hollywood celebs who have distant ties to British royalty. Model and actress Brooke Shields follow closely behind Hilary Duff by being an 18th cousin once removed from the now-deceased Queen Elizabeth II.
Their familial connection rests on Shields’ relation to King Henry IV of France.
Brad Pitt and Barack Obama
Although both are still alive, they do have a distant familial connection that may surprise you. The former President of the United States, Barack Obama, and famous actor Brad Pitt of Fight Club fame are related as distant cousins.
Specifically, Pitt is a 9th cousin of Barack Obama, sharing a common Virginia ancestor in Edward Hickman. Although the two figures have relatively different careers, they both share prominent spots in American society and media.
Richard Gere and James Garfield
Richard Gere, who has been acting since the 1970s, also has a special presidential connection in his family tree. Former President James Garfield would be the 6th cousin, four times removed, from the Pretty Woman and American Gigolo star.
And, as it turns out, Gere also has other notable ancestors, including Mayflower passenger John Billington.
Hilary Duff and Queen Elizabeth II
It’s only natural that the English royal bloodline is going to have a lot of descendants. One such descendant that you may not be aware of is Hilary Duff – actress, singer, and star of How I Met Your Father. In fact, the Lizzie McGuire star has in the past been dubbed the “most royal” of celebrities due to her cousin’s connection.
She is reportedly the 18th cousin of the former Queen, connected via her ancestor Alexander Spotswood.
George Clooney and Rosemary Clooney
Before he became the household name and silver fox that we know today, George Clooney was merely a kid who descended from a family tree.
That family tree happened to have another notable celebrity – singer and actress Rosemary Clooney of Mambo Italiano fame – who was George Clooney’s aunt. The jazzy pop singer also sang in a duo with her sister Betty Clooney in the early days of her career.
Oona Chaplin and Charlie Chaplin
Oona Chaplin hasn’t exactly taken on slapstick comedic roles like her ancestor Charlie Chaplin, but she has made a comfortable acting career for herself.
The actress, who has starred in the HBO series Game of Thrones, is the granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin. Interestingly enough, she is also the great-granddaughter of Eugene O’Neill, who was a famous playwright in his day.
Maya Rudolph and Minnie Riperton
The quirky, wig-wearing comedian and actress of SNL fame grew up in the limelight due to her mother’s fame as an amazing soprano singer and songwriter.
Maya’s mother, Minnie Riperton, met an untimely death, but her daughter Maya ended up finding a career of her own that is still going strong with roles in Bridesmaids, Big Mouth, Grown Ups, and more.
Hannah Einbinder and Paul Newman
Not only is Hannah Einbinder the daughter of one of SNL’s original cast members, but she is also becoming a seasoned comedian herself.
While her mother had a long-running career in TV and movies – starring in The Flintstones, Finding Nemo, Coneheads, and more – Einbinder has found fame starring alongside Jean Smart in the HBO TV series Hacks. The young actress has also gained experience in stand-up comedy.
James Dean and Richard Nixon
Before each of their deaths, James Dean and Richard Nixon had something in common – their fame and notoriety.
While Dean lived a career in the Hollywood spotlight, starring in films like Rebel Without a Cause, Nixon became a household name as President and was subsequently infamous for his political scandals. Their famous connection? As it turns out, they were actually 7th cousins.
Conor Kennedy
Conor Kennedy has long been in the public’s eye due to his famous family name. And more recently, he’s made headlines for dating pop star Taylor Swift for a brief stint of time.
But just how close is he tied to former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963? As it turns out, the young Kennedy is the son of Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., whose uncle was John F. Kennedy.
Margaret Hoover and Herbert Hoover
You may be familiar with Margaret Hoover’s face if you’ve ever spent much time tuning into CNN or paid attention to certain presidential election campaigns in the 2000s.
The political commentator and news host is tied into America’s political system in more ways than once, as she is actually the great-granddaughter of Herbert Hoover – the 31st United States President.
Princess Diana and Hugh Despencer
By now, it’s not really a secret that Lady Di came from her own highborn bloodline before she went on to marry Prince Charles (now King Charles).
But what you might not be aware of is the fact that one of her ancestors – Hugh Despencer of the Spencer family tree – infamously went down in history for interfering in King Edward II’s reign and ultimately getting executed for it.
Marilyn Monroe and George W. Bush
In her heyday, Marilyn Monroe was in a world of all kinds of interconnected famous people – from the actors she starred alongside to her alleged connection to the Kennedy family. But she also had a connection to another political family – the Bush family.
Within the family tree, Monroe would be the 9th cousin twice removed of former President George W. Bush.
This also makes her the 9th cousin once removed from his father – former President George H. W. Bush.
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