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Did you know these A-listers are related?
When you become a celebrity you have to seek out famous friends, those kindred spirits who can understand the pressures of living in the spotlight. But sometimes that fame runs in the family. From Lady Gaga to Glenn Close meet Hollywood’s celebrity cousins... (©BANG Showbiz)
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Jenny and Melissa McCarthy
Playboy model and TV star Jenny McCarthy, 50, is cousin to none other than ‘Tammy’ actress Melissa McCarthy, 52. In 2015, Jenny took to Instagram to share a glimpse of their closeness. She posted a picture which read: "Me, my sis, and my cousin Melissa. 102 degrees at the zoo, not happy campers." (©BANG Showbiz)
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Damon and Stacey Dash
‘Clueless’ star Stacey Dash, 56, and Roc-A-Fella founder Damon Dash, 51, are cousins. However, the fact that they are related does not necessarily mean that their relationship is perfect. In fact, in 2014, Stacey opened up about how her conservative views have created tension between her and her family. She told The Edit: “My family and I have not spoken. My cousin Damon and my brother were role models to me because they were great capitalists. Now, we’re not really talking because they were the ones who told me to keep my mouth shut.” (©BANG Showbiz)
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Snoop Dogg and Brandy
Brandy, 44, is best known for the hit '90s track ‘The Boy Is Mine’. But did you know that her cousin is one of the most successful rappers of all-time? She can include Snoop Dogg, 51, in her family tree. That said, Snoop is also R&B star Ray-J’s cousin, as the latter is Brandy’s brother. In 2009, Snoop and Brandy took their friendship to a professional level by working together on the song ‘Special’. (©BANG Showbiz)
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Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip
The late Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) was married to Prince Philip (1921-2021) from 1947 until the day her died. But did you know they were third cousins? Both Elizabeth and Philip were great-grandchildren of Queen Victoria. (©BANG Showbiz)
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Madonna and Lady Gaga
These music legends do not only share great success, but also a blood connection. According to celebrity genealogist Chris Child, Lady Gaga, 37, and Madonna, 64, are ninth cousins. In an interview with The Boston Globe, Chris revealed he became curious when he noticed a very small detail while doing some research on the ‘Born This Way’ singer. He said: "When I saw that Lady Gaga had French Canadian ancestry, I thought there might be something there." (©BANG Showbiz)
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Ireland (left) and Hailey Baldwin (right)
The Baldwin family is full of fame and that includes cousins Hailey Baldwin, 26, and Ireland Baldwin, 27, whose fathers are brothers Stephen and Alec Baldwin, respectively. Such is the bond between Justin Bieber’s wife and the fashion model, that they even got matching tattoos in 2015. The pair got their last name inked on their middle fingers. (©BANG Showbiz)
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Brooke Shields and Glenn Close
Mary Elsie - the great-grandmother of ‘The Blue Lagoon’ actress Brooke Shields, 57 - was the sister of ‘Fatal Attraction’ star Glenn Close's grandfather. What does this mean? That these celebrity ladies are second cousins once removed! The actresses have attended red carpet events together here and there, but did you know that they almost starred in a film with one another? In a 2023 interview with Variety, Brooke revealed that she was almost cast in the 1988 film ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ – starring Glenn Close, but she lost out on the part. She said: "They said the other person was this girl not many people knew about. It was Uma Thurman. At that time and that age, it felt so personal, but I’ve learned over time not to take it personally because ‘no’ outweighs ‘yes’ extensively in this business.” (©BANG Showbiz)
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Gwyneth Paltrow and Katherine Moennig
Blythe Danner, the mother of actress Gwyneth Paltrow, 50, is the half-sister of William H. Moennig III, who happens to be the father of ‘The L Word’ star Katherine Moennig, 45. That makes Gwynnie and Kat half-first cousins. In a 2000 interview with The New York Observer, Moennig talked about how the public is often confused by the fact that she and the ‘Iron Man’ actress’ don't look like one another. She said: "We're totally different people. We look very different, too. No one's judging me solely on the fact that I am her cousin." (© BANG Showbiz)
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Katy Perry and Taylor Swift
According to MyHeritage.com, singers Taylor Swift, 33, and Katy Perry, 38, are ninth cousins. However, during an appearance on ‘Capital Breakfast With Roman Kemp’, Perry admitted to not knowing anything about a blood connection between them, although she is open to finding out more about it. Katy said: "Wow, I'm going to have to ask her if this is true or if we should, like, get blood tests together or something." Katy and Taylor have had a tumultuous relationship, as they have been great friends, but also feuded for a few years. Katy then joked: "Well, we fight like cousins." (© BANG Showbiz)
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Matthew Perry and Courteney Cox
'Friends' stars Matthew Perry, 53, and Courteney Cox, 58, provided viewers with a beautiful love story as their characters Chandler Bing and Monica Geller fall in love after being friends for many years. In real life, however, these stars are ninth cousins. According to MyHeritage.com, both are descendants of the Haskells family, whose origins began in the 17th century. (©BANG Showbiz)
When you become a celebrity you have to seek out famous friends, those kindred spirits who can understand the pressures of living in the spotlight.
