Top 10 Craziest Cousin Reveals on Finding Your Roots

Top 10 Craziest Cousin Reveals on Finding Your Roots

Welcome to MsMojo, and today were counting down our picks for the most surprising moments on Finding Your Roots when celebrities learned they were distantly related to other famous figures.

#10: Melanie Lynskey & Questlove

Actress Melanie Lynskey and musician Questlove have both appeared on separate episodes of Finding Your Roots. But it was during Lynskeys episode in Season 11 that a surprising connection between the two was revealed. She learned that she and Questlove are distant cousins, linked by an identical DNA segment they both share. Lynskeys reaction moved from shock to disbelief, and ultimately, excitement. Though visibly stunned, she flipped the script by asking host Henry Louis Gates Jr. how he felt when he first discovered the connection. Considering her own quirky charm, its not so surprising that she and the ever-delightful Questlove might be family.

#9: Lewis Black & Marc Maron

Some familial discoveries on Finding Your Roots seem to come out of left field. But there are others that, while still surprising, just feel oddly fitting. During his 2021 appearance on the show, comedian Lewis Black uncovered several hardships his ancestors endured. However, the biggest surprise of the episode came when he learned he was distantly related to fellow comic Marc Maron. Known for his appearances on late-night talk shows and his podcast WTF with Marc Maron, the connection between Maron and Black feels almost inevitable, considering both men have built careers out of their controlled rage. Black even joked about their shared temperament during a subsequent appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.

#8: RuPaul & Cory Booker

Merely looking at them, you can tell theres some resemblance between U.S. Senator Cory Booker and drag icon RuPaul. But as it turns out, their connection is more than just skin-deep. When RuPaul appeared on Season 6 of Finding Your Roots, host Henry Louis Gates Jr. revealed that he is DNA cousins with Booker. While he was momentarily surprised, RuPaul quickly acknowledged the striking resemblance they share. To RuPaul, the connection made sense, as Booker had always reminded him of another cousin. The following year, Booker leaned into the fabulous family tie by making a guest appearance on the Season 13 finale of RuPauls Drag Race.

#7: Billy Crudup & Terry Crews

On the surface, Hollywood actors Billy Crudup and Terry Crews seem to have little in common. They had never met, nor appeared together on screen, when Crudup took part in Finding Your Roots in 2023. During the episode, he discovered that he and Crews share an identical stretch of DNA on their 16th chromosomes, making them distant cousins. Crudup was thrilled by the news, but said his son, William, who is a devoted fan of Brooklyn Nine-Nine, would be even more excited. Apparently, after discovering this connection, both actors finally met for the first time and uncovered even more surprising similarities. They were born just 22 days apart, and the name Crews was actually derived from Crudup.

#6: John Lithgow & Henry Louis Gates Jr.

Award-winning actor John Lithgow came on Finding Your Roots eager to explore his family tree. But he soon discovered that some of his distant relatives were not so distant after all. Host Henry Louis Gates Jr. revealed that Lithgow not only shares DNA with stars like Alec Baldwin, Clint Eastwood, and Sally Field, but is also related to Gates himself. Lithgows jaw dropped to the floor, as did ours. Gates explained that their connection traces back to his own maternal ancestor, who was English. Still overcome with emotion, Lithgow took a moment to process the news before reaching across the table and grabbing Gates hands in pure joy.

#5: Viola Davis & Anita Hill

One of these women made history as the first black actress to win an Emmy for Lead Actress in a Drama Series for playing a lawyer in How to Get Away with Murder. The other is an actual lawyer who rose to prominence after accusing then-Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment. Despite the many challenges theyve faced, both women persevered and built remarkable careers for themselves, so it was fitting to learn they are actually related. In a 2023 episode of Finding Your Roots, Davis discovered that she and Hill are distant cousins, connected by a shared segment of DNA on their ninth chromosome. For Davis, the revelation felt right, as she had met Hill before and sensed a strong bond with her.

#4: Bill Maher & Bill O'Reilly

TV personalities Bill Maher and Bill O'Reilly couldnt be more different. While Maher leans towards the liberal side of the political spectrum and is an outspoken atheist, OReilly is a staunch conservative with deep ties to Christian circles. Both men appeared on the same episode in 2016, and despite their many differences, they came to learn that they are actually distant cousins. Using DNA testing of their Y chromosomes, the shows researchers discovered that both men share a common male ancestor from the medieval kingdom of Breifne in Ireland. Only on Finding Your Roots can two men walk in as polar opposites and leave as family.

#3: Glenn Close & Princess Diana

Although she is considered Hollywood royalty, award-winning actor Glenn Close had no idea she had actual royalty in her lineage. That is, until she came on Finding Your Roots in 2021. Close learned that she was a descendant of a man named John Strong, a 17th century Englishman who moved to the U.S. at age 30. Through him, Close discovered she was distantly related to actor-director Clint Eastwood, as well as the late Princess Diana. As fate would have it, Close had actually met Diana in 1989, years before her untimely passing, when she was promoting a film in England. Close remembered their encounter fondly, and couldnt help but note how much they resembled each other.

#2: Larry David & Bernie Sanders

You couldnt have scripted a more surprising cousin reveal. Larry David and Bernie Sanders have built reputations in entirely different arenas. David is a comedian and legendary TV producer, while Sanders is a longtime U.S. senator. But dig a little deeper and youd find that they share quite a few similarities, both being Jewish men born in New York City in the 1940s. David has even impersonated Sanders multiple times on Saturday Night Live. Those parallels took on new meaning when the two appeared on the season four premiere of Finding Your Roots and discovered they are sixth cousins, once removed. It was the most unexpected revelation that somehow made perfect sense.

#1: Kevin Bacon & Kyra Sedgwick

One of the most unsettling revelations for any married couple would be discovering that they are related. Actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick faced a version of this when they both appeared on the first season of Finding Your Roots. Married for over 30 years, the couple learned that they share a common ancestor, making them ninth cousins, once removed. Quite interestingly, neither Bacon nor Sedgwick seemed particularly shocked by the revelation. Sedgwick had suspected a possible biological connection to Bacon, and had already broken the news to him after learning the truth earlier. Nonetheless, she managed to find solace in the fact that their connection was as remote as it gets.

Have you ever gone digging into your ancestry? What celebrities would you like to find in your family tree? Let us know in the comments below.