> At a Glance
> – America Ferrera learns Ava DuVernay is her cousin on the Jan. 6, 2026 season 12 opener
> – Sterling K. Brown, Danielle Brooks and Niecy Nash-Betts are Oscar-nominated cousins
> – Bob Odenkirk is an 11th cousin to King Charles III
> – Why it matters: Genealogy shows keep proving Hollywood’s A-list share DNA-sometimes across races, generations and continents
Hollywood keeps shrinking. Ahead of Finding Your Roots‘ 12th-season premiere, the show’s database-and sister series 2 Lies & a Leaf-have linked more than a dozen celebrities to relatives they never knew they had.
Cousins in Front of the Camera
**America Ferrera greeted news that director Ava DuVernay is her cousin with a delighted “Oh my God! I love that,” shown in the new-season trailer.
Niecy Nash-Betts outed Sterling K. Brown and Danielle Brooks as “REAL cousins” in a 2024 Instagram post celebrating their Oscar nods for American Fiction and The Color Purple. Brooks later joked on Live with Kelly and Mark that she’s “the connective tissue” between the two branches and pitched a joint project: “Somebody make a movie or a TV show and let’s actually do this!”
Cross-Genre, Cross-Color DNA Matches
- Billy Crudup and Terry Crews met in New York after DNA showed they share a bloodline. Crews told Today the link “is a statement about what America is… we all think, you know, he’s white, I’m Black. But the reality is we are true blood relatives.”
- Sheryl Lee Ralph learned she and Samuel L. Jackson descend from a common ancestor; Gates flagged “a long stretch of DNA” on chromosome 16. Ralph replied, “And I like him so much!”
Royal and Chromosomal Curveballs
**Bob Odenkirk ranks as King Charles III‘s 11th cousin through his paternal line. The actor laughed off the monarchical twist: “Well, maybe I’ll change my mind on that.”
Michael Douglas discovered he and Scarlett Johansson are “DNA cousins,” matching on four chromosomes. Douglas quipped, “Well, I look forward to seeing Scarlett next time!”
Pop, Sports and Politics Mash-ups
| Star | Surprise Cousin | Chromosome Link |
|---|---|---|
| Ciara | Derek Jeter | shared 14th-chromosome segment |
| Whoopi Goldberg | Tony Gonzalez | distant cousin invitation to The View |
| Larry David | Bernie Sanders | DNA match confirmed 2017 |
| Debra Messing | Bernie Sanders | 11th-season reveal |
| Lena Dunham | Larry David | maternal-side cousin |
| Cory Booker | RuPaul | finale cameo on Drag Race |
**Pope Leo XIV headlines the most eclectic family tree: Gates traced a 1590s ancestor shared with Justin Trudeau, Hillary Clinton, Justin Bieber, Angelina Jolie and Madonna.
Small-Screen and Stage Siblings
- Ashley Tisdale and Austin Butler are 10th cousins once removed, discovered on 2 Lies & a Leaf after years of calling each other “brother and sister.”
- Lance Bass learned Britney Spears is his cousin, declaring, “Now I’m related to the queen of pop!”
Key Takeaways
- Finding Your Roots season 12 bows Jan. 6, 2026, with Ferrera’s DuVernay reveal
- DNA tests show family lines can cross racial, royal and generational divides
- Multiple stars-Sanders, David, Brooks-now count two famous cousins apiece
The takeaway for viewers: your next favorite show could star literal cousins.
