Stars You Never Knew Were Related

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There are many resources available for us to browse genealogy records and piece together your family history. Most of us aren't related to someone famous, but that isn't always the case. 

Countless Hollywood stars have traded their real names for stage names. For example, the name Reginald Kenneth Dwight may not ring a bell, but the name Elton John will. Celebrities will also change their last names in favor of their spouse or a parent. Angelina Jolie was born Angelina Jolie Voight but legally dropped her last name to spite her father.

With all the stage names being used, it can be difficult for stars to pinpoint their ancestors. However, genealogists have found connections that may surprise you!

Shirley MacLaine and Warren Beatty

At MacLaine’s American Film Institute Life Achievement Award ceremony in 2012, Shirley MacLaine was honored by her brother Warren Beatty when he opened for the night. They performed again for the Oscars in 2017, where Beatty had a major flop.

(Image via Wikipedia; Wikipedia)

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Did you know...

  • After her role as First Lady came to an end, Jackie Kennedy went into the publishing business. She became an associate editor at Doubleday and worked mostly on autobiographies. In fact, she was one of two original editors for Michael Jackson's 2009 autobiography Moonwalk, a #1 New York Times bestseller.
  • Jennifer Aniston's star-defining role on friends started a hair craze in the 90s that even lasted into the early 2000s. Called "The Rachel," Aniston's shoulder-length haircut had grown-out bangs and highlights styled to perfection. A hairdresser in Detroit noted that at the peak of its popularity, 40% of her business was devoted to recreating "The Rachel." Too bad that it was notoriously difficult to maintain on your own at home.
  • When Rihanna debuted her famous red locks in 2010 (around the same time she was featured on Eminem's "Love the Way You Lie"), she started a red-hair trend. Over the next twelve months, she changed her hairstyle 13 times—more than once a month! But that came at a pricey cost. Sources say the annual price tag came out to $1,168,000 on just her hair.
  • While attending the Grammys in February 2000, Jennifer Lopez stepped out in a green Versace dress that instantly became a phenomenon. The barely-there ensemble had a dramatically low cut that came below JLo’s belly button. It became such a talking point that it was Google’s most popular search query up to that point, and it spurred the company to include images into search results. It became the motivation for Google Images.
  • Björk created a media sensation when she wore her iconic white swan dress to the 2001 Oscars. At the time, many derided it as hideous and a publicity stunt, but it has since gone down as one of the most memorable dresses of all time—even if it isn't exactly beloved. She says David Bowie was the inspiration behind the dress.