HOLLYWOOD, CA. (THECOUNT) — Sydney Sweeney and late Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe are actually related — albeit distantly — with new genealogical research revealing the two stars are ninth cousins, once removed.
The distant family connection was uncovered by genealogy platform MyHeritage and traces through both women’s paternal family lines. Sweeney is connected through her father, Steven Sweeney, while Monroe’s branch runs through her biological father, Charles Stanley Gifford.
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According to the research, the two family trees converge through Ezra Perry, who lived approximately from 1625 to 1689 and was an early settler in Sandwich, Massachusetts.
Roi Mandel, MyHeritage’s director of research, said the long-running comparisons between Sweeney and Monroe inspired researchers to look for a possible connection in the company’s archives.
“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,” Mandel said in a statement provided to Just Jared. “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.”
The discovery adds an unexpected dimension to comparisons that have followed Sweeney throughout her rise in Hollywood. The Euphoria actress has repeatedly been compared to Monroe because of her appearance, Old Hollywood-inspired styling and fashion choices.
Earlier this year, Sweeney recreated a look similar to one worn by Monroe for the cover of LIFE magazine in 1952, further fueling the visual comparisons between the two stars. The dress Sweeney wore was a vintage Ceil Chapman gown that closely echoed Monroe’s iconic April 1952 LIFE cover look.
Sandwich, Massachusetts, where the research places the shared ancestor Ezra Perry as an early settler, is located on Cape Cod, approximately 55 miles southeast of Boston.
View Sandwich, Massachusetts on Google Maps
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