Many celebrities have roots that go far beyond Hollywood. Some of them can trace their family trees back to royalty, U.S. presidents, and historical icons. Here are some well-known stars with surprising ancestral ties.
1. Johnny Depp
Johnny Depp, known for his many transformative film roles, has noble roots. He is a 20th cousin of Queen Elizabeth II. Genealogists traced his lineage back 19 generations to a shared ancestor. Depp also descends from William Gascoigne and Margaret Percy—members of 15th-century English nobility. Margaret’s father was the 3rd Earl of Northumberland, a direct descendant of King Edward III.
2. Hilary Duff
Hilary Duff may have starred as the relatable teen in Lizzie McGuire, but her ancestry is regal. She’s often cited as having the closest connection to royalty among U.S. celebrities. Duff is the 18th cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and shares King Edward III as a common ancestor.
3. Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal
The Gyllenhaal siblings, both successful actors, are descendants of King Edward III of England. This link places them in the same ancestral pool as Audrey Hepburn, Humphrey Bogart, and Michael Douglas. Their noble heritage matches their long-standing status in Hollywood.
4. Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields, often described as Hollywood royalty, descends from multiple monarchs. She is a direct descendant of King Henry IV of England and has ties to Queen Catherine de’ Medici of France and Lucrezia Borgia. Shields is also the 18th cousin, once removed, of Queen Elizabeth II.
5. Tom Hanks
Tom Hanks shares a bloodline with Abraham Lincoln, making them third cousins, four times removed. Their shared ancestor is Lincoln’s mother, Nancy Hanks. Hanks is also connected to President Herbert Hoover and King John of England, known for signing the Magna Carta.
6. Paris Hilton
Paris Hilton’s aristocratic lineage dates back to King Henry II of England. She is also distantly related to U.S. presidents Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, and Warren G. Harding. Through these ties, Hilton also shares ancestry with Brad Pitt and writer F. Scott Fitzgerald.
7. Brad Pitt
Brad Pitt is the 25th cousin, twice removed, of King Henry II. He also shares a common ancestor, Edwin Hickman (born 1690), with Barack Obama. Pitt’s ancestral background is filled with connections to historical and political figures.
8. George Clooney
George Clooney is linked to Abraham Lincoln as a half-first cousin, five times removed. This makes him a distant relative of Tom Hanks, as both trace back to Lincoln’s maternal line.
9. Robert Pattinson
Robert Pattinson’s family history seems almost scripted for his role as a vampire. He is a distant relative of Vlad the Impaler, the 15th-century ruler who inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. The eerie connection adds depth to his casting as Edward Cullen in Twilight.
10. Clint Eastwood
Actor-director Clint Eastwood descends from King Henry I of England. Through this royal line, Eastwood shares ancestry with Franklin Pierce, Nancy Reagan, Mike Huckabee, Sigourney Weaver, and Bill Gates.
11. Ellen DeGeneres
Talk show host Ellen DeGeneres is the 19th cousin of King Edward III. She is also the 14th cousin, twice removed, of Catherine, Princess of Wales (Kate Middleton), showing a mix of royal and modern connections.
12. Ben Affleck
Ben Affleck has political roots running deep. He’s related to 16 U.S. presidents, including Barack Obama, who is his 11th cousin. Their common ancestor is a 17th-century bricklayer named William Knowlton Jr. Affleck also shares this ancestor with his long-time friend Matt Damon.
13. Barack Obama
President Obama has a noble bloodline. He descends from King Edward I of England and shares ancestry with multiple U.S. presidents, including George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Gerald Ford, and James Madison. His political path may have been written in history.
14. Helena Bonham Carter
Helena Bonham Carter’s heritage is packed with history. Her great-grandfather, H.H. Asquith, served as British Prime Minister during World War I. She’s also related to Florence Nightingale. Carter comes from a family deeply rooted in British politics and diplomacy.
15. Cindy Crawford
Supermodel Cindy Crawford is a distant cousin of writer Ernest Hemingway. Her grandmother Ramona was Hemingway’s 8th cousin, making Crawford his 8th cousin twice removed. Her roots reach into both American literature and fame.
16. Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé isn’t just music royalty—she has real royal blood. She’s the 25th cousin, once removed, of Queen Elizabeth II, with King Henry II as a common ancestor. Her regal presence isn’t just performance; it’s also in her bloodline.
17. Angelina Jolie
Angelina Jolie is a direct descendant of King Philip II of France, who ruled from 1180 to 1223. Known for modern diplomacy through the UN, Jolie also shares royal ancestry with Queen Elizabeth II, as her 26th cousin once removed.
18. Benedict Cumberbatch
British actor Benedict Cumberbatch is the 16th cousin of King Richard III. Cumberbatch even participated in Richard III’s reburial ceremony in 2015, reading a poem during the royal burial event. His ancestral connection adds gravity to his dramatic roles.
19. Sigourney Weaver
Sigourney Weaver, best known for Alien, descends from King Henry I of England. She is also a 24th cousin, once removed, of Queen Elizabeth II. Her noble lineage aligns with her commanding screen presence.
20. Meghan Markle
Before marrying Prince Harry, Meghan Markle already had royal connections. She is a fifth cousin, 12 times removed, of William Shakespeare, and a sixth cousin, five times removed, of Winston Churchill. Through Zachariah Howe, she has strong colonial-era British roots.
Conclusion
It’s fascinating to learn how deeply connected some modern celebrities are to historic figures. Whether through royalty, literature, or politics, these links add unexpected dimensions to the lives of people we see on screen. Sometimes, it turns out that fame runs in the family—across centuries.