USA Today: Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe Revealed as Distant Cousins
Sydney Sweeney and Marilyn Monroe share a family tree, as USA Today reported on October 8, 2026, revealing that the Euphoria actress is a ninth cousin, once removed, of the late Hollywood icon through 17th-century Massachusetts settlers.
Genealogy Study Links Actresses Through 17th-Century Settlers
The genealogy research site MyHeritage shared a study establishing that the two Hollywood stars share common ancestors Ezra Perry and Elizabeth Burgess, who were 17th-century British settlers in Massachusetts. According to the company, the lineage connects through Sweeney’s father, Steven Sweeney, and Monroe’s biological father, Charles Stanley Gifford. The same Perry-Burgess lineage also includes former President Franklin D. Roosevelt and General Douglas MacArthur. MyHeritage Director of Research Roi Mandel stated that seeing their paths align on a deeper level inspired the archive search after years of public comparisons between the actresses.
Red Carpet Style and Historical Parodies
Fans have long compared the Anyone But You star to the 1950s sex symbol who died in 1962, and Sweeney has drawn inspiration from her distant cousin. Sweeney wore a white dress at The Housemaid premiere in December resembling Monroe’s iconic white skirt blowing look in The Seven Year Itch. At the 2026 Santa Barbara Film Festival, Sweeney also wore a vintage Ceil Chapman gown resembling the look Monroe sported on the cover of LIFE magazine in April 1952. Sweeney’s stylist, Molly Dickson, confirmed the inspiration, while Sweeney told WSJ. Magazine in August that she simply connects to history when asked about being styled as an old Hollywood bombshell.
Wider Family Connections in Hollywood Casting
MyHeritage additionally revealed research connecting actress Dakota Johnson to Marilyn Monroe as a ninth cousin, three times removed. That connection emerged as Maggie Gyllenhaal’s short film Flesh Impact brought Monroe back into the spotlight with Dakota Johnson portraying a version of the Hollywood legend alongside Ellen Burstyn. Other recent cinematic portrayals of Monroe include Ana de Armas in Blonde and Michelle Williams in My Week with Marilyn, both of whom earned Oscar nominations for their performances.
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