Secret is something that always stimulates everyone’s curiosity. Celebrities rarely have the luxury of choice when deciding whether to reveal these personal stories, especially family secrets. Most families have rich pasts full of colorful stories and incredible situations. While some people keep their family’s drama for their whole lives, never divulging them to anyone, others willingly share them with the world.
Of course, some revelations are embarrassing or reputation-shattering, so we cannot criticize them for keeping secrets from the public eye. However, some stories become an inspiration for writers to produce books or films.
Below are 10 celebs who unexpectedly learned their family's secret. If you want to see more celebrities' secrets, read
this article.
#1 One of Edward Norton’s ancestors turns out to be Pocahontas.
Source: R. SMITH/SIPA/SIPA/East News
One of his ancestors belongs to the indigenous peoples of North America and this person was renowned Pocahontas. The only son of Pocahontas and John was Thomas who turned out to be Norton’s distant relative. Pocahontas herself turns out to be Edward’s 12th great-grandmother.
#2 Hilary Swank’s roots are in Nebraska.
Source: © hilaryswank / Instagram
The actress appears as a farmer from Nebraska in the film “The Homesman”. The movie reminded her father of their family history. Their ancestors were also farmers from Nebraska. And one of them was killed in a skirmish with invaders. His body didn’t fall because he was leaning against a rock. The aggressors were so scared and called him an evil spirit.
#3 Tom Hanks once portrayed a cousin of his on screen.
Source: Andy Kropa/Invision/East News, Courtesy Everett Collection / East News
Tom Hanks had no idea that he played the famous TV presenter Fred Rogers who turned out to be his distant relative. It is revealed that the presenter and the actors share a common ancestor, Johannes Mefford who emigrated from Germany to the Us in the 18
th century.
#4 If Danny Trejo had known about his roots, his youth would have been very different.
Source: officialdannytrejo
During his childhood, he lived with his father, a construction worker who hated his work, and his uncle who acted illegally. It was no surprise that he spent most of his youth in prison. However, he recently discovered that his ancestors were wealthy and law-abiding. One of his father’s ancestors was an owner of a shop while his mother’s ancestors were wealthy landowners in Mexico.
#5 Sarah Jessica Parker’s and Claire Danes’ ancestors were the infamous Salem witches.
Source: Charles Sykes/Invision/East News, CJ Rivera / Everett Collection / East News
In the 17
th century, their ancestors were accused of witchcraft. While Parker’s 10
th great-grandmother still lived to be 82 years old because her case was closed before the verdict, Danes’s ancestor was found guilty of witchcraft and became one of the last victims of the Salem Witch Trials.
#6 Joe Manganiello has recently found out he has no Italian roots.
Source: East News
It is a fact that Joe Manganiello has no Italian roots though his ancestors came from Italy. His great-grandfather was black and his great-grandmother was white but they still got married in 1887 when racism still exist.
#7 Kevin Bacon and his wife are actually distant relatives.
Source: © kevinbacon / Instagram
Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick are not only a married couple but cousins. Bacon’s ancestors hail from the city of Bristol, UK, and trace their ancestry back to King Edward I of England.
#8 Amy Schumer’s ancestors were kidnapped by the Mohawk people.
Source: © amyschumer / Instagram
Her family lived in Massachusetts where her 8th great-grandfather’s relatives suffered misfortune. Native Americans of the Mohawk tribe kidnapped his sisters and two brothers. While the girl was ransomed, the boys stayed with the tribe. Though a few years later, there was a chance to retrieve them, they chose to stay with the tribe and became the most prosperous people in the land.
#9 Téa Leoni was able to find her biological grandmother.
Source: AFP/EAST NEWS
Her mom was adopted at a young age and the actress decided to help her find her biological parents. She even asked for the help of the program Finding Your Roots. Thanks to DNA analysis, the show arranged for the three women to meet.
#10 Neil Patrick Harris’ ancestors came to America even before the passengers of the Mayflower.
Source: © nph / Instagram
The American actor turns out to have an English root. His distant ancestor William Ferrar arrived in Virginia in 1618 aboard the ship Neptune, where his ancestor and other people established a settlement two years before the ship Mayflower docked at the American shores.