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Sydney Sweeney Has a Surprising Family Connection to This Hollywood Icon
Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend. But Marilyn Monroe and Sydney Sweeney? It turns out they’re actually cousins.
Ninth cousins, once removed, to be exact, according to MyHeritage.com.
"People have always drawn parallels between Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe, but seeing their paths align on a deeper level inspired us to look for a real bond in the MyHeritage archives," Roi Mandel, director of research for the genealogy site, stated in a recent press release. "Uncovering their shared branch was incredible, it’s a powerful reminder that humanity is one vast family tree, and when we dig deep, we uncover how remarkably interconnected we all are."
While Sweeney has yet to publicly comment on the family connection, she has channeled Monroe in the past.
In February, for instance, the Euphoria actress walked the red carpet at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in an off-the-shoulder, cream Ceil Chapman gown—a dupe of the frock the late Hollywood icon wore on the cover of LIFE Magazine in 1952. And when Sweeney attended the L.A. premiere for her film adaptation of The Housemaid in December, she wore a white halter gown by Galia Lahav that brought back memories of the famous William Travilla dress Monroe wore in her 1955 movie The Seven Year Itch.
However, The White Lotus alum isn’t the only one with ties to the Some Like It Hot star. Dakota Johnson—who actually played Monroe in the recent short film Flesh Impact—is her ninth cousin, three times removed, per the same website.
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As for other big names that share a familiar link, The Devil Wears Prada’s Meryl Streep is the sixth cousin of Vogue’s Anna Wintour, according to Ancestry.com.
"Well THAT explains EVERYTHING,” the Oscar winner told Entertainment Weekly in April about the truly groundbreaking discovery. "As our ancestors would say, I am chuffed!"
But if you were thinking, "That’s all," you’d be wrong. Eva Longoria found out on a 2010 episode of Faces of America With Henry Louis Gates, Jr. that she and Streep are also distant cousins.
And while the Desperate Housewives alum was excited about the association, she had no intention of bringing it up when she ran into the Julie & Julia star at the Golden Globes several years back. However, Streep beat her to it.
"As I’m like, 'No, I’m not going to do it,' I hear, 'Cousin! Cousin!'" Longoria recalled on a 2025 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. "So cool."
And if it feels like learning about more stars' familial connections is in your blood, read on.
Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images, Valerie Terranova/Getty Images
Taylor Dearden & Bryan Cranston
For Bryan Cranston's daughter Taylor Dearden, who went with mom Robin Dearden's maiden name to avoid the auto-link to her famous father, the actor's life really is The Pitt.
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Debbie Allen & Phylicia Rashad
The Famed actress-dancer-choreographer is the younger sister of the Cosby Show alum, who during the show's first season was credited as Phylicia Ayers-Allen before she married sportscaster Ahmad Rashad in 1985.
John Salangsang/Shutterstock; Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Nancy Cartwright & Sabrina Carpenter
The Simpsons actor, who has voiced Bart since the show premiered in 1989, is the aunt of the "Espresso" singer.
“She's not a blood relative,” Nancy clarified on a January 2026 episode of Toon’d In with Jim Cummings. “Her grandmother was married to my dad, so her dad was my stepbrother.”
And that family connection led to Nancy playing a pivotal role in Sabrina's success.
“They would come out every year and stay with me," she continued. "They lived with me for four months at a time during pilot season and helped her get management [and an] agent.”
The Emmy winner added, "She certainly doesn't need my help. I gave her a little boost and she ran with it, and I'm very proud of her.”
Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images/Steve Granitz/FilmMagic
Lena Dunham & Larry David
On a 2024 episode of Finding Your Roots, host Henry Louis Gates Jr., revealed that Lena Dunham had a distant ancestor in common with Larry David on her mother's side.
Astrid Stawiarz/Bravo/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images/Instagram/Gypsy Rose Blanchard
Stassi Schroeder & Gypsy Rose Blanchard
Genealogist Dr. Adina Newman, known on Instagram as My Family Genie, revealed Blanchard and the Vanderpump Rules alum are allegedly related on their paternal grandmother's side dating back all the way to the 1600s.
Schroeder, a self-professed true crime fan, commented on Newman's post, "Omg I'm unwell."
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Hollywood Reporter
Antonio Banderas & Dakota Johnson
The Mask of Zorro star was married to the Fifty Shades of Grey actress' mother Melanie Griffith for 20 years before they ultimately split in 2015, but that doesn't mean the stepfather and daughter's bond has been severed.
Johnson got emotional when she presented an award to Banderas at the 2019 Hollywood Film Awards.
"I come from a family of many a marriage and I got very lucky," Johnson, whose dad is actor Don Johnson, said. "I got a bonus dad who I realized that, over time, is actually one of the most influential people in my whole life," she said. "When I was six years old, my mother married a man who brought an unbelievably bright light and a whole new world of creativity and culture—and one remarkably magical little sister into our family."
Amy Sussman/Getty Images; Slaven Vlasic/Getty Images for SiriusXM
Alix Earle & Dylan Dreyer
Get ready to have your mind blown: The TikToker and the Today anchor are second cousins.
"Growing up, your dad is like one of seven. You have lots of brothers and sisters," Dreyer told Earle of her dad Thomas "TJ" Earle, who is the morning show host's first cousin, during a May 2026 broadcast. "You have a million cousins. The Christmas card, when it arrives every year, there's like 100 people in it."
Robyn Lively & Blake Lively
The Teen Witch star and the Gossip Girl alum are half-sisters who share the same mom, talent manager Elaine Lively.
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Elle King & Rob Schneider
The "Ex's & Oh's" singer is the SNL vet's daughter, born from his relationship with former model London King.
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Ludacris & Monica
The Fast & Furious star is cousins with the R&B singer thanks to her stepfather, Reverend Edward Best, who happens to be the rapper's uncle.
Paul Drinkwater/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images
Conan O'Brien & Denis Leary
The late-night host and the Rescue Me alum are third cousins.
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Steven Spielberg & Jessica Capshaw
The onetime Grey's Anatomy doc has called the legendary director stepdad ever since he married her mom Kate Capshaw in 1991.
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Yara Shahidi & Nas
The Grown-ish star calls the rapper her second cousin. She was even the flower girl in his 2005 wedding with now ex-wife Kelis.
Paul Bruinooge/Patrick McMullan via Getty Images
Lea Thompson & Zoey Deutch
The actress is the daughter of the Back to the Future icon.
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Kiefer Sutherland & Sarah Sutherland
Not only did the Veep vet make a name for herself playing a famous daughter on the HBO comedy, but she's also a famous daughter in real life. The erstwhile Jack Bauer star is her father.
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Phil Collins & Lily Collins
Some Emily in Paris viewers were très shocked to discover Lily is the daughter of the English Grammy winner.
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Amy Schumer & Chuck Schumer
The comedian and the New York Senator are actually related, as he's the first cousin of her father.
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Kate Middleton, Dakota Fanning & Elle Fanning
According to a 2014 People interview, a family historian from Ancestry.com claimed that the Fannings and the Princess of Wales are all descendants of King Edward III, who ruled England from 1327 to 1377, making them very distant relatives—21st cousins, to be exact.
Paul Archuleta/FilmMagic
Jonah Hill & Beanie Feldstein
The actors are actually brother and sister.
©Academy Museum Foundation; Photo by Hunter Abrams
Niecy Nash, Danielle Brooks & Sterling K. Brown
Talent runs in this family, as the Reno 911! alum, Orange Is the New Black actress and This Is Us star are all cousins.
"We are blood related!" Nash wrote on Instagram January 2024, sharing a photo of the trio at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Third Annual Fundraising Gala. "REAL cousins!"
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Jason Sudeikis & George Wendt
Everybody knows their names, but did you know the SNL alum also called the late Cheers icon Uncle?
John Shearer/Getty Images for AMC/Dave M. Benett/Getty Images
Stephen Dillane & Frank Dillane
Yep, Game of Thrones' Stannis Baratheon is the real-life dad of Fear the Walking Dead's Nick Clark.
Jason Merritt/Getty Images; Danny Martindale/WireImage
Lily Allen & Sam Smith
The brunette beauty and the "Stay With Me" singer are third cousins. During a radio interview, Smith admitted that the pair have never met because their family is "huge."
Eric Charbonneau/Invision for Netflix/AP Images
Liev Schreiber & Pablo Schreiber
The Salt actor and the memorable Law & Order: SVU guest star are half-brothers.
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Melissa McCarthy & Jenny McCarthy
The Bridesmaids comedian and the former View co-host are cousins.
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Julia Roberts & Emma Roberts
The We're the Millers actress has the perfect mentor in the Pretty Woman star, who happens to be her auntie.
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Lacey Schwimmer & David Schwimmer
Who knew the former Dancing With the Stars pro is second cousins with the Friends alum?
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Alexander Skarsgård & Stellan Skarsgård
The True Blood vampire caught the acting bug from his dear old dad who stars in both The Avengers and Thor franchises.
J. Vespa/WireImage; Sylvain Gaboury/FilmMagic
Sofia Coppola, Jason Schwartzman, Nicolas Cage & Francis Ford Coppola
The Ghost Rider actor comes from an extremely talented family. One of his cousins directed The Bling Ring, the other starred in Saving Mr. Banks and his uncle directed The Godfather.
Eamonn McCormack/WireImage
Lily Allen & Alfie Allen
The British singer is the older sister of the Game of Thrones star. She even wrote a song about him titled "Alfie."
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