A genealogical study adds a surprising twist to years of Hollywood comparisons.
Los Angeles, United States
Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe are distant relatives, according to new genealogical research that traces both actresses back to a common ancestor who lived in seventeenth-century Massachusetts. The study identifies the two stars as ninth cousins once removed, connecting their paternal family lines through Ezra Perry, an early settler in Sandwich. The discovery transforms a long-running cultural comparison into an actual family connection. For years, Sweeney and Monroe had already been linked through appearance, styling and the mythology of Hollywood glamour.
The connection was reconstructed through Sweeney’s father, Steven Sweeney, and Monroe’s biological father, Charles Stanley Gifford. Researchers found that both family lines converge several centuries ago, illustrating how distant genealogical relationships can connect people who appear historically unrelated. The finding does not imply a close family bond, but it does place both actresses inside the same extended ancestral network. That alone has been enough to generate renewed attention around their public similarities.
Sweeney has repeatedly referenced the visual language associated with Monroe. She has appeared at major events wearing gowns inspired by classic Old Hollywood silhouettes and has embraced styling choices that recall Monroe’s image without directly reproducing it. Those parallels had previously been understood as aesthetic homage and cultural positioning. The genealogical discovery now adds an unexpected biological dimension to that narrative.
The timing is particularly striking because Sweeney’s public image has increasingly been framed through comparisons with earlier Hollywood icons. Her mixture of mainstream visibility, fashion influence and provocative screen roles has repeatedly invited comparisons with Monroe’s ability to dominate public attention while navigating intense media scrutiny. The new research does not explain those similarities, but it inevitably strengthens the symbolic connection between the two.
Genealogy often produces surprising links across centuries, especially among families with long histories in the same regions. In this case, however, the connection carries unusual cultural weight because both women became highly recognizable symbols of their respective eras. One belonged to the classic studio system, while the other operates inside streaming, social media and global digital celebrity.
The discovery does not rewrite Hollywood history, but it adds a remarkable footnote to it. Two actresses separated by generations, technology and completely different entertainment industries now share something more than image and fame.
Sometimes resemblance is cultural. Sometimes history goes deeper.