10 Celebs Who Found Out They Were Related to Other Celebs on Finding Your Roots

Top 10 Celebs Who Found Out They Were Related to Other Celebs on Finding Your Roots

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most notable celebrities who discovered on “Finding Your Roots” that their family tree is even more star-studded than they thought.

#10: Marisa Tomei & Julianne Moore

Oscar-winning actresses Marisa Tomei and Julianne Moore go way back. They both attended Boston University in the 1980s and have maintained a solid friendship, even co-starring in projects like “As the World Turns” and “Crazy, Stupid, Love.” However, when Tomei appeared on “Finding Your Roots” in 2019, she learned that their connection goes even further back. Turns out they share an identical stretch of DNA on Tomei’s X chromosome, which makes them genetic cousins. This twist was particularly surprising since Tomei’s roots are entirely Italian, while Moore has no Italian ancestry. Regardless, both women were overjoyed by the revelation, and happily shared the news with their fans on social media.

#9: John Lithgow & Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Since the show’s premiere in 2012, host Henry Louis Gates Jr. has been guiding celebrities on eye-opening journeys into their family histories, bringing them closer to their ancestors, and in some cases, other famous faces. But in 2021, during an episode featuring renowned actor John Lithgow, Gates unearthed a discovery that hit close to home, literally. To everyone’s surprise, including Lithgow’s, they found out that they were DNA cousins, thanks to Gates’ European lineage on his mother’s side. Lithgow was completely floored by this news, and his sincere reaction afterwards is sure to tug at your heartstrings.

#8: Kevin Bacon & Kyra Sedgwick

Hollywood supercouple Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick fell in love after first crossing paths on the set of the 1988 TV film “Lemon Sky.” Little did they know that their love story had an unexpected twist waiting for them. Fast forward to 2012, when they both appeared on “Finding Your Roots” and discovered that they were actually related. Before you gasp, their familial connection is not that scandalous: they are ninth cousins, once removed. For Sedgwick, this news wasn’t all that surprising, but it definitely closed the gap to far fewer degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon than she might have imagined.

#7: Bill Maher & Bill O'Reilly

As far as familial connections go, this one is as shocking as you can get. Bill Maher and Bill O’Reilly are two of the most contrasting personalities you’d probably ever come across. Maher is a sharp-tongued liberal atheist, while O’Reilly is a well-known figure in conservative Christian circles. Despite these differences, a season 3 episode revealed that both men are actually distant cousins. The ties between the two were discovered through DNA testing of their Y chromosomes, which traced their roots to a common male ancestor from the medieval kingdom of Breifne in Ireland. It’s a fun reminder that even the most polar opposites can have a surprising connection.

#6: Pamela Adlon & Meryl Streep

When Pamela Adlon appeared on a season 8 episode in 2022, she made a few fascinating discoveries about her family history, but none made her squeal with joy quite like this one. Adlon was asked to guess her DNA cousin and wished for the legendary comedian Redd Foxx. However, when she flipped the page, her expectations were completely shattered. Much to her astonishment and glee, Adlon found that she was instead related to screen goddess Meryl Streep. Her teary-eyed reaction afterwards was completely understandable, because who in the world wouldn’t want to be related to the multiple Oscar-winning powerhouse that is Meryl Streep?

#5: Jimmy Kimmel & Martha Stewart

One is a beloved comedian and the host of a long-running late-night talk show. The other is a savvy business mogul who turned a knack for DIY into an empire. Jimmy Kimmel and Martha Stewart are both household names in their own right, but it turns out they share more than just their celebrity status. In 2016, when Kimmel appeared on “Finding Your Roots,” he discovered that he and Stewart are actually distant cousins. The revelation was as surprising as it was fitting, especially when Kimmel realized he shared a quirky trait with the domestic diva. The comedian eventually reunited with his long-lost cousin on her show “Martha & Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party” in 2019.

#4: Carol Burnett & Bill Hader

Carol Burnett is, without a doubt, a comedy icon, and a deep dive into her family history during the ninth season revealed that humor runs in her genes. Indeed, Burnett learned that she is a distant cousin of none other than former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Bill Hader. Just like Burnett, Hader first made his name on a variety sketch show, which served as a springboard for his successful comedy career. Burnett was so thrilled by the revelation that she reached out to Hader via email to let him know, leaving him completely stunned. Apparently, the two still keep in touch and Hader has even connected with other members of the Burnett family.

#3: Larry David & Bernie Sanders

At first, learning that comedian Larry David and U.S. senator Bernie Sanders are related might seem surprising. But the more you think about it, the more it makes perfect sense. Not only do they share a physical resemblance, but also similar backgrounds – both are elderly Jewish men born in New York City in the 1940s. David has even impersonated Sanders multiple times on “Saturday Night Live.” So when they found out on the fourth season of “Finding Your Roots” that they are sixth cousins, once removed, it felt more like a “we knew it!” moment than anything else. Still, the news caught both men completely off guard.

#2: Julia Roberts & Edward Norton

Julia Roberts already has a star-studded family tree, with her older brother Eric Roberts and niece Emma Roberts both being well-known Hollywood performers. But thanks to “Finding Your Roots,” the Oscar-winning actress learned that she has yet another famous relative: actor Edward Norton. In light of the revelation, Roberts shared that although she had crossed paths with Norton, they had never actually worked on a project together. Norton, on the other hand, poked fun at the situation, joking that she inherited all the good looks in the family. Fingers crossed, we’ll one day see these two talented actors, and distant cousins, team up on screen.

#1: Michael Douglas & Scarlett Johansson

Hollywood actors Michael Douglas and Scarlett Johansson both starred in the 2019 Marvel blockbuster “Avengers: Endgame,” though they never shared the screen. Interestingly, they do share something else: some DNA. Thanks to Johansson’s Eastern European ancestry on her mother’s side, both actors have “identical stretches of DNA on four different chromosomes.” Johansson, of course, isn’t the only famous name in Douglas’ family tree; he’s the son of legendary actor Kirk Douglas, and has many relatives in the film industry. Another celebrity who discovered a surprising family tie with Scarlett Johansson on “Finding Your Roots” was reality TV guru Andy Cohen.

What celebrity would you love to be related to? Let us know in the comments below.