Having genes linked to famous people is one straight path to fame in the entertainment industry. While tracing bloodlines can be a bit difficult and confusing, it’s worth the ride if it’s linked to royalty or at least to satisfy curiosity.
From musicians like Beyonce Knowles to actors like Johnny Depp, here are 20 celebrities whose descendants were famous.
Meet 20 Celebrities That Were Descendants Of Famous People
1. Beyonce Knowles- Queen Elizabeth II’s 25th cousin through Henry II
Unsurprisingly, Beyonce has always sparkled royalty and this isn’t just about music, the glitz, or even her glamourous personality. She is by all accounts of royal blood as the 25th cousin of Queen Elizabeth, once removed thanks to King Henry II who was her 24th great-grandfather.
Even though her stance in the musical industry coupled with her magical vocals has earned he the name Queen Bey, the fact is she has always been royal.
The mother of three as you would find is married to Shawn Corey Carter best known as Jay-Z; an American rapper and record producer.
2. Angelina Jolie- 26th cousin of Queen Elizabeth II through King of France, Philip II
To start, Angelina Jolie is the 26th cousin of Queen Elizabeth II albeit, her royal bloodline goes even deeper. The actress’s mother, Marie Bertrand is related to the King of France, Philip II who ruled from 1880-1223.
Angelina is an American actress, filmmaker, and humanitarian who according to many sources stands as the world’s most beautiful woman. It’s no wonder that her relationships and marriages have been subjects of public fuzz. To that concern, she has been married and divorced 3 times.
Some movies you may have seen the actress includes; Girl Interrupted, Wanted, Salt, Kung Fu, and Maleficent.
3. Tom Hanks- Distant cousin of Abraham Lincoln through Lincoln’s mother Nancy Hank
Asides from holding records for his comedic and dramatic movie roles, the American filmmaker and actor shares the same bloodline as one of the American presidents Abraham Lincoln. They are distant cousins and have four generations removed through the president’s mother, Nancy Hank.
Tom Hanks doesn’t need much of an introduction if you are familiar with movies such as Forest Gump, Toy Story, and Catch Me If You Can.
The father of four is currently married to Rita Wilson and this came to be after his 9 years of marriage to Samantha Lewes ended.
4. Ellen DeGeneres- 15th cousin of Kate Middleton and direct descendent of King Edward III
The confidence that accompanies Ellen’s comedies and talk shows is hardly a surprise. Ellen’s DNA can be traced to two powerful and fearless royals. She is the 15th cousin of the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, and a direct descendent of King Edward III who reigned in 1327.
5. Danielle Riley Keough- Granddaughter of Elvis Presley
She is the eldest granddaughter of Elvis Presley otherwise known as the King of Rock and Roll. Unsurprisingly, the 33-year-old has many accomplishments that suit her high-profile family. She is an actress and singer who counts herself very privileged to be a descendant of such a great man. “well, who wouldn’t”.
Asides from her grandfather’s fame, Riley’s grandmother Priscilla Presley was a great actress. In the same vein, her parents; Lisa Marie Presley and Danny were also popular musicians.
The mother of two is married to Ben Smith Petersen; an Australian stuntman whom she has committed to spending seven lifetimes.
6. Oona Chaplin- Granddaughter of Charlie Chaplin and great-granddaughter Eugene O’Neil
She is the granddaughter of English Film actor Charlie Chaplin and the great-granddaughter of Irish American playwright Eugene O’Neil. From her physical appearance down to her acting prowess, one can see that Oona possesses strong genes of the Chaplin family.
The Spanish-Swiss actress has featured in several productions including Game of Thrones, The Crimson Field, and Taboo.
7. Harry Lloyd- Great-great-great-grandson of Charles Dicken
He is the great-great-great-grandson of Charles Dicken as his mother is the descendant of the seventh child of Peter Gerald Dickens. Charles in the 19th century was popularised writer and social critic with many novels, short stories, and comics. One of his best-selling books “Oliver Twist” is still in high demand after almost 2 centuries.
Harry Lloyd on his part is an English actor known for his roles in the BBC drama, Robin Hood and Doctor Who.
8. Brad Pitt- Distant relative to Barack Obama through Edwin Hickman
The American actor and film producer is a distant relative to President Barack Obama. The two men are linked to Edwin Hickman from the 18th century.
While he may not have journeyed through politics, he is considered one of the most powerful and influential in the American entertainment industry. His works have received a number of awards including the Academy Award, British Academy Film Awards, two Golden Awards, and a Primetime Emmy Award.
Asides from his ancestral ties, the father of 6 has a thing for high-profile women, he was previously married to Jennifer Aniston for 5 years and later to Angelina Jolie for 2 years. At present, he is rumored to be dating the fitness enthusiast and health coach Ines de Ramon
9. Johnny Depp- Shares an ancestor with Queen Elizabeth through King Edward III of England
You may likely recognize him as Capt. Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series, however, you probably never thought he has genes attached to royal blood. Depp shares an ancestor with Queen Elizabeth. They both linked to King Edward III of England who ruled in the 1300s
Though famous for his unique style of acting which has garnered him a number of awards, the actor’s divorce saga with Amber Heard in 2022 also drew more attention to him.
10. Hilary Duff- Relative of Queen Elizabeth through Alexander Spotswood
The American actress and singer is reportedly the closest American relative of Queen Elizabeth. Through her ancestral ties with Alexander Spotswood, an officer of the British Army and the 10th great-grandson of Edward III, Hilary is the 18th cousin of the queen.
As it is, she is considered the most royal celebrity. The actress and singer is best known for her roles in movies like; Cinderella Story, Raise Your Voice, and What Goes Up.
11. Benedict Cumberbatch- 16th cousin removed to King Richard III
“Doctor Strange” in the Marvel movies is the 16th cousin removed to King Richard III who ruled England from 1452 to 1485. While his ancestry to the king can be traced through different relations, the King’s mother Joan Beaufort is one short link. She is also Cecily Neville’s grandmother.
Benedict, as hinted, is an English actor popular for his theatre and stage performances. He is married to his longtime girlfriend Sophie Hunter and together they have three children.
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12. Meghan Markle- Distant cousin to Williams Shakespeare
Although Meghan’s marriage to Prince Harry of the British family sets a crown of royalty over her, the actress has locked genes with many high profiles before their marriage. The mother of two is cousins with Williams Shakespeare and interestingly the 5th cousin of Bard 12 times removed.
Meghan stopped acting in 2017 before getting into the British royal family. She last portrayed the role of Rachel Zane in the legal drama Suits for 7 seasons.
13. Brooke Shield- Direct descendant of King Henry IV
As you would find, Brooke Sheilds is the second most royal celebrity in America thanks to her connection to different monarchs. The 57-year-old American actress and model is a direct descendant of King Henry IV, son of the 1st duke of Lancaster John of Gaunt, and Blanche of Lancaster. It’s on record that she is the 28th cousin of Queen Elizabeth II, once removed.
Her ancestry also traces back to Queen Cathrine De Medici of France and the Duchess of Ferrara, Lucrezia Borgia.
Brooke is currently married to Chris Henchy whom she shares two children Rowan and Geier. Their marriage came to be after her 2 years marriage to Agassi ended in divorce,
14. Anderson Cooper- Great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt
If you’ve not noticed the resemblance between these two, then you should probably look a bit longer. Anderson is the great-grandson of Cornelius Vanderbilt and his mother Gloria Vanderbilt was the granddaughter of Cornelius.
While his famous ancestor was a business tycoon known for shipping and railroad, Anderson has chosen to keep his focus on the media. He is a broadcast journalist and political commentator who primarily anchors the CNN news broadcast show Anderson Cooper 360° and also serves as a correspondent for 60 Minutes on CBS News.
15. Tilda Swinton- Robert the Bruce king of Sotland
The British actress’s roots can be traced to one of the oldest families in Scotland. She is linked to Robert the Bruce, a medieval monarch who became the king of Scotland in 1306.
Tilda is best known for her performances in the Wes Anderson films Moonrise Kingdom, The Grand Budapest Hotel, and The French Dispatch.
16. Robert Pattinson- Related to Vlad the Impaler
According to researchers, Robert is related to Vlad the Impaler who is also known as Vlad Dracula. Their connection stems from their relationship with the British royal family. It’s on record that Prince Williams and Prince Harry are distant cousins of Robert and in turn, Vlad was their distant uncle.
While it’s difficult to give full traces of Robert’s ancestral links to Vlad, the actor’s portrayal as vampire Edward Cullen in Twilight according to the genealogist Anastasia Tyler could be just more than just acting.
17. Kit Harington- Direct descendent of Robert Catesby
The English actor is a direct descendent of Robert Catesby who is said to have planned the failed Gunpowder plot in an attempt to blow up England’s King James and the Parliament in 1605.
Although Harington never got to meet Catesby, he was able to portray his ancestor’s character in the 2017 BBC drama series Gunpowder.
The father of one is widely known for his role as Jon Snow in the television series Game of Thrones.
18. Sigourney Weaver- Descendant of King Henry I
The English/American actress is a descendant of King Henry I who ruled from 1100 until his death in 1135. She is also the 24th cousin of Queen Elizabeth once removed.
Sigourney is best known for her role as Ellen Ripley in the Alien film series. Asides from this, she has made appearances in films such as Gorillas in the Mist, The Ice Storm, Working Girl, and Avatar.
She is married to Jim Sipson and they have a child together named Charlotte.
19. Celine Dion- 9th cousin once removed of Camilla Parker Bowles
The French-Canadian singer is the 9th cousin once removed of Camilla Parker Bowles. Interestingly, she is the 10th cousin of Madonna who also shares ties with the British House through their connection to one of Quebec’s earliest settlers, Jean Guyon.
While Celine and Camilla may have never met or even spoken about their ancestral links, Celine is no less a royal figure or in fact, an angel as her song “I am your Angel” suggests.
She was married to Rene Angelil, her long-time manager from 1994 until his death in 2016, and together, they birthed three children.
20. Glenn Close- Queen Elizabeth’s cousin through King John
Glenn has always been regarded as a star and her royal connections just made it louder. The actress is the 24th cousin twice removed by Queen Elizabeth through King John.
The actress is best known for her role in movies such as Fatal Attraction, Reverse of Fortune, and Paradise Road. She is a mother of one and has been married and divorced three times.
