Barack Obama has a surprising connection to an incredibly famous actor that much of the internet likely had no clue about.
Delving into your family tree can lead you into some interesting places – for better or for worse – but it also shows that it truly is a small world after all.
In the world of celebrity, there have been a few bizarre familial connections between the unlikeliest of people, whether that be Madonna and Pope Leo XIV, or Kevin Bacon and his wife, Kyra Sedgwick.
Even Madonna was surprised by her and Pope Leo’s shared ancestry, though she isn’t the only celebrity he shares blood with.
However, Obama has his own weird ancestry story too, as he is distantly related to one of Hollywood’s most famous faces. And he was more than happy to talk about it back in 2008.
Barack Obama is distantly related to a global superstar (Melina Mara/The Washington Post/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
During an appearance on The View, he was asked about his famous relative prior to the presidential election campaign that saw him defeat Republican candidate, John McCain.
But who is it? Well, it is, in fact, Fight Club’s Brad Pitt.
When asked by Joy Behar about his relation to Pitt, the former president responded: “I guess we’re ninth cousins, something removed – or something.”
He then joked: “I think he got the better-looking side of the gene pool.”
Now while that may sound bonkers, it is actually 100 per cent correct as both Obama and Pitt are linked by mutual ancestor, Edwin Hickman, who died in Virginia in 1769 – making them ninth cousins.
Christopher Child, a genealogist at The New England Historic Genealogical Society (NEHGS), said as per The Guardian: “If people have ancestors in a common part of the country they will be more likely to find connections – in Obama and Pitt’s case the South.”
Although, Obama is not the only former politician to have a famous relative in Hollywood.
Brad Pitt and Obama share a common ancestor (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Hillary Clinton and Angelina Jolie – who was previously married to Pitt until their divorce became official last year – are also ninth cousins.
As per Reuters, researchers at NEHGS found they’re both related to Jean Cusson, who died in Quebec back in 1718.
Clinton, who is of French-Canadian descent on her mother’s side, is distant cousins with singers Madonna, Celine Dion and Alanis Morissette.
Child went on to add: “It shows that lots of different people can be related, people you wouldn’t necessarily expect.”
