Celebrities who you probably didn't know are cousins
Claudia Willen
- Although some of their ties are distant, many well-known celebrities are cousins.
- Nicolas Cage, Sofia Coppola, and Jason Schwartzman are all first cousins linked by their parents.
- Kate Middleton and Ellen DeGeneres, however, have a much more distant relation dating back to the 16th century.
It's no secret that many celebrities have famous parents or siblings, but their high-profile cousins are far less well-known.
Of course, some of the celebrities are more closely related than others. Nicolas Cage, Sofia Coppola, and Jason Schwartzman — actors who have all established their own successful careers — are first cousins. Meanwhile, Ellen DeGeneres and Kate Middleton are reportedly 15th cousins.
Here is a list of celebrities that you probably didn't know are cousins.
Brandy and Snoop Dogg are first cousins.
During an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Brandy said that she and her brother Ray J are related through Snoop Dogg's mother, Beverly Tate.
"My brother and Snoop really believe they're related, so I guess I'll just go along with it," she told the outlet.
Snoop Dogg, who collaborated with Norwood on the track "Special," also brought up his family during an interview with MTV.
"Brandy's my first cousin. We never really told the world because we weren't trippin' off of that, but that's my family," the "Drop It Like It's Hot" singer said.
After Larry David impersonated Bernie Sanders on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," they found out that they're distant cousins.
During an episode of PBS' "Finding Your Roots," David and Sanders found out that they're distantly related.
When the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" actor learned that the US Senator was his distant cousin, he shouted, "What the hell?!"
And Sanders responded to the news by saying, "You're kidding. Oh my God! That is unbelievable. It's true?"
The cousins were tied together before they knew they were family; David has frequently impersonated Sanders on NBC's "Saturday Night Live."
Chuck Schumer and Amy Schumer are first cousins, once removed.
The comedian's father, Gordon, is first cousins with the Senate minority leader, making Amy and Chuck first cousins once removed.
When President Donald Trump insulted Chuck, Amy defended her relative on Instagram.
"Also I know chuck Schumer and HE CANNOT act trust me. He can barely smile on cue. He can't help but be transparent and genuine," she wrote.
The politician has also given a shout-out to his cousin on Twitter.
When Amy was expecting her first child, he wrote, "I can't wait for a play date between cousins—my grandson Noah and @AmySchumer's expected baby boy."
Madonna and Angelina Jolie are both distant relatives to Hillary Clinton.
According to the Washington Post's "Reliable Source" column, the "Vogue" singer is Clinton's 10th cousin. Genealogist William Addams Reitwiesner explained that they have the same great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandparents.
The column also stated that Jolie is Clinton's ninth cousin twice removed.
Denis Leary and Conan O'Brien are third cousins.
According to Us Weekly, the "Ice Age" actor and the late-night host are third cousins.
Jenny McCarthy and Melissa McCarthy are first cousins.
According to Us Weekly, Jenny helped Melissa get her Hollywood break when she was working on the sitcom "Jenny" in the '90s.
Although they've both carved out their own successful careers, they've stayed in touch and have shared throwback photos from their childhood together.
When a movie critic insulted Melissa's weight in 2013, Jenny stood up for her cousin against the critic's review.
"I don't have the whole story, but, I do know that, after being in this business 20 years, it's really crummy that you get attacked in your personal life in general," she told E! News, adding, "She's very very talented and people know that, so... He can go to hell."
Nicolas Cage, Sofia Coppola, and Jason Schwartzman are first cousins.
The three actors are all first cousins. Schwartzman's mother, Talia Shire (née Coppola), is siblings with Sofia's father, Francis Coppola, and Cage's father, August Coppola.
Kate Middleton and Ellen DeGeneres are 15th cousins.
During a 2011 episode of "The Ellen DeGeneres Show," the comedian said that she had received a letter from the New England Genealogical Society stating that she and the British royal were distantly related.
According to the letter, the women are connected through a man named Sir Thomas Fairfax and his wife, Agnes Gascoigne, who lived in England in the 1500s.
"I'm related to Kate. I'm definitely invited to the wedding now," DeGeneres joked.
Tom Cruise and William Mapother are first cousins.
Thomas Mapother III, the "Top Gun" actor's father, is brothers with William Reibert Mapother, Sr., the "Lost" star's father.
Al Roker and Lenny Kravitz are distantly related.
On an episode of NBC's "Today," Roker explained that their grandfathers were cousins.
"We both have Roker," Kravitz said, adding, "My mother was Roxie Roker, my grandfather, Albert Roker from the Bahamas. Has to be."
Meryl Streep is related to both Glenn Close and Brooke Shields.
Streep is reportedly Close's 15th cousin. However, the "Mamma Mia!" actress has a closer relation to Shields, who is Streep's second cousin once removed.
Ralph Fiennes is distantly related to Prince Charles.
The actor, known for his role as Lord Voldemort in the "Harry Potter" movies, is eighth cousins with the Prince of Wales, according to Financial Times.
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck are 10th cousins once removed.
According to the New England Genealogical Society, the actors are distant cousins linked by a man named William Knowlton Jr., a bricklayer who came to the US in the early 17th century.
Damon and Affleck both grew up in Boston and teamed up for the 1997 film "Good Will Hunting."
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